Grammar Info

N5 Lesson 7: 12/13

たいWant to do

The object of desire can take either the を or が particle

Structure

Verb［ます］+ たい
Verb［ます］+ たくない
Verb［ます］+ た かった
Verb［ます］+ たくなかった

Details

  • Part of Speech

    Auxiliary Verb

  • Word Type

    Dependent Word

  • Register

    Standard

About たい

たい is an auxiliary verb that is used to express things that you would like to do (want). To use たい, it needs to be added to the same conjugation base form of a verb that ます would be attached to.

When using たい, the thing that is 'wanted' can either be marked with を, or が. The difference in nuance is that something marked with が is considered to be wanted more. たい is conjugated in the same way as い-Adjectives, meaning that the negative, past, or past-negative forms may also be used.

たい is only used for expressing things that 'you' want, or repeating information/asking questions about what other people want. It may not be used to make guesses about what other people 'may' want, unless asking them directly.

Caution

たい is not used to tell other people that you want them to do something. This is done with ～てほしい.

  • あなたはご飯(はん)を作(つく)りたい。
    As for you, I want to make dinner. (This can never mean 'I want you to make dinner for me', and is a fairly unnatural sentence)

Caution

たい is not usually used when giving invitations (asking someone if they want to do something with you). In these cases ～ませんか is far more natural.

  • アカネも行(い)きたい？
    Akane, do you want to go too? (Sounds more like a question than an invitation)

Examples

--:--

    日本(にほん)に行(い)きたい。

    I want to go to Japan.

    来年(らいねん)日本(にほん)に行(い)きたい。

    Next year, I want to go to Japan.

    早(はや)く食(た)べたい。

    I want to eat soon.

    サッカーをしたいです。

    I want to play soccer.

    文法(ぶんぽう)を勉強(べんきょう)したいです。

    I want to study grammar.

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たい – Grammar Discussion

Most Recent Replies (15 in total)

  • MikkaT

    MikkaT

    thanks for the explanation.

  • justin.adamson

    justin.adamson

  • IcyIceBear

    IcyIceBear

    Welcome to the community! You kinda answered your own question.

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