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Auxiliary Adjective (い)
| An auxiliary adjective which expresses a desire to do something. | Want (to do something); would like (to do something) |
| 【Related Expression: 欲しい1; 欲しい2】 |
(ksa). 私は日本へ行きたいです。
I want to go to Japan.
(ksb). 僕は今ピザを・が食べたいです。
I want to eat pizza now.
(ksc). 鈴木さんはアメリカへ行きたがっている・います。
Mr. Suzuki is showing signs of wanting to go to America./ Mr. Suzuki wants to go to America.
| Vます | たい | |
| 話したい | Want to talk | |
| 食べたい | Want to eat |
(a). 僕は冷たいビールを・が飲みたい。
I want to drink a cold beer.
(b). 今日は何を・が食べたいですか。
What do you want to eat today?
(c). 三木さんは車を買いたがっている。
Mr. Miki wants to buy a car.
1.たい is an い type auxiliary adjective which expresses a person's desire to do something. Since Verbますたい expresses a very personal feeling, it is usually used only for the first person in declarative sentences and for the second person in interrogative sentences. For the third person, Verbますがっている 'literally: is showing signs of wanting to do something' is usually used, as in Key Sentence (C) and Example (c). (⇨ がる) Verbますたい with the third person subject is acceptable, however, in the following situations:
(⇨ のだ)
2. In some situations, if the verb in Verbますたい is a transitive verb, the direct object can be marked either by が or by を, as seen in Key Sentence (B), Examples (a) and (b). In general, the choice between が and を seems to depend on the degree of desire. That ist when the desire to do something is high, が is preferred; when it is low, を is used. Compare (4) and (5):
Under the following conditions, が cannot be used even if the degree of desire is high.
(A) When a long element intervenes between the direct object and the verb:
(B) When the main verb is in the passive form:
(C) When the preceding noun is not the direct object:
3. In the construction Verbますたがっている, が can never be used to mark the direct object.
4. Verbますたい cannot be used to express an invitation. The following sentences are inappropriate in invitation situations.
In these situations negative questions are used, as seen in (11).
(⇨ ましょう)
【Related Expressions】
The idea of 'want' in English is expressed by either たい, 欲しい1 or 欲しい2. たい is used when the experiencer wants to do something. 欲しい1 is used when the experiencer wants something. 欲しい2 is used when the experiencer wants someone to do something.