買いたいです
kaitai desu
In Japanese, "I want to buy" is expressed as 買いたいです (kaitai desu).
The phrase is used to express a desire to purchase something. When using this phrase, the object you wish to buy is marked with the particle を (wo) before the verb.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The polite version of the phrase is 買いたいです, which is suitable for use with strangers or in shops. For a more informal version suitable for friends or family, you can drop the 'desu' at the end to say 買いたい.
How do you pronounce it?
kaitai desu
Did you know?
- The character for 'buy' 買 contains a radical that historically represented a 'shell', because shells were used as a form of currency in ancient China and Japan.
- In Japanese, the desire to buy something is expressed by adding たい to the verb stem, which essentially transforms the verb into an adjective describing your feeling.
- Using 買いたい to express your own desire is common, but it is generally considered impolite to use this specific form to describe what another person wants to buy, as it can seem too direct or presumptuous.
Examples in context
- 1ダースのドーナッツを買いたいです。I want to buy a dozen donuts.This sentence is useful for practicing how to express a desire to buy a specific quantity of an item using 買いたいです.Tatoeba #10303900 by Ninja, translation #2028043 by CK
- 新しい靴を買いたいです。Atarashii kutsu o kaitai desu.I want to buy new shoes.
- この本を買いたいです。Kono hon o kaitai desu.I want to buy this book.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Misaki and Hiroto are at a stationery store.
- 大翔 Hiroto美咲さんは何を探していますか？Misaki-san wa nani o sagashite imasu ka?What are you looking for, Misaki?
- 美咲 Misaki可愛いノートを買いたいです。Kawaii nōto o kaitai desu.I want to buy a cute notebook.
- 大翔 Hirotoあそこにたくさんありますよ。Asoko ni takusan arimasu yo.There are many over there.
- 美咲 Misakiありがとうございます、大翔さん。Arigatō gozaimasu, Hiroto-san.Thank you, Hiroto.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
