What does it mean word for word?
The word 食べたい is a combination of the verb 食べる (to eat) and the auxiliary -たい, which expresses desire. Together, they mean "want to eat".
Which one should you use?
Adding な to the end, as in ピザが食べたいな, makes the statement sound like a soft, internal monologue or a gentle expression of desire. Adding yo to the end of expressions adds a touch of assertiveness and emphasis.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For a formal or polite setting, such as when speaking to strangers or superiors, use ピザが食べたいです (adding です to the end). Other informal variations include Pizza tabetai na! or Piza ga tabetai! Note that Piza ga hoshii! is an informal way to say "I want pizza" rather than "I want to eat pizza".
How does it change in a sentence?
In Japanese, the desire to perform an action is expressed by changing a verb stem to the -tai form. When using this -tai form, the object of your desire is often marked with the particle が instead of を.
How do you pronounce it?
piza ga tabetai
Did you know?
- While the phrase uses ピザ for 'pizza', Japanese has a category of 'Japanese-style pizza' that often includes toppings like corn, mayonnaise and seafood.
- If you use the -tai form to express a desire for someone else, it can often sound presumptuous or even rude, as you cannot truly know another person's inner feelings.
- The word ピザ is written in Katakana, a script specifically used for loanwords, which helps readers immediately identify it as a non-Japanese word.
Examples in context
- 今夜はピザが食べたいな。I want to eat pizza tonight.This sentence is useful for expressing a desire to eat pizza at a specific time, specifically tonight.Tatoeba #10029281 by small_snow, translation #895382 by pauldhunt
- 急にピザが食べたい。kyuu ni piza ga tabetai.I suddenly want to eat pizza.
- 明日のランチはピザが食べたいです。ashita no ranchi wa piza ga tabetai desu.I want to eat pizza for lunch tomorrow.
Example conversation
Two friends are discussing what to order for dinner at home.
- 美咲 Misakiねえ、今日はピザが食べたいな。nee, kyou wa piza ga tabetai na.Hey, I want to eat pizza today.
- 大翔 Hirotoいいよ、ピザを注文しよう。ii yo, piza o chuumon shiyou.Sure, let's order pizza.
- 美咲 Misaki大翔くん、何の種類にする？hiroto-kun, nan no shurui ni suru?Hiroto, what kind should we get?
- 大翔 Hirotoマルゲリータがいいよ。marugeriita ga ii yo.Margherita sounds good.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
