To express “want to do” in Japanese, you’ll use either 〜たい or 〜たがる. They mean similar things, but the choice depends on whose desires you’re talking about.
At a Glance
| Pattern | Meaning | Used for | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| 〜たい | Want to (do) | Your own desires (1st person) | 食べたい — I want to eat |
| 〜たがる | Seems to want to / apparently wants to | 3rd person desires (observed) | 食べたがっている — (They) seem to want to eat |
〜たい — Your Own Wants
Attach たい to the verb stem (the ます-form stem). It works like an i-adjective.
Formation: verb stem + たい (例: 食べ + たい = 食べたい)
日本に行きたい。 — I want to go to Japan.
もっと寝たい。 — I want to sleep more.
Object particle: たい takes を or が. が sounds more natural in desire sentences.
水が飲みたい。 or 水を飲みたい。 — I want to drink water. (が is slightly more natural)
〜たがる — Talking About Others’ Wants
When describing what a THIRD PERSON wants, use たがる instead of たい. Native speakers rarely say 彼はビールが飲みたい because you can’t directly know another’s feelings.
Formation: verb stem + たがる (or たがっている for ongoing state)
子供がアイスを食べたがっている。 — The child seems to want to eat ice cream.
彼女は新しいスマホを買いたがっている。 — She seems to want to buy a new smartphone.
YukaWhy can’t I say 彼は行きたい? It sounds natural to me…
ReiIt actually does appear in fiction and writing! But in conversational Japanese, saying 行きたがっている is more natural because you’re observing someone else’s desire, not feeling it yourself. Using たい for others sounds like you’re reading their minds.
YukaWhen would 行きたい be OK for a third person?
ReiIn indirect speech — reporting what they said: 彼は「行きたい」と言った (He said he wants to go). Inside quotes, たい is fine because you’re quoting their own words.
〜たい as an Adjective
Because たい is an i-adjective, it conjugates like one:
| Form | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Present affirm. | 食べたい | Want to eat |
| Present neg. | 食べたくない | Don’t want to eat |
| Past affirm. | 食べたかった | Wanted to eat |
| Past neg. | 食べたくなかった | Didn’t want to eat |
Common Mistakes
| Wrong | Correct | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 彼は旅行したい (casual statement about his desires) | 彼は旅行したがっている | Use たがる for 3rd person observable desires |
| 食べたいです (past) | 食べたかったです | たい conjugates like i-adj; past is たかった |
| 飲みたいる | 飲みたい (no いる needed) | たい is already a state; don’t add いる |
Quick Quiz
Choose たい or たがる:
1. I want to eat sushi. → すしが食べたい。
2. My dog seems to want to go outside. → 犬が外に行きたがっている。
3. She said she wants to study English. → 「英語を勉強したい」と言った。 (quoting her words — たい OK)
Practice in the Comments!
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Keep Learning: Grammar Hub | て-Form Guide | ようになる vs ようにする
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