A2 · Elementary Chapter 5

Desires, Intentions, and Mannerisms

6 Total Rules
65 examples
5 min
Rules in This Chapter Quick Practice

Chapter in 30 Seconds

Master the art of expressing your deepest desires, future plans, and unique personal mannerisms in natural Japanese.

  • Describe exactly what you want to possess or do.
  • State your future intentions and tentative plans clearly.
  • Transform adjectives into adverbs to describe your actions precisely.
Speak your mind and move with style.

What You'll Learn

Alright, you've nailed the basics, awesome job! Now it's time to level up your Japanese and express yourself with more nuance, just like a native speaker. In this chapter, you'll learn how to say *you want something specific* (like that delicious sushi!), or *what you personally want to do* (maybe

I want to go to Tokyo
). Even cooler, you'll pick up how to tell *what someone else wants to do* just by observing their behavior – no mind-reading required, just keen observation! Then, we'll dive into making plans for the future! You'll learn how to confidently state *your firm intentions* (like
I plan to visit Japan next summer
) and also how to talk about *ideas you're just considering* (like "I'm thinking of joining a gym"). And to top it all off, you'll learn to add style to your sentences! You'll discover how to turn adjectives into adverbs, so you can describe *how you perform an action* – for example, I write quickly or She speaks beautifully. Imagine chatting with friends, wanting something at a store, planning your next adventure, or complimenting someone on how well they do something... it's all in this chapter! So get ready to learn tons of practical new skills that will make your Japanese conversations much smoother and more engaging.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:

  1. 1
    By the end you will be able to: Express personal desires and future intentions while describing actions using adverbs.

Chapter Guide

Overview

Welcome to your next exciting step in Japanese grammar A2! You've mastered the foundational elements, and now it's time to add depth and personality to your conversations. This chapter is designed to help you express yourself with the nuance of a native speaker, covering everything from your deepest desires to your firmest intentions and even how you perform actions. Mastering these structures will significantly boost your confidence and fluency. You'll learn to articulate what you want, what you plan to do, and even infer what others might want, making your interactions much richer. This is crucial for real-world communication, whether you're ordering food, making travel plans, or simply describing a scene. Get ready to unlock new levels of expression in your Japanese language learning journey!

How This Grammar Works

This chapter introduces six powerful Japanese grammar patterns that enable you to express desires, intentions, and mannerisms.
First, to express a desire for an object, you use ～ほしい (hoshii). It attaches directly to a noun. For example, 「新しいパソコンがほしいです。」 (I want a new computer.)
When you want to express *your own* desire to perform an action, you use the ～たい (tai) form. This attaches to the stem of a verb. For instance, 「日本へ行きたいです。」 (I want to go to Japan.)
To express what *someone else* wants to do, based on observation, you use ～たがる (tagaru). This also attaches to the verb stem, but implies you're inferring their desire. For example, 「彼はラーメンを食べたがっています。」 (He seems to want to eat ramen.)
For future intentions, you have two key forms: ～つもり (tsumori) and Volitional + と思う (to omou). ～つもり expresses a firm plan: 「来年、留学するつもりです。」 (I plan to study abroad next year.) Volitional + と思う expresses a softer, more reflective intention, often like "I think I'll do X": 「週末は家で休もうと思います。」 (I think I'll rest at home on the weekend.)
Finally, you’ll learn to turn adjectives into adverbs to describe *how* an action is performed. For I-adjectives, you drop the final い (i) and add く (ku). For example, 速い (hayai) (fast) becomes 早く (hayaku) (quickly): 「彼は早く走ります。」 (He runs quickly.) For Na-adjectives, you simply add に (ni). For instance, きれい (kirei) (beautiful) becomes きれいに (kirei ni) (beautifully/neatly): 「彼女はきれいに書きます。」 (She writes beautifully.) These forms are essential for adding detail and flair to your A2 Japanese sentences.

Common Mistakes

  1. 1✗ Wrong: 「水を飲みたいです。」 (I want to drink water.)
✓ Correct: 「水がほしいです。」 (I want water.) / 「水を飲みたいです。」 (I want to drink water.)
*Explanation:* 「～ほしい」 is for wanting objects. 「～たい」 is for wanting to *do* an action. While 「水を飲みたいです」 is correct for "I want to drink water," if you simply want "water" (the object), you'd use 「水がほしいです。」 Don't use 「～たい」 with just a noun.
  1. 1✗ Wrong: 「彼は日本へ行きたいです。」 (He wants to go to Japan.)
✓ Correct: 「彼は日本へ行きたがっています。」 (He seems to want to go to Japan.)
*Explanation:* You can only use 「～たい」 to express *your own* desires. When talking about someone else's desires, you must use 「～たがる」, which implies you're observing their actions or expressions to infer their desire.
  1. 1✗ Wrong: 「ゆっくりに話します。」 (I speak slowly.)
✓ Correct: 「ゆっくり話します。」 (I speak slowly.)
*Explanation:* 「ゆっくり」 (slowly) is an adverb already. Not all descriptive words are adjectives that need conversion. For I-adjectives, it's ～く (e.g., 早く from 速い). For Na-adjectives, it's ～に (e.g., きれいに from きれい). Be careful not to add に to words that are already adverbs or I-adjectives.

Real Conversations

A

A

日本語をもっと勉強したいです。 (I want to study more Japanese.)
B

B

いいですね！来年、日本へ行くつもりですか？ (That's great! Do you plan to go to Japan next year?)
A

A

鈴木さんは新しいカメラがほしいと言っていましたよ。 (Suzuki-san said he wants a new camera.)
B

B

ああ、最近、いつもカメラのカタログを見ていますね。写真を撮りたがっていますよ。 (Ah, he's always looking at camera catalogs lately, isn't he? He seems to want to take photos.)
A

A

この漢字、もっときれいに書きたいです。 (I want to write this kanji more beautifully.)
B

B

大丈夫ですよ。ゆっくり練習すれば、すぐに上手になります。 (It's okay. If you practice slowly, you'll get good quickly.)

Quick FAQ

Q

Can I use ～たい to express a desire for an object?

No, ～たい is specifically for expressing your desire to *do* an action. For objects, use ～ほしい (hoshii).

Q

What's the main difference between ～つもり and Volitional + と思う?

～つもり expresses a firm, decided intention or plan. Volitional + と思う is softer, indicating a thought or a less concrete intention, often like "I think I'll do X."

Q

Is it rude to use ～たがる?

Not necessarily rude, but it implies you are observing someone's desire rather than knowing it directly. It's often used when talking *about* someone who isn't present, or when their desire is very obvious. Avoid using it directly to someone's face unless you're very confident in your observation.

Q

How do I form adverbs from adjectives like 簡単 (kantan) (easy)?

簡単 is a Na-adjective. To form an adverb, you simply add に (ni), so it becomes 簡単に (kantan ni) (easily). For example, 「簡単にできます。」 (I can do it easily.)

Cultural Context

In Japanese communication, expressing desires and intentions often involves a degree of politeness and indirectness. While ～たい is direct for your own desires, using ～たがる for others reflects the observational nature of Japanese social interaction – you infer rather than assume. Similarly, Volitional + と思う offers a softer way to state intentions, leaving room for flexibility, which can be seen as more polite than a rigid ～つもり. Mastering these subtle distinctions helps you navigate social situations more smoothly, aligning with the cultural emphasis on harmony and consideration.

Key Examples (8)

1

At a phone store, talking to a clerk.

I want a new phone.

Expressing Desire for Objects (～ほしい)
2

Looking at a cool gadget on Amazon.

I want this so much!

Expressing Desire for Objects (～ほしい)
3

Nihon ni ikitai desu.

I want to go to Japan.

Expressing Desire: "I want to..." (～tai)
4

Kyou wa nani mo shitakunai.

I don't want to do anything today.

Expressing Desire: "I want to..." (～tai)
5

Kodomotachi wa soto de asobitagatte iru.

The kids are itching to play outside.

Saying "They want to..." (～tagaru)
6

Kare wa sono hanashi o kikitagaranai.

He shows no interest in hearing that story.

Saying "They want to..." (～tagaru)
7

Shuumatsu, atarashii geemu o kau tsumori desu.

I plan to buy a new game this weekend.

Future Intent: I plan to... (つもり / Volitional + と思う)
8

Natsuyasumi wa Hokkaido e ikou to omotte imasu.

I'm thinking of going to Hokkaido for summer vacation.

Future Intent: I plan to... (つもり / Volitional + と思う)

Tips & Tricks (4)

💡

Particle Power

Always use 'ga' with 'hoshii'. It marks the object as the focus of your desire.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Expressing Desire for Objects (～ほしい)
💡

Particle Choice

You can use 'ga' or 'o' with 'tai'. 'Ga' emphasizes the object, 'o' emphasizes the action.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Expressing Desire: "I want to..." (～tai)
💡

Check the Subject

Always look at the subject. If it's 'I', use 'tai'. If it's 'he/she/they', use 'tagaru'.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Saying "They want to..." (～tagaru)
💡

Use Tsumori for personal intent

Only use Tsumori for your own plans. Don't use it for others unless you are sure.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Future Intent: I plan to... (つもり / Volitional + と思う)

Key Vocabulary (5)

欲しい (ほしい) want 食べる (たべる) to eat 行く (いく) to go 速い (はやい) fast 静か (しずか) quiet

Real-World Preview

map

Planning a Weekend

Review Summary

  • [Noun] + がほしい
  • [Verb stem] + たい
  • [Verb stem] + たがる
  • [Verb] + つもり
  • [i-adj] -> [stem] + く
  • [na-adj] + に

Common Mistakes

With 'hoshii', you must use the particle 'ga' because it is an adjective, not a verb.

Wrong: 寿司(すし)をほしいです。
Correct: 寿司(すし)がほしいです。

～たい is for your own desires. When talking about others, you must use ～たがる.

Wrong: 彼(かれ)は行きたいです。
Correct: 彼(かれ)は行きたがっています。

To modify a verb, you must change the i-adjective to its 'ku' form.

Wrong: 速(はや)い話(はな)します。
Correct: 速(はや)く話(はな)します。

Next Steps

You are doing amazing! Your ability to express nuance is growing every single day. Keep practicing!

Write a diary entry for tomorrow using future tense plans.

Continue to: The Art of Giving and Receiving

Quick Practice (10)

Correct the error.

Find and fix the mistake:

彼は寿司を食べたいがる。

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 彼は寿司を食べたがる。
Remove the 'i' from tai.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Saying "They want to..." (～tagaru)

Fill in the correct particle.

私は本___ほしいです。

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: が
Hoshii requires 'ga'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Expressing Desire for Objects (～ほしい)

Fill in the blank.

{明日|あした}、{買い物|かいもの}する ___ です。

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: {つもり|つもり}
Tsumori expresses plan.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Future Intent: I plan to... (つもり / Volitional + と思う)

Fill in the blank.

速___ 走る

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: く
I-adjective adverbial form.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Japanese I-Adjective Adverbs (～く form)

Fill in the blank.

静か ___ 話す。

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: に
Na-adjectives use 'ni'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Japanese Na-Adjective Adverbs: Doing things '-ly' (～に)

Fix the error.

Find and fix the mistake:

たかいに食べる

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: たかく食べる
I-adjectives use 'ku'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Japanese I-Adjective Adverbs (～く form)

Fix the sentence.

Find and fix the mistake:

食べるがほしいです。

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 食べたいです
Hoshii is for objects.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Expressing Desire for Objects (～ほしい)

Choose the correct form.

寒___ なりました。

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: く
Adverbial form.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Japanese I-Adjective Adverbs (～く form)

Fill in the blank.

{水|みず}を___です。

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: c
Correct stem + tai.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Expressing Desire: "I want to..." (～tai)

Choose the correct form.

Which is correct?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: a
Stem + tai.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Expressing Desire: "I want to..." (～tai)

Score: /10

Common Questions (6)

No, use 'tai' for actions.
Because 'hoshii' is an adjective, not a verb.
Generally no. Use 'tagaru' for third parties.
Both are fine. 'Ga' emphasizes the object.
Yes, tagaru is for anyone other than yourself.
No, it's very common for pets too.
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