欲しい
hoshii
The Japanese phrase for "I want it" is 欲しい (hoshii).
The word 欲しい is used to express the speaker's desire to possess or obtain a specific object. It is important to note that in Japanese, 欲しい is used to express the speaker's own desire, but it is generally not used to state what someone else wants.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
To make the expression more polite and suitable for speaking to strangers or superiors, you can add です to the end to make it 欲しいです.
How does it change in a sentence?
欲しい is an i-adjective rather than a verb. It describes the state of wanting something. To express that you wanted something in the past, you change the ending to the past tense form 欲しかった.
How do you pronounce it?
hoshii
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use 欲しい to mean 'I want to do something' (an action). However, 欲しい is strictly for wanting an object or a noun.
Did you know?
- If you are asking a waiter for something you want, using 欲しい can sound quite demanding or even childish, as if you are a toddler pointing at a toy.
- In romantic contexts, 欲しい can be used to express a desire for a person, but it carries a much more direct and physical connotation than in English.
- Because using 欲しい to describe another person's feelings can seem like you are reading their mind, Japanese speakers often use the phrase 欲しがっている to describe a third party's desire.
Examples in context
- これが欲しい。I want it.This sentence is useful for saying 'I want it' using 欲しい.Tatoeba #3488059 by arnab, translation #1148324 by cntrational
- うん。欲しい！Yes, I want it!This sentence is useful for an enthusiastic 'Yes, I want it!' using 欲しい.Tatoeba #11795631 by small_snow, translation #10743205 by ddnktr
- 何でかわかんないけど、めちゃ欲しい。I don't know why I want it so much.This sentence is useful for expressing a strong, unexplained desire using 欲しい.Tatoeba #11029636 by small_snow, translation #9668352 by DJ_Saidez
- それが欲しいです。I want that.
- それを手に入れたいです。I would like to obtain that.
- それが欲しいんだよ。I want that, you know.
Example conversation
Yui and Kenta are looking at a cute plush toy in a store.
- 結衣 Yui見て、このぬいぐるみ可愛い！Mite, kono nuigurumi kawaii!Look, this stuffed animal is cute!
- 健太 Kenta本当だね。結衣はそれが欲しいの？Hontō da ne. Yui wa sore ga hoshii no?You're right. Do you want that, Yui?
- 結衣 Yuiうん、すごく欲しい！Un, sugoku hoshii!Yes, I really want it!
- 健太 Kentaじゃあ、プレゼントに買おうか。Jā, purezento ni kaō ka.Well then, shall I buy it for you as a gift?
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.
