I want to ~

The pattern

verb stem + たいです = I want to ~.

How they differ

たいです (tai desu) goes after a verb stem (the part before ます in polite verbs you already meet in stories): たべます → たべたいです のみます → のみたいです いきます → いきたいです

For now, learn a few whole phrases. You don't need the full stem chart yet.

Talk about yourself with たいです. Asking someone else 「〜たいですか?」(~ tai desu ka?) is fine among friends or in soft story dialogue; for strangers, softer patterns come later.

を (o) often marks the thing you want to do something with: 「ラーメン を たべたいです。」(raamen o tabetai desu)

たい sounds a bit like "tie" — tie your wish to the verb. Add です to keep it polite.

One line: verb stem + たいです = I want to ~.

Next: Moving around in stories: いきます / きます / かえります (ikimasu / kimasu / kaerimasu) — go / come / return home.

See it in a sentence

1. raamen o tabetai desu

   ラーメン を たべたいです。

   I want to eat ramen. (polite)

2. koohii o nomitai desu

   コーヒー を のみたいです。

   I want to drink coffee. (polite)

3. nihon ni ikitai desu

   にほん に いきたいです。

   I want to go to Japan. (polite)

4. eiga o mitai desu

   えいが を みたいです。

   I want to watch a movie. (polite)

5. sore o kaitai desu

   それ を かいたいです。

   I want to buy that. (polite)

Watch out

たいです (tai desu) = polite "I want to ~" / たい (tai) alone = same wish, casual みたいです (mitai desu) = I want to see / watch (here); other "seems like" uses come much later

Try it

1. In your next story, find たいです (tai desu) or たい once. Say the line out loud and name the action the speaker wants.

   Check against the lesson cluster and say it out loud.