欲しい
hoshii
To say "want" in Japanese, use 欲しい (hoshii).
欲しい is a common way to express a desire for an object or a thing.
Meaning: to desire (verb)
Which one should you use?
While 欲しい is used to express wanting a thing, you should use the suffix 〜たい attached to a verb to express wanting to perform an action.
How does it change in a sentence?
欲しい is an i-adjective rather than a verb. When using it, the object that is desired is typically marked with the particle が instead of を. In most social situations, you can make the expression polite by adding です to the end to form 欲しいです.
How do you pronounce it?
hoshii
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid using 欲しい to express your desire for someone else to do something. It is strictly used for wanting an object or for one's own internal state.
Did you know?
- When wanting a person, such as a romantic partner, using 欲しい can sound very intense or possessive, similar to saying 'I want you' in a physical sense.
- The related verb 欲しがる is used specifically for third parties, reflecting the Japanese cultural value of modesty and not assuming the internal thoughts of others.
- While 欲しい is an adjective, the word for 'desire' as a noun, 欲, is the root of the word 欲張り which describes a greedy person.
Examples in context
- 君が欲しい。I want you.This sentence shows how to use 欲しい to express wanting a person.Tatoeba #178853 by wat, translation #17707 by CK
- これ欲しい？Do you want this?This sentence demonstrates a casual way to ask if someone wants something using 欲しい.Tatoeba #12206265 by small_snow, translation #2011332 by CK
- お金が欲しい。I want money.This sentence illustrates expressing a desire for an object using 欲しい.Tatoeba #227268 by arnab, translation #64620 by CK
- 357 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Yui and Yota are at a stationery store.
- 結衣 Yui新しいペンが欲しい。atarashii pen ga hoshii.I want a new pen.
- 陽太 Yotaこの青いペンは欲しい？kono aoi pen wa hoshii?Do you want this blue pen?
- 結衣 Yuiうん、それが欲しい！un, sore ga hoshii!Yes, I want that one!
- 陽太 Yotaじゃあ、買おうか。jaa, kaou ka.Then, shall we buy it?
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 欲しい, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
