欲しい
hoshii
In Japanese, the phrase for "I want" is 欲しい (hoshii).
欲しい is used to express a desire to possess a specific object or person. It functions as an adjective describing a state of desire. Because it describes a state, it is generally used to express one's own desires rather than asking someone else's desires directly.
Which one should you use?
欲しい is used specifically for wanting to possess an object or a person. It is not used for wanting to perform an action.
How does it change in a sentence?
When using 欲しい, the object that is wanted is marked with the particle が instead of を.
How do you pronounce it?
hoshii
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use 欲しい to express wanting to do an action. Instead, you should use the verb-stem + たい to express wanting to perform an action.
Did you know?
- In polite conversation, Japanese speakers often avoid 欲しい entirely and instead use phrases that describe a situation as being 'convenient' or 'helpful' to avoid sounding demanding.
- Using 欲しい to express a desire for another person can sound incredibly intense or possessive, often implying a romantic or erotic longing rather than just wanting someone's company.
- The word 欲しい can be used as a suffix for certain nouns to create a new meaning, such as in the word 欲張り (yokubari), which describes a greedy person.
Examples in context
- 君が欲しい。I want you.This sentence shows how to express wanting a person using 欲しい.Tatoeba #178853 by wat, translation #17707 by CK
- お金が欲しい。I want money.This sentence demonstrates wanting an object like money using 欲しい.Tatoeba #227268 by arnab, translation #64620 by CK
- これが欲しい。I want this.This sentence shows how to express wanting a specific item using 欲しい.Tatoeba #3488059 by arnab, translation #2011272 by CK
- 202 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A young couple is looking at a display window in a shopping mall.
- 陽葵 Himari新しいバッグが欲しいな。Atarashii baggu ga hoshii na.I want a new bag.
- 大翔 Hirotoあのかわいいバッグが欲しいの？Ano kawaii baggu ga hoshii no?Do you want that cute bag?
- 陽葵 Himariうん、すごく欲しい！Un, sugoku hoshii!Yes, I want it very much!
- 大翔 Hirotoじゃあ、プレゼントするよ。Jaa, purezento suru yo.Then, I will give it to you as a present.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 欲しい, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
