家に帰りたい
ie ni kaeritai
In Japanese, "I want to go home" is said as 家に帰りたい (ie ni kaeritai).
The phrase is used to express a desire to return to one's own residence. The verb used, kaeru, is specific to returning to a place where one belongs, such as one's own home, rather than simply traveling to a destination.
What does it mean word for word?
ie means house or home, ni is a particle indicating the direction or destination and kaeritai is the "want to" form of the verb kaeru, which means to return or go home.
How does it change in a sentence?
The casual version is the dictionary form kaeritai without any endings. Adding desu to the end of kaeritai makes the phrase 家に帰りたいです polite. Adding the particle na to the end of kaeritai creates the informal version 帰りたいな.
How do you pronounce it?
ie ni kaeritai
Did you know?
- The verb kaeru is a homophone for the Japanese word for 'frog', which is also kaeru, leading to common puns in songs and literature involving returning home.
- While 'home' is often translated as ie, many Japanese speakers use uchi when expressing a desire to return, as it carries a stronger emotional sense of 'one's own place' or 'family' than the physical building ie.
- Saying kaeritai to a superior or a boss can sound incredibly blunt or even childish, as it expresses a direct, raw desire without the social cushioning expected in Japanese hierarchy.
Examples in context
- 疲れたので家に帰りたい。I'm tired and I want to go home.This sentence shows how to express the desire to go home due to tiredness using 家に帰りたい.Tatoeba #5018854 by huizi99, translation #2591951 by CK
- お家に帰りたいです。I want to go home.This sentence provides a polite way to say you want to go home using 家に帰りたい.Tatoeba #520393 by blay_paul, translation #256506 by CK
- そろそろ帰りたい。I want to go home soon.
- もう遅いし、家に帰りたい。mou osoishi, ie ni kaeritai.It's already late, and I want to go home.
Example conversation
Two friends are at a party and feeling tired.
- 大翔 Hiroto結衣、そろそろ家に帰りたいな。Yui, sorosoro ie ni kaeritai na.Yui, I want to go home soon.
- 結衣 Yui私も。大翔と同じ気持ちだよ。Watashi mo. Daito to onaji kimochi dayo.Me too. I feel the same as you, Daito.
- 大翔 Hirotoじゃあ、一緒に帰ろうか。Jaa, issho ni kaerō ka.Well, shall we go home together?
- 結衣 Yuiうん、そうしよう。Un, sō shiyō.Yeah, let's do that.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
