勉強したい
benkyō shitai
In Japanese, "I want to study" is expressed as 勉強したい (benkyō shitai).
This phrase is used to express a personal desire to learn or acquire knowledge.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of 勉強 (study) and the desiderative form of the verb する (to do), which translates literally to "want to do study".
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Kansai region, one variant of the expression is ワシ、勉強したいわ.
How does it change in a sentence?
To make the phrase polite, you add です to the end of 勉強したい.
How do you pronounce it?
benkyō shitai
Did you know?
- In a commercial context, 勉強 (benkyō) is used as a slang term for giving a discount. A shopkeeper might say they will 'do some study' to lower the price for a customer.
- The word 勉強 (benkyō) contains a character that means 'force' or 'effort'. Historically, the word implied a struggle or a hard push rather than a leisurely academic pursuit.
- When expressing a desire for someone else to study, you cannot use したい (shitai). Instead, you must use a different grammar structure because Japanese considers it presumptuous to state another person's internal desires.
Examples in context
- 私は数学を勉強したい。I want to study math.This sentence is useful for expressing a desire to study math using 勉強したい.Tatoeba #155600 by KK_kaku_, translation #258938 by CK
- 私は英語を勉強したい。I want to study English.This sentence is useful for expressing a desire to study English using 勉強したい.Tatoeba #158295 by small_snow, translation #256235 by CN
- ドイツ語を勉強したいな。I want to study German.This sentence is useful for expressing a desire to study German using 勉強したい.Tatoeba #10001896 by bunbuku, translation #1494374 by CN
- 先生、私は日本語を勉強したいです。Teacher, I want to study Japanese.
- ねえ、私、日本の文化を勉強したいんだ。Hey, I want to study Japanese culture, you know.
- 8 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two students are talking about their plans for the weekend.
- 陽葵 Himari蓮君は週末、何をしたい？Ren-kun wa shuumatsu, nani o shitai?Ren, what do you want to do this weekend?
- 蓮 Ren僕はカフェで勉強したい。Boku wa kafe de benkyou shitai.I want to study at a cafe.
- 陽葵 Himariじゃあ、私も一緒に勉強したい！Jaa, watashi mo issho ni benkyou shitai!Then, I want to study with you too!
- 蓮 Renいいよ、一緒に頑張ろう。Ii yo, issho ni ganbarou.Okay, let's do our best together.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
