Key Sentences and Structure/Grammar:

 

Expressing desire (Refer to DBJG “-tai” & “-hoshii”) 　たい・ほしい たがる・ほしがる たがっている・ほしがっている (Refer to DBJG Hoshii 1 pp.144 – 146 and Tai pp.441 - 445 for more sample sentences.)

 

Here are the structures to express one’s desires.
 

“I” want some “items/people.” I は something が ほしい(です)

私は、剣道(けんどう)の道具(どうぐ)が欲(ほ)しいです。  I want tools for Kendo.

私は、日本人のガールフレンドが欲(ほ)しいです。  I want a Japanese girlfriend/lover.

Assignment 1-2 A: Make a shopping list (list at least 5 items) of Japanese souvenirs.  You can refer to the “Regional Products and Souvenirs/おみやげ(click here)” in the previous chapter (Chapter 1-1) under Vocabulary.  Write about your desire in Japanese.

E.g.  私はアニメのDVDが欲しいです。

 

“Someone else” wants some “items/people.” Current desire: Someone は something を　ほしがっています。 Long term desire: Someone は something を　ほしがります。

私の友達は、茶道(さどう)の道具を欲しがっています。 My friend wants tools for tea ceremony.

私の妹は野菜をあまり欲しがりません。　My younger sister does not want much vegetable.

 

Assignment 1-2 B: Ask someone (you can make up this person) what they want for souvenir from Japan, and write about their desires (at least five sentences). 

 

“I” want to “do something.”    I は something が Conjunctive form of verb + たい(です)

Conjunctive form of a verb (ますform of verb without ます)  + たい(です) is used to express one’s own desire to do something.   行き+ たい makes the meaning of  “I want to go.” 
E.g. たべたい I want to eat,　のみたい I want to drink, したい I want to do, 　かいたい I want to buy,　あいたい I want to meet, etc.

をparticle can be used instead of  が but が is preferred by many Japanese natives.

です(polite/distal style maker) is added at the end of sentence to make the sentence in polite/distal style.  If you are talking casual tone, you take out です.

私は日本(にほん)で着物(きもの)が買(か)いたいです。  I want to buy Kimono in Japan

私(わたし)は、京(きょう)都(と)に行(い)きたいです。　 I want to go to Kyoto.

 

Assignment 1-2 C: Write where you want to go and what you want to do there.  (At least 5 locations with something to do.)

E.g. 私は東京に行きたいです。　東京で日本語で話したいです。

 

“Someone else” wants to “do something.”    Current desire: Someone は something を Conjunctive form of verb + たがっています。 Long term desire: Someone は something を Conjunctive form of verb + たがります。

When expressing someone else’s (a third person’s) desire or asking hear’s desire, たがっていますis used instead of .

Note: たい(です) is  i-adjective + -desu but  たがっています is a verb.  Please conjugate (change them into negative forms, etc.) them accordingly.  The negative form of たい(です) is たくない(です)  .  The negative form of  たがっています is  たがっていません.

私の友達も、日本で着物を買いたがっています。  My friend also wants to buy kimono in Japan.

私の友達も、京都に行きたがっています。My friend also wants to go to Kyoto.

私の姉(あね)は、外国(がいこく)に行きたがりません。My older sister does not want to go abroad.

Click here to practice the structures with images.

 

Assignment 1-2 D: If you will take your family or friends to Japan, you will be the guide/translator for them.  Imagine what they will say about their desire.  Write where, you think, they want to go and what they want to do there.

Vocabulary for family terms: father 　父（ちち）, mother　母（はは）, elder brother　兄（あに）, elder sister　姉（あね）, younger brother　弟（おとうと）, younger sister　妹（いもうと）, cousin　いとこ, aunt　叔母（おば）, uncle　叔父（おじ）.