Similar to ～が すき, the way to express what you want uses an adjective, but this time, it’s an いadjective, ほしい.
- わたし は ～が ほしい です = I want ～
You place what you want where ～ is. You should remember the following points with ほしい.
- As you cannot really tell what other people really wants, ほしい sentence should always start with わたし は (= I). You should not talk about what another person wants using ほしい.
- Because the subject should always be わたし は, that part is most of the time omitted (i.e. implied, not expressed).
- If you say “I want ～” in English, it sounds a bit too direct (you would usually soften it by phrasing it to “I’d like ～”). The same here. This Japanese expression is better avoided if you can as it sounds a bit too direct and childish.
Example Sentences
ペット が ほしい です。
I want a pet.おいしい すし が ほしい です。
I want some delicious sushi.あたらしい ふく が ほしい です。
I want some new clothes.おじいちゃん の めがね が ほしい です。
I want Grandpa’s glasses.
Vocabulary
| ふく | noun | clothes |
| ペット | noun | pet |
| めがね | noun | spectacles, glasses |
| あたらしい | いadj | new |
Asking what somebody likes/wants
If you want to find out what somebody likes/wants, you can just use the question word なに before the particle が.
なにが すきですか。
What do you like?
– チョコレートが すきです。
I like chocolate.おとうさんは なにが きらいですか。
What do you dislike, Father? (talking to your father)
– やさいが きらいです。
I don’t like vegetables.
What doesn’t your father like? (talking about your father)
– ちちは やさいが きらい です。
My father doesn’t like vegetables.たんじょうびに なにが ほしいですか。
What would you like for your birthday?
– チョコレートが ほしい です。
I want some chocolate.
Suggested Activities
Following the pattern, write a few sentences about what you want. Try to use as many different words as you can from all the vocab you have learned so far.
