Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Use {要|yào} to express what you want to do or what is going to happen soon.
- Use {要|yào} + Verb to express desire: {我|wǒ}{要|yào}{喝|hē}{水|shuǐ} (I want to drink water).
- Use {要|yào} + Verb to express future intent: {明|míng}{天|tiān}{我|wǒ}{要|yào}{去|qù}{学|xué}{校|xiào} (Tomorrow I will go to school).
- Use {不|bù}{要|yào} to negate: {我|wǒ}{不|bù}{要|yào}{吃|chī}{饭|fàn} (I don't want to eat).
Overview
How This Grammar Works
Formation Pattern
When To Use It
Common Mistakes
Contrast With Similar Patterns
Quick FAQ
Formation of {要|yào}
| Type | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative
|
Subject + 要 + Verb
|
{我|wǒ}{要|yào}{吃|chī}{饭|fàn}
|
|
Negative
|
Subject + 不要 + Verb
|
{我|wǒ}{不|bù}{要|yào}{吃|chī}{饭|fàn}
|
|
Question
|
Subject + 要 + Verb + 吗?
|
{你|nǐ}{要|yào}{吃|chī}{饭|fàn}{吗|ma}?
|
|
Future
|
Time + 要 + Verb
|
{明|míng}{天|tiān}{要|yào}{下|xià}{雨|yǔ}
|
|
Demand
|
Subject + 要 + Object
|
{我|wǒ}{要|yào}{这|zhè}{个|gè}
|
|
Imminent
|
快要 + Verb + 了
|
{快|kuài}{要|yào}{下|xià}{课|kè}{了|le}
|
Common Contractions
| Full Form | Short Form | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
|
要不然
|
不然
|
Otherwise
|
|
快要
|
快
|
Soon/Almost
|
Meanings
A versatile modal verb indicating desire (want to) or future intention (going to).
Volition
Expressing a personal desire or wish.
“{我|wǒ}{要|yào}{咖|kā}{啡|fēi}”
“{他|tā}{要|yào}{买|mǎi}{书|shū}”
Future Intent
Expressing a plan or a near-future action.
“{下|xià}{周|zhōu}{我|wǒ}{要|yào}{去|qù}{北|běi}{京|jīng}”
“{今|jīn}{晚|wǎn}{要|yào}{下|xià}{雨|yǔ}”
Reference Table
| 상황 | 문장 구조 | 예시 |
|---|---|---|
|
주문/원함
|
주어 + 要 + 명사
|
"我要水" (물 주세요)
|
|
계획/미래
|
주어 + 要 + 동사
|
"我要走" (나 갈 거야)
|
|
거절
|
주어 + 不要 + 명사
|
" me不要" (안 가질래요)
|
|
금지
|
不要 + 동사
|
"不要说" (말하지 마)
|
격식 수준 스펙트럼
我需要回家。 (Leaving a place)
我要回家。 (Leaving a place)
我想回家。 (Leaving a place)
我要撤了。 (Leaving a place)
要(Yào)의 세 가지 얼굴
+ 명사
- 我要咖啡 커피 주세요 (주문)
+ 동사
- 我要去 갈 거예요 (계획)
부정형 (不要)
- 不要动 움직이지 마! (명령)
要 (Yào) vs 想 (Xiǎng)
어떤 '원하다'를 쓸까요?
구체적인 물건인가요?
확실한 계획인가요?
그냥 단순한 바람인가요?
자주 '要' 하는 것들
음식 & 음료
- • 咖啡 (커피)
- • 水 (물)
- • 米饭 (밥)
행동
- • 回家 (집에 가기)
- • 睡觉 (잠자기)
- • 买单 (계산하기)
수준별 예문
{我|wǒ}{要|yào}{吃|chī}{苹|píng}{果|guǒ}
I want to eat an apple.
{你|nǐ}{要|yào}{去|qù}{哪|nǎ}{里|lǐ}?
Where do you want to go?
{我|wǒ}{不|bù}{要|yào}{这|zhè}{个|gè}
I don't want this.
{他|tā}{要|yào}{喝|hē}{水|shuǐ}
He wants to drink water.
{明|míng}{天|tiān}{我|wǒ}{要|yào}{去|qù}{工|gōng}{作|zuò}
I am going to work tomorrow.
{你|nǐ}{要|yào}{买|mǎi}{什|shén}{么|me}{书|shū}?
What book do you want to buy?
{我|wǒ}{要|yào}{学|xué}{习|xí}{中|zhōng}{文|wén}
I am going to study Chinese.
{他|tā}{不|bù}{要|yào}{看|kàn}{电|diàn}{影|yǐng}
He doesn't want to watch a movie.
{快|kuài}{要|yào}{下|xià}{雨|yǔ}{了|le}
It is about to rain.
{我|wǒ}{要|yào}{把|bǎ}{这|zhè}{个|gè}{做|zuò}{完|wán}
I am going to finish this.
{你|nǐ}{要|yào}{是|shì}{有|yǒu}{空|kòng}{就|jiù}{来|lái}
If you have time, come over.
{我|wǒ}{要|yào}{去|qù}{机|jī}{场|chǎng}{接|jiē}{人|rén}
I am going to the airport to pick someone up.
{这|zhè}{件|jiàn}{事|shì}{我|wǒ}{要|yào}{好|hǎo}{好|hǎo}{考|kǎo}{虑|lǜ}
I am going to consider this matter carefully.
{他|tā}{要|yào}{求|qiú}{我|wǒ}{明|míng}{天|tiān}{早|zǎo}{点|diǎn}{到|dào}
He requires me to arrive earlier tomorrow.
{我|wǒ}{要|yào}{的|de}{不|bù}{是|shì}{钱|qián}
What I want is not money.
{你|nǐ}{要|yào}{是|shì}{不|bù}{想|xiǎng}{去|qù}{就|jiù}{别|bié}{去|qù}
If you don't want to go, then don't go.
{他|tā}{要|yào}{走|zǒu}{的|de}{时|shí}{候|hou}{没|méi}{告|gào}{诉|sù}{我|wǒ}
He didn't tell me when he was about to leave.
{我|wǒ}{要|yào}{怎|zěn}{么|me}{做|zuò}{才|cái}{能|néng}{成|chéng}{功|gōng}?
What must I do to succeed?
{这|zhè}{个|gè}{计|jì}{划|huà}{要|yào}{在|zài}{下|xià}{周|zhōu}{实|shí}{施|shī}
This plan is to be implemented next week.
{不|bù}{要|yào}{说|shuō}{了|le}，{我|wǒ}{都|dōu}{明|míng}{白|bai}{了|le}
Don't say any more, I understand everything.
{我|wǒ}{要|yào}{的|de}{是|shì}{一|yī}{种|zhǒng}{精|jīng}{神|shén}{上|shàng}{的|de}{共|gòng}{鸣|míng}
What I seek is a spiritual resonance.
{要|yào}{不|bù}{然|rán}{我|wǒ}{们|men}{还|hái}{是|shì}{先|xiān}{走|zǒu}{吧|ba}
Otherwise, let's just leave first.
{他|tā}{要|yào}{强|qiáng}{地|de}{表|biǎo}{达|dá}{了|le}{自|zì}{己|jǐ}{的|de}{观|guān}{点|diǎn}
He expressed his views forcefully.
{要|yào}{是|shì}{当|dāng}{初|chū}{我|wǒ}{听|tīng}{了|le}{你|nǐ}{的|de}{话|huà}...
If only I had listened to you back then...
혼동하기 쉬운
Both mean 'want', but '要' is a demand/intent, while '想' is a desire/wish.
Both can mean 'will', but '要' is intent, '会' is prediction.
Both mean 'don't', but '别' is a command.
자주 하는 실수
我想要去
我要去
要我不去
不要去
他要了
他要
我想要咖啡
我要咖啡
明天我要去
明天我要去
你要吗去?
你要去吗?
我不想要
我不要
快要下雨了
快要下雨了
要是你要去
要是你要去
他要求我做
他要求我做
要不然我走
要不然我就走
我要求的
我要求的
要不是你
要不是你
문장 패턴
我 ___ 去 ___.
明天 ___ 下雨.
我 ___ 喝 ___.
___ 你去, 我也去.
Real World Usage
我要一个汉堡。
你要去吗?
我要完成这个任务。
我要买票。
我要去旅行了!
我要加辣。
당당하게 말해도 괜찮아요!
'안 원해'의 함정
말투를 부드럽게 만드는 법
Smart Tips
Use '我要' followed by the item.
Put the time word first.
Use '不用了' instead of '不要'.
Use '一定要'.
발음
Tone
Yào is in the fourth tone (falling). Make it sharp and decisive.
Question
你要去吗? ↗
Rising intonation at the end for questions.
암기하기
기억법
Yào sounds like 'yell'—when you yell, you are demanding something, just like the verb {要|yào}!
시각적 연상
Imagine a child pointing at a toy and shouting 'Yào!' (I want!). This captures the direct, volitional nature of the word.
Rhyme
When you want it, say {要|yào}, it's the word you need to know!
Story
Xiao Ming is at a shop. He points at a red apple and says, '{我|wǒ}{要|yào}{这|zhè}{个|gè}.' The shopkeeper smiles. Later, it starts to get dark. Xiao Ming says, '{快|kuài}{要|yào}{下|xià}{雨|yǔ}{了|le}.' He runs home, knowing exactly how to express his needs and the future.
Word Web
챌린지
For the next 24 hours, every time you want something, say the Chinese word {要|yào} out loud before you get it.
문화 노트
Using '我要' in a restaurant is perfectly polite and standard, not rude.
People often use '要' interchangeably with '想' but with a slightly softer tone.
In meetings, '要' is used to show firm commitment to a deadline.
The character {要|yào} originally depicted a person with hands on their waist, signifying a demand or a central point.
대화 시작하기
你今天要去做什么?
你明天要买什么吗?
你周末要不要去旅行?
你觉得我们什么时候要开始?
일기 주제
자주 하는 실수
Test Yourself
我 ___ 水 ({Wǒ ___ shuǐ}).
올바른 금지 명령형은?
Find and fix the mistake:
나 먹을 거야: {我吃要|Wǒ chī yào}.
Score: /3
연습 문제
8 exercisesa) 要 b) 是 c) 不 d) 会
Find and fix the mistake:
a) 我不要吃 b) 我不吃要 c) 要我不吃 d) 吃不要
a) 你要吗去? b) 你要去吗? c) 去你要吗? d) 你要吃吗?
a) 我要去学校 b) 去我要学校 c) 学校我要去 d) 我学校要去
a) 我要喝茶 b) 我喝茶要 c) 要我喝茶 d) 茶我要喝
a) 我要买书 b) 买书我要 c) 要我买书 d) 书买我要
a) 明天我要去 b) 我明天要去 c) 我要明天去 d) 去我要明天
a) 要: want b) 不要: don't want c) 要吗: want? d) All of the above
Score: /8
Practice Bank
11 exercises우리 영화 보러 갈 거예요: 我们 ___ 看电影 (Wǒmen ___ kàn diànyǐng).
만지지 마! : ___ 碰! (___ pèng!)
{我要去上海|Wǒ yào qù Shànghǎi}의 뜻은 무엇일까요?
식당에서 밥을 주문할 때 어떻게 말할까요?
집 / 가다 / 원하다 / 나 / ~에
먹다 / 저것 / 하지 마
그녀는 커피를 원해요: {她要咖啡吗|Tā yào kāfēi ma}.
전 그거 안 원해요: {我不那个|Wǒ bù nàge}.
난 돈을 원해요.
{你明天要工作吗？|Nǐ míngtiān yào gōngzuò ma?}
의미를 연결하세요
Score: /11
자주 묻는 질문 (8)
Yes, but be careful. It can sound demanding. Use '想' for softer requests.
No, it stays '要' for everyone.
Just say '我不要'.
It can be, especially for future plans. '会' is better for predictions.
Yes, it shows you are decisive and committed.
It's shorter and more common in daily speech.
Not in a store or restaurant. It's just direct.
Use '我要去'.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
Querer
Chinese '要' does not change for person.
Vouloir
French conjugates 'vouloir', Chinese '要' does not.
Wollen
German has complex verb endings.
～たい (tai)
Chinese '要' is a separate word, not a suffix.
يريد (yureed)
Arabic verbs conjugate heavily.
要
N/A
Learning Path
Prerequisites
Learn These First
Continue With
Related Grammar Rules
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