Grammar Info

N4 Lesson 3: 18/18

たがる

To want to (Third person)

Structure

Verb［たい］+ がる

Details

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About たがる

As we explored in our lesson about がる, this verb can be used with adjectives, to express the way in which people are acting. However, it can also be partnered with the auxiliary verb たい, to form たがる. This grammar construction is used when expressing that someone is acting like they 'want' to do something.
To use this structure, attach たい to the ます stem form of any verb, then replace the い in たい with がる.
  • ジョンはなんでいつも悪口(わるぐち)を言(い)いたがるんだろう。
    I wonder why John always wants to talk badly about people.
  • 皆(みんな)は彼(かれ)が作(つく)ったケーキを食(た)べたがる。
    Everyone always wants to eat the cakes that he makes.
Caution
たがる is in contrast to てほしい which means 'to want someone to do (A)'. These differences will need to be practiced, and memorized.
  • 彼(かれ)はこのステーキを食(た)べたがる。
    He will want to eat this steak. (He will act like he wants to)
  • 彼(かれ)にこのステーキを食(た)べてほしい。
    I want him to eat this steak. (I want him to)
This is also in contrast to the い-Adjective 欲(ほ)しい 'to want (A)'. To describe that someone seems like they want something (rather than that they want to 'do' something), がる will be paired with this adjective.
  • 田中君(たなかくん)は新(あたら)しいゲームを見(み)つけると、そのゲームをほしがる。
    When Tanaka-kun sees a new game, he always wants it.

Examples

  • 彼(かれ)は動物園(どうぶつえん)に行(い)きたがる。

    He is acting like he wants to go to the zoo.

  • 娘(むすめ)はいつもスポーツをしたがる。

    My daughter always wants to play sports.

  • 彼女(かのじょ)は最近(さいきん)の映画(えいが)を見(み)たがる。

    My girlfriend wants to see a recently released movie.

  • あの子(こ)帰(かえ)りたがるならいいんじゃない？

    If that kid wants to go home, that's alright, isn't it?

  • 彼(かれ)はパソコンを買(か)いたがって、週末(しゅうまつ)も働(はたら)いた。

    He wanted to buy a PC, so (and) he even worked weekends.

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たがる – Grammar Discussion

Most Recent Replies (11 in total)

  • indutny

    indutny

    Hello!

    I feel a bit stupid, but why does the answer to this question is “行きたがる” and not ”いったがる”？

    彼()は動物園()に＿＿＿＿

    The verb in the hint is just 行く so I expected to use its conjugation: 行ったがる

  • IcyIceBear

    IcyIceBear

    The verb stem is 行き like 行きます. So verb stem +たがる is 行きたがる “(they) want to go”. I don’t don’t what order of lessons your doing, but another thing that might help the way you think of it is how you make simple “I want to verb” statements.

    行く→行きたい → I want to go
    行きたいがる→someone other than me wants to go

  • indutny

    indutny

    Ah, gosh. I was stupid indeed! Somehow I was thinking about past tense of the verb, even though the grammar point was about “3rd person wanting to do”. Thanks for the explanation!

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