Grammar Info
N4 Lesson 4: 13/18

が欲(ほ)しい
To want something, To be in need of

Do not confuse:, ほしくなかった [past negative], with, ほしくなった => ほしい+なる

Structure
Casual
Polite
Noun + + ほしい
Noun + + ほしい + です
Details
Register Standard
使用域 一般
Information
To say that you want something in Japanese, the particle will be combined with the い-Adjective 欲(ほ)しい ‘to want (A)’, or ‘to desire (A)’. This is exactly the same way as other い-Adjectives behave when describing nouns.
  • 新(あたら)し車(くるま)が欲(ほ)しいけど、今(いま)お金(かね)無(な)いから買(か)ない
    I want a new car, but I don't have any money right now, so I can't buy one.
  • 犬(いぬ)が欲(ほ)しいけどスペース無(な)い
    I want a dog, but I don't have space.
Caution
This use of 欲(ほ)しい is only used for saying that you want ‘things’ (nouns). The auxiliary verb たい will be used when saying that you want to ‘do’ something (verbs).
  • あそこラーメン屋(や)餃子(ぎょうざ)食(た)べたい。
    I want to eat gyoza from that ramen shop over there.
However, ほしい may be used with verbs to express that you want another person to do something. This is done through the use of ほしい after the conjunction particle, .
  • 私(わたし)彼氏(かれし)に大事(だいじ)に てほしい
    I want my boyfriend to treat me like I am important.
For more detail about this, please see ourてほしい lesson.
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誕生日(たんじょうび)お金(かね)がほしい
I want money for my birthday.
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新(あたら)しい靴(くつ)より新(あたら)しいカバンの方(ほう)がほしい
More than new shoes, I want a new bag.
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私(わたし)いい服(ふく)などがほしいです
I want things such as nice clothes.
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Books
みんなの日本語 I
Page 86 [CH 13]
Genki II 2nd Edition
Page 54
[DBJG] A Dictionary of Basic Japanese Grammar
Page 144
Genki II 1st Edition
Page 32
Tae Kim's Japanese Grammar Guide
Page 148