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Final Intermediate

The document discusses the Japanese verb form ~たい, which indicates a desire to do something. It explains that ~たい is formed by taking the stem of a verb and adding ~たい. It can then conjugate like an i-adjective. The document provides examples of how ~たい is used and notes that it is acceptable for discussing one's own desires or asking about others' desires. However, directly stating another person's desires uses different constructions like ~たがっている or quoting them. The document offers guidelines for appropriately discussing both one's own and other people's wants and preferences in Japanese.

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Emmanuel L B
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17 views

Final Intermediate

The document discusses the Japanese verb form ~たい, which indicates a desire to do something. It explains that ~たい is formed by taking the stem of a verb and adding ~たい. It can then conjugate like an i-adjective. The document provides examples of how ~たい is used and notes that it is acceptable for discussing one's own desires or asking about others' desires. However, directly stating another person's desires uses different constructions like ~たがっている or quoting them. The document offers guidelines for appropriately discussing both one's own and other people's wants and preferences in Japanese.

Uploaded by

Emmanuel L B
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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@ScriptingJapan

Dr. Wes Robertson


The ~たい Form 1/4 @ScriptingJapan
The ending ~たい is attached to a verb’s stem to indicate a desire to [verb].

The stem of a verb is just the ~ます form with ～ます cut off, so the type of verb doesn’t matter.

たべます いきます あそびます


たべたい いきたい あそびたい
Want to eat Want to go Want to play
Once you have changed a verb into the ~たい form, it conjugates further like an い adjective.
Polite Plain
たべたいです。 Want to eat. たべたい。

たべたくないです。 Don’t want to eat. たべたくない。

たべたかったです。 Wanted to eat. たべたかった。

たべたくなかったです。 Did not want to eat. たべたくなかった。


@ScriptingJapan
Dr. Wes Robertson
The ~たい Form 2/4 @ScriptingJapan
The ending ~たい is attached to a verbs stem to indicate that you want to do something.

Once a verb is in the ~たい form, the direct object (what you want to eat/drink/wear/buy/etc.) is often marked
by が instead of を. Both are fine to use, with minimal difference, but you should be prepared to encounter each.

わたし は りんご を たべます。 せいふく を きない。


I will eat an apple. I will not wear a school uniform.

わたし は りんご を たべたい です。 せいふく を きたくない。


I want to eat an apple. I do not want to wear a school uniform.

わたし は りんご が たべたい です。 せいふく が きたくない。


I want to eat an apple. I do not want to wear a school uniform.

Particles other than を never change to が.


かれ と あそぶ。 かれ と あそびたい。 かれ に あわない。 かれ に あいたくない。

I will play w/ him. I want to play w/ him. I won’t meet him. I don’t want to meet him.
@ScriptingJapan
Dr. Wes Robertson
The ~たい Form 3/4 @ScriptingJapan
The ending ~たい is attached to a verbs stem to indicate that you want to do something.

Unlike the English “want” though, in Japanese there are some restrictions on when you can use ~たい.
The form is acceptable when:

Discussing your own desires.


1 わたし は らいねん にほん に いきたい です。
Next year I want to go to Japan.

Asking questions about people’s desires (be careful, as this can be rude in any language).
2 あ、にほん に いくの？ いいね。 にほん で なに を やりたい？
Ah, you’re going to Japan? Awesome. What do you want to do there?

Speaking about general desires not specific to any individual.


3
じゃ、ビール を のみたい ひと は て を あげてください。
Okay, everyone who wants to drink beer, raise your hands!
@ScriptingJapan
Dr. Wes Robertson
The ~たい Form 4/4 @ScriptingJapan
The ending ~たい is attached to a verbs stem to indicate that you want to do something.

In contrast, ~たい is not acceptable for describing other people’s desires. You will be understood if you do,
in most cases at least, but it is always better to do any of the following things:

Change ~たい to the verb ~たがっている. This is best when behaviour indicates desire.
1 その いぬ は ばんごはん を たべたがっている。 Since ~たがっている is still a verb,
That dog (is behaving as though it) wants to eat dinner. do not change を to が like with ~たい

Add そうです・そうだ after ~たい to indicate that you have heard the desire.
2 あまり やりたくない そうです。 If you instead use ~たそうです or
From what I can gather, they don’t really want to do it. ~たくなさそうです this means you
observed the (lack of) desire instead.

Quote the person as stating their desire, via attaching といっている to ~たい.
3 かれ は にほんご を べんきょうしたい と いっていた。
He was saying that he wants to study Japanese.

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