キスしたい
kisu shitai
To say "I wanna kiss you" in Japanese, use キスしたい (kisu shitai), a short, direct way to tell someone you want to kiss them.
Use キスしたい with a partner or someone you are close to. The words for I and you are normally left out because the context makes it clear who is speaking to whom.
What does it mean word for word?
キス (kisu) is the loanword for kiss. したい (shitai) is the want to form of suru, to do. Together they mean want to kiss.
Which one should you use?
Kisu shitai! is the informal exclamation. Watashi wa anata ni kisu shitai desu. is a formal sentence meaning I would like to kiss you. Kisu o shite mo ii desu ka? asks is it okay if we kiss. The loanword kisu is the usual choice in modern romantic contexts, while the older word seppun would sound clinical or stiff.
How does it change in a sentence?
Changing the phrase to キスしたくなった (kisu shitaku natta) says that the desire to kiss someone has suddenly come over you.
How do you pronounce it?
It is pronounced kisu shitai. The u in kisu is very soft and often almost silent.
Did you know?
- Japanese culture traditionally emphasizes 'reading the air' 空気を読む (kūki o yomu), meaning a person might signal they want to kiss through silence and prolonged eye contact rather than saying キスしたい aloud.
- In romantic Japanese songs, the desire to kiss is often expressed through the word 唇 (kuchibiru), meaning 'lips'. Instead of saying they want to kiss, singers often describe their 'lips touching' to create a more poetic and less blunt atmosphere.
- While キス is the standard word, Japanese has a specific term 接吻 (seppun) that refers to the act of kissing. However, using seppun today often makes a person sound like a character from a 19th-century novel or a medical textbook.
Examples in context
- 今、キスしたい。Ima, kisu shitai.I want to kiss you right now.
- ずっと前から、君にキスしたいと思ってた。Zutto mae kara, kimi ni kisu shitai to omotteta.I've wanted to kiss you for a long time.
- どうしても、あなたにキスしたい。Doushitemo, anata ni kisu shitai.I really want to kiss you.
Example conversation
A quiet park at night during a romantic date.
- 蓮 Ren美咲、どうしても、君にキスしたい。Misaki, doushitemo, kimi ni kisu shitai.Misaki, I really want to kiss you.
- 美咲 Misaki蓮、私も同じ気持ちだよ。Ren, watashi mo onaji kimochi da yo.Ren, I feel the same way.
- 蓮 Renいいのかな？Ii no kana?Is it okay?
- 美咲 Misakiうん、して。Un, shite.Yes, please do.
