What does it mean word for word?
The term ご飯 (gohan) literally means "cooked rice", but it is the standard way to refer to a meal in general. The particle が (ga) is used here to mark the subject or the object of the desire. The form 食べたい (tabetai) means "want to eat."
Which one should you use?
Different forms change the focus of your statement. ご飯が食べたい focuses on the desire to eat a meal. Tabemono ga hoshii desu focuses on wanting the food itself. Nani-ka tabetai! is a more general way to say you want something to eat. While ご飯が食べたい expresses a desire to eat, Onaka ga suita! expresses the sensation that your stomach is empty.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The level of politeness varies significantly between options. For a polite and standard way to say you want to eat a meal, use ご飯が食べたいです or Go-han ga tabetai desu by adding desu to the end. To express hunger politely, use Onaka ga sukimashita. For informal or casual situations, you can use Nani-ka tabetai! or Onaka ga suita!
How does it change in a sentence?
The form 食べたい (tabetai) is the tai form of the verb taberu (to eat), which expresses the speaker's desire to perform that action. In the construction verb-tai, the particle が (ga) is often used instead of o to mark the object of the desire.
How do you pronounce it?
gohan ga tabetai
When do people say it?
Before starting a meal, it is customary to say Itadakimasu!, which is roughly equivalent to "Let's eat!" If you would like more food, you can say Okawari kudasai, meaning "May I have seconds?" You might also hear people use the word Oishii! to say something is "Delicious!"
Did you know?
- If you want to say you are starving, you might say Onaka ga pekopeko desu. The word pekopeko is an onomatopoeic expression representing the sound or feeling of a hollow, sunken stomach.
- The custom of saying itadakimasu before eating is not just a 'thank you' to the cook, but a recognition of the sacrifice of the plants and animals that provided the food.
- While onaka ga suita means 'my stomach became empty', Japanese people often use hara ga hetta in very casual or masculine speech, which is a more visceral way of saying 'I'm starving'.
Examples in context
- お腹が空いたから、ご飯が食べたい。Onaka ga suita kara, gohan ga tabetai.I am hungry, so I want to eat food.
- 今は、美味しいご飯が食べたい気分です。Ima wa, oishii gohan ga tabetai kibun desu.Right now, I am in the mood to eat delicious food.
- 何か温かいご飯が食べたい。Nanika atatakai gohan ga tabetai.I want to eat some warm food.
Example conversation
Misaki and Ren are walking home from school.
- 美咲 Misaki蓮くん、お腹空いた。ご飯が食べたい。Ren-kun, onaka suita. Gohan ga tabetai.Ren, I'm hungry. I want food.
- 蓮 Ren僕もだよ。何が食べたい？boku mo dayo. nani ga tabetai?Me too. What do you want to eat?
- 美咲 Misakiうーん、温かいものがいいな。ūn, atatakai mono ga ii na.Hmm, something warm would be nice.
- 蓮 Renじゃあ、ラーメンを食べに行こうか。jaa, rāmen o tabe ni ikō ka.Then, shall we go eat some ramen?
