我想买
wǒ xiǎng mǎi
The English phrase "I want to buy" is expressed in Chinese as 我想买 (wǒ xiǎng mǎi).
我想买 is used to express a desire or intention to purchase something.
What does it mean word for word?
我 means "I" or "me", and 买 means "to buy".
Which one should you use?
While 我想买 expresses a desire or intention, the phrase 我要买 is more direct and can sound like a firm requirement or a command to buy something.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Cantonese, 可唔可以買呢個？ means "Can I buy this?" In Taiwanese Mandarin, you can use 我想買。 for "I want to buy" or 我有興趣買。 to say "I am interested in buying".
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase does not change its form based on the object being bought. You simply place the object directly after the phrase.
How do you pronounce it?
wǒ xiǎng mǎi
When do people say it?
When shopping, you might also use the phrase 这个能不能便宜一点？ to ask "Can this be cheaper?" or 你能给个折扣吗？ to ask "Can you give a discount?"
Did you know?
- The character for 'want' or 'think', 想, is also the word used to express 'to miss' or 'to long for' someone. This means the same word used for shopping can carry a deep emotional weight in other contexts.
- In traditional Chinese markets, instead of saying 我想买, shoppers often start a negotiation by asking 怎么卖？, which literally means 'How is it sold?'
- The word for 'buy', 买, is a homophone for several other characters in different tones, so your pronunciation of the tone is more important than the word itself to avoid buying the wrong thing.
Examples in context
- 我想买辆新车。I want to buy a new car.This sentence is useful for expressing the desire to buy a new car.Tatoeba #1642833 by yangyusun97, translation #990135 by CM
- 我想买几条裤子。I want to buy a few pairs of trousers.This sentence is useful for expressing the desire to buy a few pairs of trousers.Tatoeba #1216069 by Takuya, translation #1230589 by alec
- 我想买这本词典。I want to buy this dictionary.This sentence is useful for expressing the desire to buy a dictionary.Tatoeba #1372906 by Vortarulo, translation #253640 by CK
- 9 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A man and a woman are browsing in a clothing store.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen我想买一件白色的衬衫。Wǒ xiǎng mǎi yī jiàn báisè de chènshān.I want to buy a white shirt.
- 伟 Wei这件怎么样？Zhè jiàn zěnmeyàng?How about this one?
- 晓雯 Xiaowen这件也很漂亮。Zhè jiàn yě hěn piàoliang.This one is also very pretty.
- 伟 Wei那你买这件吧。Nà nǐ mǎi zhè jiàn ba.Then buy this one.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
