You’re scrolling through Instagram and see a Japan traveler’s post… 

A beautifully painted folding fan, some adorable cat goods, or maybe merchandise from your favorite anime character.

Your heart goes “Ahhh, I want that!!” 

In Japanese, the way to say this feeling is がほしい (ga hoshii).

It’s the go-to phrase when you want something: whether it’s a souvenir, free time, or even flight tickets to Japan. 

Let’s dive in and learn how to use it!

Verbs → たい form

Use たい form for actions (verbs), not がほしい.

日本へ行きたい。
nihon he ikitai
I want to go to Japan.

⚠️ Not 日本へ行くがほしい → because “to go” is a verb, not a noun.

Talking about others’ desires → ほしがっている

がほしい is mainly used for your own desires.
When describing what someone else wants, use ほしがっている (hoshigatte iru).

彼は新しいパソコンをほしがっている。
kare ha atarashii pasokon wo hoshigatte iru
He wants a new computer.

新しいかばんがほしい。
atarashii kaban ga hoshii
I want a new bag.

休みがほしいです。
yasumi ga hoshii desu
I want a break.

もっとじゆうな時間がほしい。
motto jiyuu na jikan ga hoshii
I want more free time.

日本行きのフライトチケットがほしい。
nihon yuki no furaito chiketto ga hoshii
I want a flight ticket to Japan.

トトロのぬいぐるみがほしい。
totoro no nuigurumi ga hoshii
I want a Totoro plushie.

日本語を いっしょに べんきょうできる友達がほしい。
nihongo wo issho ni benkyou dekiru tomodachi ga hoshii
I want a friend to study Japanese with.

たのしく会話ができる日本語力がほしい。
tanoshiku kaiwa ga dekiru Nihongo ryoku ga hoshii
I want Japanese skills that let me enjoy conversations. 

• Grammar Point: がほしい (ga hoshii)
• JLPT Level: N5
• Meaning: to want something
• Quick Explanation: ～がほしい is used to express that the speaker wants a certain object (noun).
  The desired item is marked with the particle が.
  
  

So that’s how we use がほしい in Japanese!

It’s simple but super useful whenever you want to talk about the things you desire.

When we have desires, they give us the energy to take action! 

I also want(ほしい!) more chances to have fun conversations with all of you!

Now it’s your turn, try making your own sentences with がほしい and share what you’d like in Japanese! 

Your Sensei,

Hikari 👩🏻‍🏫

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