友達を作りたいです
tomodachi o tsukuritai desu
To say "I want to make friends" in Japanese, you say 友達を作りたいです (tomodachi o tsukuritai desu).
This phrase is used to express a desire to establish new friendships with other people.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase breaks down into 友達 (friend/s), を (object marker), 作りたい (want to make) and です (polite copula).
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The full phrase 友達を作りたいです is polite and appropriate for talking to strangers or superiors. By dropping the desu at the end, you can use the informal version 友達を作りたい when speaking with peers or in casual settings.
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb tsukuru (to make) is conjugated to its tai form, 作りたい, to express the speaker's desire.
How do you pronounce it?
tomodachi o tsukuritai desu
Did you know?
- If you say 友達を作りたいです to a person you have just met, it may sound strangely aggressive or overly intentional. This is because the verb 作る implies a process of manufacturing something, which can feel too forceful for natural social bonding.
- Depending on the social distance, a Japanese speaker might avoid saying they 'want to make friends' directly and instead ask for someone's LINE account to initiate the process.
- When expressing this desire, Japanese speakers often use the phrase 仲良くなりたい (nakayoku naritai), which literally means 'want to become intimate/close', rather than the more literal 'make a friend'.
Examples in context
- 新しい環境で友達を作りたいです。Atarashii kankyō de tomodachi o tsukuritai desu.I want to make friends in a new environment.
- 趣味を通じて友達を作りたいです。Shumi o tsūjite tomodachi o tsukuritai desu.I want to make friends through my hobbies.
- 日本で友達を作りたいです。Nihon de tomodachi o tsukuritai desu.I want to make friends in Japan.
Example conversation
Yui and Ren are talking about their goals for the new semester.
- 結衣 Yui今学期は友達を作りたいです。Kongakki wa tomodachi o tsukuritai desu.I want to make friends this semester.
- 蓮 Renいい考えですね。一緒に頑張りましょう。Ii kangae desu ne. Issho ni ganbarimashou.That's a good idea. Let's try our best together.
- 結衣 Yui蓮さんは誰か知り合いがいますか？Ren-san wa dareka shiriaigai ga imasu ka?Ren, do you know anyone?
- 蓮 Renはい、いくつか紹介しますよ。Hai, ikutsuka shoukai shimasu yo.Yes, I'll introduce you to a few people.
