～がります

Structure

• [person]は [いadjective stem] がります
• [person]は [なadjective] がります

[いadjective stem] is the beginning of an いadjective (the part without い).

Meanings

• ～がります is used when a person other than “I”
  • acts out the feeling or condition described by the adjective, or
  • pretends to be in the condition described by the adjective
• ほしがります （ほしい +  がります） is used when someone other than “I” wants something as ほしいです is only OK for the sentence starting with わたし は/が (expressed or implied) .

Examples

1. ジョンさんは いつもあつがります。
   John always acts hot (= complains of the heat).
2. そのとなりで メアリーさんは さむがります。
   Next to him, Mary acts cold (= complains of the cold).
3. むすめは さみしがります。
   My daughter will act lonely (= show she feels lonely).
4. ははは くもを こわがります。
   My mother acts scared of spiders (= shows that she is scared of spiders).
5. むすこは おにを こわがりません。 （⇐ this is today’s question)
   My son doesn’t act scared of an ogre (= doesn’t show he is scared of an ogre).
6. あには すぐに とくいがります。
   My older brother acts proud (= shows pride) straight away.
7. あねは なんでも めんどうがります。
   My older sister pretends to find everything troublesome.
8. おとうとは いつも つよがります。
   My younger brother always pretends to be strong.
9. むすこは アイスクリームを ほしがります。
   My son wants ice cream.

Variation

[verb stem] + たがります*  is used when a third party want(s) to do something all the time**.

*た is the stem of the auxiliary いadjective たい
**You will learn how to describe a temporary desire in Module 10.

Examples

1. ははは うどんを たべたがります。
   My mother wants to eat udon noodles all the time.
2. むすこは こうえんに いきたがります。
   My son always wants to go to a playground.
3. あねは あたらしい ふくを かいたがります。
   My older sister always wants to buy clothes.

Suggested Activities

• Memorize above examples.
• Try to make more sentences using other adjectives.