Japanese Grammar: 〜がほしい (ga hoshii)

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Japanese Grammar: 〜がほしい (ga hoshii)
Meaning & Usage

✨ Basic Meaning

To want (something) / To desire (an object).

🎯 Primary Function

To express a desire for a noun (object, person, abstract concept like time).

📋 Grammar Structure

Noun + が + ほしい (Used only for nouns, not for actions)
Noun + が + ほしい (conjugated like an i-adjective)
N/A (hoshii is an i-adjective)
Noun + が + ほしくない / ほしくありません

🎭 Usage Contexts

🏢 Formal Situations

Used with ‘desu’ (ほしいです) to be polite to teachers, bosses, or strangers.

😊 Informal Situations

Used in plain form (ほしい) with friends and family.

✍️ Written Language

Found in letters, journals, or wish lists.

🗣️ Spoken Language

Commonly used in daily conversation to express needs and wishes.

💡 Common Applications

Expressing Personal Desires
Used to state that you want a physical object or a specific thing.
Example: パソコンがほしいです。 (I want a laptop.)
Asking about Desires
Used to ask the listener what they would like to have.
Example: 何がほしいですか。 (What do you want?)
Expressing Past Desires
Using the past tense form to talk about something you wanted in the past.
Example: カメラがほしかったです。 (I wanted a camera.)
📊
Frequency
Very High
🎚️
Difficulty
JLPT N5 (Beginner)
Tag:

Related Kanji

JLPT N5 Kanji List

Related Vocabulary

JLPT N5 Vocabulary List
Example Sentences
Example #1
新しい車がほしいです。
Furigana: あたら（しい）くるま（が）ほしい（です）。
Romaji: Atarashii kuruma ga hoshii desu.
English: I want a new car.
Example #2
水がほしいですか。
Furigana: みず（が）ほしい（ですか）。
Romaji: Mizu ga hoshii desu ka?
English: Do you want some water?
Example #3
今は何もほしくないです。
Furigana: いま（は）なに（も）ほ（しくないです）。
Romaji: Ima wa nani mo hoshikunai desu.
English: I don’t want anything right now.
Example #4
誕生日に何がほしいですか。
Furigana: たんじょうび（に）なに（が）ほしい（ですか）。
Romaji: Tanjoubi ni nani ga hoshii desu ka?
English: What do you want for your birthday?
Example #5
子供の時、犬がほしかったです。
Furigana: こども（の）とき（、）いぬ（が）ほ（しかった）です。
Romaji: Kodomo no toki, inu ga hoshikatta desu.
English: When I was a child, I wanted a dog.
Example #6
大きい家がほしいです。
Furigana: おお（きい）いえ（が）ほしい（です）。
Romaji: Ookii ie ga hoshii desu.
English: I want a big house.
Example #7
時間がとてもほしいです。
Furigana: じかん（が）とてもほしい（です）。
Romaji: Jikan ga totemo hoshii desu.
English: I really want time.
Example #8
優しい友達がほしいです。
Furigana: やさ（しい）ともだち（が）ほしい（です）。
Romaji: Yasashii tomodachi ga hoshii desu.
English: I want a kind friend.
Example #9
このカメラはほしくなかったです。
Furigana: このカメラ（は）ほ（しくなかったです）。
Romaji: Kono kamera wa hoshikunakatta desu.
English: I didn’t want this camera.
Example #10
クリスマスにノートパソコンがほしいです。
Furigana: クリスマス（に）ノートパソコン（が）ほしい（です）。
Romaji: Kurisumasu ni nootopasokon ga hoshii desu.
English: I want a laptop for Christmas.
Notes & Nuances

📌 Important Points

Use the particle ‘ga’ (が)
The particle ‘ga’ is used to mark the object that is desired.
Example: お金がほしいです。 (I want money.)
Third-person desires
When talking about what someone else wants, change ‘hoshii’ to ‘hoshigaru’.
Example: 弟は犬をほしがっています。 (My brother wants a dog.)

⚠️ Common Mistakes

❌ リンゴを食べてほしい。 (When you mean ‘I want to eat an apple’)
✅ リンゴが食べたいです。 (Ringo ga tabetai desu.)
‘Hoshii’ is for objects. For actions (verbs), use the ‘~tai’ form.
❌ 田中さんは車がほしいです。 (Directly stating someone else’s desire)
✅ 田中さんは車をほしがっています。 (Tanaka-san wa kuruma o hoshigatte imasu.)
You generally cannot use ‘hoshii’ directly for a third person’s desire. You must use ‘~tagatte iru’ or ‘~sou desu’ (looks like).

🏛️ Cultural Context

Politeness Level: Expressing desire directly can sometimes be seen as slightly childish or too blunt in very formal Japanese culture. Using ‘ga arimasu ka’ (is there…?) or ‘o kudasai’ (please give me) might be softer depending on context.
Social Situations: Commonly used during gift-giving seasons like birthdays or Christmas.
Regional Variations: Standard across Japan.

🔍 Subtle Differences

~がほしい vs ~をください
‘~ga hoshii’ expresses a state of desire, while ‘~o kudasai’ is a direct request for someone to give you something.
When to use: Use ‘hoshii’ to say ‘I want it’ and ‘kudasai’ to say ‘Give it to me, please’.
~がほしい vs ~たい
‘~ga hoshii’ is for nouns (objects). ‘~tai’ is for verbs (actions).
When to use: Use ‘hoshii’ for a new phone; use ‘tai’ for ‘wanting to buy’ a phone.

📝 Conjugation Notes

‘Hoshii’ behaves exactly like an i-adjective: Present (hoshii), Negative (hoshikunai), Past (hoshikatta), Past Negative (hoshikunakatta).

🔊 Pronunciation Tips

Ensure the double ‘i’ at the end of ‘hoshii’ is held for two beats; otherwise, it might sound like ‘hoshi’ (star).

🧠 Memory Tips

Think of ‘Hoshi’ (star). When you see a shooting star, you make a wish for something you ‘hoshii’ (want).

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