6.2 Verbs in ~たい Form

6.2 Verbs in ~たい Form

To express what you want to do, we use the ~たい form.

れい：　すしをたべたいです。 I want to eat sushi.

Step 1.  Take the verb in ~ます form.  -> のみます

Step 2.  Chop off the ます so that you are left with the verb stem.  ->のみ

Step 3.  Add たい to the verb stem. -> のみたい

みずをのみたいです。　I want to drink water.

Note:  This form is different from the other verb forms we've learned because we must add です after the verb in order to remain polite.  

The ~たい form is used to express your OWN wants and desires. 

ほんをよみたいです。 Even though there is no "わたしは" at the beginning of the sentence it is understood that it is "I" who wants to read a book because of the use of the ~たい form.

You can use the ~たい form if you want to ask someone else about what THEY want.

おとうさん、うどんをたべたいですか。　Father, do you want to eat udon?
なにをしたいですか。 What do you want to do?

But you cannot use the ~たい form to SAY what they want. That is a different form we will be learning later on. 

Sometimes you will see the particle が being used in ~たい form sentences instead of the particle を.  It is used for emphasis on the object.  The が particle marks the subject of a sentence or the object of verbs of desire (like the ~たい form). 

If you see the が particle instead of the を, it means you're putting emphasis on the object that you want.

さしみがたべたいです。　In this sentence, you're putting emphasis on the fact that it's sashimi that you want to eat. 

Translate these sentences from えいご into にほんご.  Click the "+" sign to see if you got them right!

This is a food ticket machine at a curry and どんぶり (a big bowl of rice with meats, sauces, egg or vegetables on top) restaurant.