N5#verbs#conjugation#desire#n5

〜たい (Want To)

Conjugate verbs to express desires.

Context

Expressing your wishes

Imagine you are in a Japanese restaurant or talking to a friend about your weekend plans. You want to tell them what you would like to do, eat, or see.

しゅうまつ、なにをしたいですか？

週末、何をしたいですか？

What do you want to do this weekend?

えいがをみたいです。

映画を見たいです。

I want to watch a movie.

In Japanese, expressing a desire is simple once you know how to change the verb form. This pattern allows you to share your preferences clearly.

Explanation

The 〜たい form

To express 'want to [verb]', remove the 'masu' from the polite verb form and add 'tai'.

Verb stem+たいです

The 'tai' form acts like an i-adjective. Because it functions as an adjective, it conjugates like one. To make it polite, simply add 'desu' at the end.

Tip

When using 'tai', the object of the verb is often marked with 'ga' instead of 'o', though 'o' is also common and acceptable.

Examples

Examples in practice

See how the verb stem combines with 'tai' to create new meanings.

寿司(すし)を食べたい(たべたい)です。

I want to eat sushi.

寿司すしsushiををobject marker食べたいたべたいwant to eatですですpolite copula

日本(にほん)へ行きたい(いきたい)です。

I want to go to Japan.

日本にほんJapanへへdirection marker行きたいいきたいwant to go

水【を】飲みたいです。

Hint: Use the object particle.

I want to drink water.

Usage

Nuance and usage

The 〜たい form is very direct. Be careful when using it with superiors.

Watch out

Because 'tai' is very direct, it can sound slightly demanding or childish if used toward a boss or teacher. In formal situations, it is better to use indirect requests like '〜たいのですが' or '〜ていただけませんか'.

Which is more appropriate when speaking to a teacher?

日本へ行きたいです。
✓ 日本へ行きたいのですが…

Adding 'ga' at the end softens the sentence, making it less blunt and more polite.

Deep dive

Deep dive: Other people's desires

A small but important rule regarding who is doing the wanting.

The 〜たい form is primarily used for yourself (first person). When talking about what someone else wants, you usually use '〜たがっている' (they seem to want to) because you cannot know someone else's internal feelings for sure.

Summary

Lesson Summary

You have learned how to express desires by attaching 'tai' to the verb stem. Remember that it functions like an i-adjective and is best used when talking about your own wishes.

食べたい

たべたいverb

want to eat

行きたい

いきたいverb

want to go

飲みたい

のみたいverb

want to drink

見たい

みたいverb

want to see/watch