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JLPT N5 · Verb forms

たい (tai)

～たい — “I want to ～”

In short · ～たい is added to the verb stem (ます form without ます) to express the speaker's wish to do something. It behaves like an い-adjective. Use it for your own wishes (or in questions to ask about the listener's).
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Pattern

  • 動詞ます形の語幹＋たい verb stem + たい (飲みたい, 買いたい)
  • たい → たくない／たかった conjugates like an い-adjective (たくない, たかった)

Connection

Drop ます from the polite form and add たい: 飲みます → 飲みたい, 買います → 買いたい, 泳ぎます → 泳ぎたい. The polite finish is 飲みたいです.

Particles

The thing you want can take を or が: 水を飲みたい or 水が飲みたい. Both are correct. Destinations still use に/へ and places of action use で.

Only for the speaker's feelings

～たい states the speaker's own wish, and a question ～たいですか asks the listener's. To describe a third person, use ～たがっている (弟は行きたがっている).

Examples

  • 冷（つめ）たい水（みず）が飲（の）みたいです。

    Tsumetai mizu ga nomitai desu.

    I want to drink cold water.

    飲みます → 飲み + たい. The object takes が here.

  • 新（あたら）しいくつを買（か）いたいです。

    Atarashii kutsu o kaitai desu.

    I want to buy new shoes.

    買います → 買い + たい.

  • 海（うみ）で泳（およ）ぎたいです。

    Umi de oyogitai desu.

    I want to swim in the sea.

    で marks the place of the action.

Common mistakes

  • Attach たい to the stem: 飲みたい, not 飲むたい or 飲みますたい.
  • Don't use たい for another person's wish; use たがっている. Also, be careful asking 先生、何を食べたいですか sounds too direct to a superior.

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