Saying "They want to..." (～tagaru)
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Use ～たがる to describe the desires of someone other than yourself.
- Drop the 'i' from the 'tai' form and add 'garu'.
- It conjugates like a standard group 1 verb.
- Never use this for your own desires; use 'tai' instead.
Overview
Japanese communication often navigates a fundamental linguistic principle: one cannot definitively know another person's internal emotional or psychological state. While English permits direct assertions like, "My friend wants to go home," Japanese typically reserves direct statements of desire (～たい {たい}) for the speaker. To express the desires of a third person, Japanese employs the ～たがる {たがる} pattern. This structure acknowledges that you are merely observing the outward manifestations of someone's desire, rather than claiming direct knowledge of their inner feelings.
It describes someone showing signs of wanting or acting as if they want something, providing a crucial tool for nuanced expression. Mastering ～たがる demonstrates an understanding of this core Japanese communicative approach.
How This Grammar Works
～たがる derives from the ～たい {たい} form, which expresses the speaker's personal desire to perform an action (e.g., 食べたい {たべたい} – I want to eat). Crucially, ～たい functions grammatically like an i-adjective, meaning it can directly modify nouns or conjugate similarly to adjectives (e.g., 行きたいです {いきたいです}, 行きたくないです {いきたくないです}). However, this adjective-like form is generally restricted to the first person due to the linguistic convention of not presuming another's internal state.～がる {がる} is appended to the stem of certain adjectives, most notably ～たい and ～ほしい {ほしい} (wanting an object), to describe the observable manifestation of that state. It effectively verbalizes the adjective, indicating that someone is showing signs of, acting like, or behaving as if they possess that quality or desire. When combining with ～たい, the final い of ～たい is dropped before ～がる is attached, resulting in ～たがる {たがる}.～たがる functions as a regular Godan verb (Group 1 verb). This means it conjugates just like other Godan verbs (e.g., 分かる {わかる}, なる {なる}), allowing it to take various tense, negative, and continuous forms. For example, 水を飲みたがっている {みずをのみたがっている} (is showing signs of wanting water) uses the continuous form, describing an ongoing observation of desire.Formation Pattern
～たがる is a straightforward process, built upon the verb's masu-stem. This systematic approach ensures accurate construction of the observational desire form.
ます {ます} from the masu-form. For 食べる {たべる} (to eat), 食べます {たべます} becomes 食べ {たべ}. For 行く {いく} (to go), 行きます {いきます} becomes 行き {いき}.
～たい {たい} to the masu-stem. This creates the first-person desire form. So, 食べ {たべ} + たい becomes 食べたい {たべたい}. 行き {いき} + たい becomes 行きたい {いきたい}.
い {い} from ～たい and add ～がる {がる}. This completes the ～たがる formation. 食べたい {たべたい} becomes 食べたがる {たべたがる}. 行きたい {いきたい} becomes 行きたがる {いきたがる}.
～たがる {たがる} (Godan Verb Conjugation)
～たがる follows standard Group 1 conjugation rules:
飲む {のむ} (to drink) Masu-stem: 飲み {のみ} | Example: 見る {みる} (to see) Masu-stem: 見 {み} | Example: する {する} (to do) Masu-stem: し {し} | Meaning (General) |
-garu) | 飲みたがる {のみたがる} | 見たがる {みたがる} | したがる {したがる} | Shows signs of wanting to... |
-garimasu) | 飲みたがります {のみたがります} | 見たがります {みたがります} | したがります {したがります} | Shows signs of wanting to... (polite) |
-gatte) | 飲みたがって {のみたがって} | 見たがって {みたがって} | したがって {したがって} | Showing signs of wanting to... (conjunctive) |
-garanai) | 飲みたがらない {のみたがらない} | 見たがらない {みたがらない} | したがらない {したがらない} | Shows no sign of wanting to... |
-gatta) | 飲みたがった {のみたがった} | 見たがった {みたがった} | したがった {したがった} | Showed signs of wanting to... |
-garanakatta) | 飲みたがらなかった {のみたがらなかった} | 見たがらなかった {みたがらなかった} | したがらなかった {したがらなかった} | Showed no sign of wanting to... |
～たがっている {たがっている}
いる {いる} (～ている {ている}) is exceptionally common and vital for expressing an ongoing state of observed desire. ～たがっている {たがっている} is the most natural way to describe someone currently showing signs of wanting something. Compare the nuances:
彼は外に出たがる {かれはそとにでたがる} (plain ～たがる): He generally shows a tendency or habit of wanting to go outside (e.g., a dog that usually whines at the door around a certain time). This implies a habitual or general tendency.
彼は外に出たがっている {かれはそとにでたがっている} (continuous ～たがっている): He is currently showing signs of wanting to go outside (e.g., a dog scratching the door right now). This describes an immediate, active observation of desire.
～たがっている {たがっている} form. The plain ～たがる {たがる} form is better suited for describing general inclinations or habitual behaviors.
When To Use It
～たがる exclusively when describing the apparent desires of third-person subjects or non-human entities. The core principle is that you are interpreting outward behavior, words, or expressions that suggest a desire, rather than making a direct assertion about someone's internal feelings. This reflects a deep-seated aspect of Japanese communication, prioritizing indirectness and respect for personal boundaries regarding internal states.- Children and Pets: These are frequent subjects because their desires are often communicated non-verbally or through easily observable actions. A child reaching for candy or a dog whining at the door clearly
食べたがる{たべたがる} (shows signs of wanting to eat) or散歩に行きたがる{さんぽにいきたがる} (shows signs of wanting to go for a walk). 子供は新しいおもちゃを欲しがっている{こどもはあたらしいおもちゃをほしがっている}。 (The child is showing signs of wanting a new toy.)猫はご飯を食べたがっている{ねこはごはんをたべたがっている}。 (The cat is acting like it wants to eat food.)- Friends and Close Acquaintances (Casual Contexts): You can use
～たがるto discuss their observed wishes among peers, particularly in informal settings. Be mindful of the context and your relationship. 彼はずっと日本に行きたがっていたよ{かれはずっとにほんにいきたがっていたよ}。 (He was showing signs of wanting to go to Japan for a long time, you know.)友達はラーメンを食べたがっていたから、誘ってみた{ともだちはラーメンをたべたがっていたから、さそってみた}。 (My friend was acting like they wanted to eat ramen, so I invited them.)- General Observations/Tendencies:
～たがるcan effectively describe the general inclinations or desires of groups or types of people. In these contexts, the simple～たがる{たがる} form is often appropriate. 若い人たちは新しい情報に敏感で、すぐ知りたがる{わかいひとたちはあたらしいじょうほうにびんかんで、すぐしりたがる}。 (Young people are sensitive to new information and quickly show signs of wanting to know it.)
- Subjectivity: Always remember that
～たがるdescribes your perception of someone else's desire. It is an interpretation of their outward behavior, not a definitive statement of their internal state. Avoid using it to claim absolute knowledge of another's feelings. - Formality and Respect: While
～たがるcan be conjugated politely (～たがります{たがります} or～たがっています{たがっています}), the very act of observing and describing a superior's internal state can be perceived as less respectful or presumptuous. For those higher in status, more formal indirect expressions or direct quotations are generally preferred to maintain appropriate social distance and deference.
Common Mistakes
～たがる, often due to direct translation from English or a misunderstanding of its fundamental observational nature in Japanese.- Using
～たがるfor Oneself (First Person): This is the most common and significant error. You should almost never use～たがるto describe your own desires in everyday speech. Doing so sounds unnatural and can make you seem detached from your own feelings. The only exceptions are highly specific, detached narrative contexts (e.g., reflecting on a past self from an objective viewpoint,子供の頃、私は何でも知りたがった{こどものころ、わたしはなんでもしりたがった} – As a child, I showed signs of wanting to know everything). For your own desires, always use～たい{たい}. - Incorrect:
私はピザを食べたがっている{わたしはピザをたべたがっている}。 (I am acting like I want to eat pizza.) - Correct:
私はピザが食べたい{わたしはピザがたべたい}。 (I want to eat pizza.)
- Incorrect Particle Usage (
が{が} vs.を{を}): This distinction is critical because it highlights the grammatical difference between～たい(adjective-like) and～たがる(verb-like). - With
～たい, the object of desire typically takes the particleが{が}, as～たいfunctions like an adjective describing a state (e.g.,水が飲みたい{みずがのみたい} – Water is wanted by me). - However,
～たがるis a transitive verb. Therefore, the object of the observed desire must take the direct object particleを{を}. - Incorrect:
彼は水が飲みたがっている{かれはみずがのみたがっている}。 - Correct:
彼は水を飲みたがっている{かれはみずをのみたがっている}。 (He is showing signs of wanting water.)
- Using
～たがるfor Superiors or in Highly Formal Contexts: Even when conjugated politely (～たがります{たがります}), using～たがるto describe a superior's desires can be perceived as impolite or presumptuous. It implies you are observing them from a position of judgment, rather than acknowledging their status. Opt for alternative, more respectful expressions. - Inappropriate (for a boss):
社長は新しいプロジェクトを始めたがっています{しゃちょうはあたらしいプロジェクトをはじめたがっています}。 (The president is acting like they want to start a new project.) - More Appropriate Alternatives:
- Direct Quoting:
社長は新しいプロジェクトを始めたいとおっしゃっていました{しゃちょうはあたらしいプロジェクトをはじめたおっしゃっていました}。 (The president said they want to start a new project.) - Indirect Report/Intention:
社長は新しいプロジェクトを始めるご意向のようです{しゃちょうはあたらしいプロジェクトをはじめるごいこうのようです}。(It seems the president has the intention to start a new project.)
Real Conversations
In authentic Japanese communication, especially in casual and semi-formal contexts, ～たがる and its continuous form ～たがっている {たがっている} are frequently used to express observable desires. They provide a natural, empathetic, and often slightly indirect way of talking about others.
Example 1
Parent A
太郎、最近どう？元気にしてる？ {たろう、さいきんどう？げんきにしてる？}Parent B
うん、元気元気。でも、もうすぐ夏休みだから、毎日公園に行きたがっているよ {うん、げんきげんき。でも、もうすぐなつやすみだから、まいにちこうえんにいきたがっているよ}。(Parent A: Taro, how's he doing lately? Is he well?)*
(Parent B: Yeah, he's great. But since summer vacation is coming soon, he's been showing signs of wanting to go to the park every day.)*
Here, 行きたがっている {いきたがっている} perfectly captures the child's observable eagerness, perhaps through constant questions or excited talk about the park.
Example 2
Friend A
来週の飲み会、ジョンも来るかな？ {らいしゅうののみかい、ジョンもくるかな？}Friend B
あー、ジョンはちょっと乗り気じゃないみたい。どうも静かな場所に行きたがっているんだよね {あー、ジョンはちょっとのりきじゃないみたい。どうもげんきなばしょにいきたがっているんだよね}。(Friend A: Will John come to next week's drinking party?)*
(Friend B: Ah, John doesn't seem too keen. Apparently, he's been acting like he wants to go to a quiet place.)*
行きたがっている {いきたがっている} conveys John's apparent desire for a calmer environment, inferred from his reluctance or past comments, without Friend B claiming to know John's exact thoughts.
Example 3
User 1's Tweet: うちの犬、散歩に行きたすぎて、玄関でじーっと見てくる笑 {うちのいぬ、さんぽにいきたすぎて、げんかんでじーっとみてくるわらい}
User 2's Reply: うちのも同じ！ご飯欲しがって、ワンワン鳴きまくりだよ {うちのもおなじ！ごはんほしがって、ワンワンなきまくりだよ}。
(User 1's Tweet: My dog wants to go for a walk so badly, he just stares at me at the entrance lol.)*
(User 2's Reply: Mine too! Mine shows signs of wanting food and just barks like crazy.)*
In this informal exchange, 欲しがって {ほしがって} (from 欲しい {ほしい} + がる) describes the dog's observable behavior (barking) as a manifestation of its desire for food, highlighting ～たがる in everyday, relatable observations.
Quick FAQ
- Q: Can I use
～たがる{たがる} in the negative form? - A: Yes, absolutely. To express that someone is not showing signs of wanting something, simply conjugate
～たがるinto its negative form:～たがらない{たがらない}. This is a very common usage. 彼はゲームに行きたがらない{かれはゲームにいきたがらない}。 (He is not showing signs of wanting to go to the game / doesn't want to go to the game.)- Q: What if I know someone wants something because they told me directly?
- A: If you have direct verbal confirmation, it is more natural and precise to use a quoting structure (
～と言っている{といっている} – "said that..."). This avoids the implication of merely observing and directly attributes the desire to their statement. While～たがっている{たがっている} might still be used to emphasize their current, observable state (even after they've told you), the quoting structure is generally preferred for conveying explicit communication of desire. 彼は日本に行きたいと言っている{かれは日本にいきたいといっている}。 (He says he wants to go to Japan.)- Q: How do I make sentences with
～たがる{たがる} polite? - A: Since
～たがる{たがる} functions as a verb, you apply standard polite verb conjugations. The most common is the masu-form, often combined with the continuous～て{て}いる{いる} form. - Plain:
行きたがる{いきたがる} /行きたがっている{いきたがっている} - Polite:
行きたがります{いきたがります} /行きたがっています{いきたがっています} - Remember, while the grammar can be made polite, the inherent tone of observing someone's desire can still be considered less respectful with superiors. Context is key.
- Q: Can
～がる{がる} attach to other adjectives besides～たい{たい} and～ほしい{ほしい}? - A: Yes, though less commonly than with
～たい{たい} or～ほしい{ほしい}. When attached to the stem of other i-adjectives, it indicates showing signs of that quality or acting in a way that suggests that quality. For example,恥ずかしい{はずかしい} (shy/embarrassed) becomes恥ずかしがる{はずかしがる} (to act shy/embarrassed). Similarly,悲しい{かなしい} (sad) can become悲しがる{かなしがる} (to act sad/show signs of sadness). This usage is more limited and context-dependent.
～たがる {たがる} vs. ～そう {そう} (Expressing Appearance)～たがる {たがる} | ～そう {そう} (from ～たい {たい}) |たい (drop い) + がる | Verb Masu-stem + たい (drop い) + そう |子供がジュースを飲みたがっている {こどもがジュースをのみたがっている}。 (The child is showing signs of wanting juice – perhaps reaching for it, asking for it.) | 子供がジュースを飲みたそうだ {こどもがジュースをのみたそうだ}。 (The child looks like he wants juice – perhaps just staring at it with big eyes, no action yet.) |- If they are just staring at it intently with wide eyes, you might say:
ケーキを食べたそうだ{ケーキをたべたそうだ}。 (They look like they want to eat cake.) - If they are licking their lips, fidgeting, and perhaps murmuring "Oishisō!", you would use:
ケーキを食べたがっている{たべたがっている}。 (They are showing signs of wanting to eat cake.)
～たがる {たがる} vs. ～と言っている {といっている} (Direct Quoting)～たがる {たがる} | ～と言っている {といっている} |田中さんは温泉に行きたがっている {たなかさんはおんせんにいきたがっている}。 (Tanaka-san is showing signs of wanting to go to a hot spring – based on his actions.) | 田中さんは「温泉に行きたい」と言っている {たなかさんは「おんせんにいきたい」といっている}。 (Tanaka-san said, "I want to go to a hot spring.") |～たがる {たがる}) or a direct verbal communication (～と言っている {といっている})? ～と言っている {といっている} is safer and more neutral, especially regarding superiors, as it avoids making assumptions about their internal state.～たがる {たがる} vs. ～てほしい {てほしい} (Desire for Others to Act)～たがる {たがる} is about someone else's desire to perform an action. ～てほしい {てほしい} is about your desire for someone else to perform an action.～たがる {たがる} | ～てほしい {てほしい} |彼は日本に行きたがっている {かれは日本にいきたがっている}。 (He is showing signs of wanting to go to Japan.) | 彼に日本に行ってほしい {かれに日本にいってほしい}。 (I want him to go to Japan.) |～たがる {たがる} in Japanese grammar offers a profound insight into broader communication patterns and cultural values, particularly emphasizing indirectness and empathy (察しさっし). Unlike many Western cultures where directly stating or assuming others' desires is common (e.g., "My friend wants a new car"), Japanese society places a strong value on maintaining harmony (和 {わ}) and avoiding direct imposition or presumptuousness.～たがる {たがる}, you linguistically acknowledge that you are merely observing external cues, leaving room for interpretational flexibility. This structure fosters a more cautious and respectful approach to discussing others' emotions and desires, mirroring a cultural preference for subtle communication and consideration for others' inner worlds.帰りたがっている {かえりたがっている} (showing signs of wanting to go home) might prompt an offer of help to finish work quickly, rather than a direct, potentially intrusive question like "Do you want to go home?" This indirectness contributes to a more comfortable and harmonious social environment.Tagaru Conjugation Table
| Form | Japanese | Reading |
|---|---|---|
|
Dictionary
|
食べたがる
|
tabetagaru
|
|
Polite
|
食べたがります
|
tabetagari-masu
|
|
Negative
|
食べたがらない
|
tabetagaranai
|
|
Past
|
食べたがった
|
tabetagatta
|
|
Te-form
|
食べたがって
|
tabetagatte
|
|
Continuous
|
食べたがっている
|
tabetagatte-iru
|
Meanings
The suffix ～たがる is used to express that a third person (he, she, they) wants to perform an action. It implies you are observing their behavior or state.
Observed Desire
Describing the visible desire of another person.
“彼女{彼女|かのじょ}は映画{映画|えいが}を見{見|み}たがっている。”
“子供{子供|こども}は公園{公園|こうえん}に行{行|い}きたがっている。”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative
|
Verb-stem + たがる
|
彼{彼|かれ}は行{行|い}きたがる。
|
|
Negative
|
Verb-stem + たがらない
|
彼{彼|かれ}は行{行|い}きたがらない。
|
|
Past
|
Verb-stem + たがった
|
彼{彼|かれ}は行{行|い}きたがった。
|
|
Polite
|
Verb-stem + たがります
|
彼{彼|かれ}は行{行|い}きたがります。
|
|
Continuous
|
Verb-stem + たがっている
|
彼{彼|かれ}は行{行|い}きたがっている。
|
Formality Spectrum
彼{彼|かれ}は食{食|た}べたがっております。 (Describing a friend's hunger.)
彼{彼|かれ}は食{食|た}べたがっています。 (Describing a friend's hunger.)
彼{彼|かれ}は食{食|た}べたがっている。 (Describing a friend's hunger.)
あいつ、食{食|た}べたがってるぜ。 (Describing a friend's hunger.)
Desire Mapping
Self
- ～たい I want to
Others
- ～たがる They want to
Examples by Level
彼{彼|かれ}は水{水|みず}を飲{飲|の}みたがっている。
He wants to drink water.
子供{子供|こども}が遊{遊|あそ}びたがっている。
The child wants to play.
猫{猫|ねこ}が寝{寝|ね}たがっている。
The cat wants to sleep.
彼女{彼女|かのじょ}は帰{帰|かえ}りたがっている。
She wants to go home.
田中{田中|たなか}さんは日本{日本|にほん}に行{行|い}きたがっています。
Mr. Tanaka wants to go to Japan.
弟{弟|おとうと}はゲームをしたがりません。
My younger brother doesn't want to play games.
彼{彼|かれ}らはピザを食{食|た}べたがった。
They wanted to eat pizza.
誰{誰|だれ}が来{来|く}たがっていますか？
Who wants to come?
彼{彼|かれ}は自分{自分|じぶん}の意見{意見|いけん}を言{言|い}いたがっているようだ。
He seems to want to express his opinion.
新入社員{新入社員|しんにゅうしゃいん}は仕事{仕事|しごと}を覚{覚|おぼ}えたがっている。
The new employee wants to learn the job.
観客{観客|かんきゃく}はアンコールを求{求|もと}めたがっている。
The audience wants to request an encore.
彼女{彼女|かのじょ}は秘密{秘密|ひみつ}を知{知|し}りたがっている。
She wants to know the secret.
子供{子供|こども}が親{親|おや}に甘{甘|あま}えたがるのは自然{自然|しぜん}なことだ。
It is natural for children to want to be pampered by their parents.
彼{彼|かれ}は人{人|ひと}の注目{注目|ちゅうもく}を集{集|あつ}めたがる傾向{傾向|けいこう}がある。
He has a tendency to want to attract people's attention.
なぜ彼{彼|かれ}はそんなに目立{目立|めだ}ちたがるのか。
Why does he want to stand out so much?
彼女{彼女|かのじょ}は自分{自分|じぶん}の力{力|ちから}を試{試|ため}したがっている。
She wants to test her own strength.
大衆{大衆|たいしゅう}は常に新{新|あたら}しい刺激{刺激|しげき}を求{求|もと}めたがるものだ。
The masses always want to seek new stimulation.
彼{彼|かれ}は自{自|みずか}ら困難{困難|こんなん}に挑{挑|いど}みたがる性格{性格|せいかく}だ。
He has a personality that wants to challenge difficulties voluntarily.
人々{人々|ひとびと}は過去{過去|かこ}を美化{美化|びか}したがる傾向{傾向|けいこう}がある。
People have a tendency to want to idealize the past.
彼{彼|かれ}は責任{責任|せきにん}を回避{回避|かいひ}したがっているように見{見|み}える。
He appears to want to avoid responsibility.
人間{人間|にんげん}は本能的{本能的|ほんのうてき}に未知{未知|みち}の世界{世界|せかい}を探求{探求|たんきゅう}したがる。
Humans instinctively want to explore the unknown world.
彼{彼|かれ}は権力{権力|けんりょく}を掌握{掌握|しょうあく}したがる野心家{野心家|やしんか}だ。
He is an ambitious person who wants to seize power.
彼女{彼女|かのじょ}は真実{真実|しんじつ}を隠蔽{隠蔽|いんぺい}したがっている節{節|ふし}がある。
There are signs that she wants to conceal the truth.
大衆{大衆|たいしゅう}は英雄{英雄|えいゆう}を崇拝{崇拝|すうはい}したがるものだ。
The masses tend to want to worship heroes.
Easily Confused
Learners mix up who the desire belongs to.
Hoshii is for objects, Tagaru is for verbs.
Both involve observation.
Common Mistakes
私は寿司を食べたがる。
私は寿司を食べたい。
彼は寿司を食べたい。
彼は寿司を食べたがっている。
彼は食べたいがる。
彼は食べたがる。
彼は食べたがるだ。
彼は食べたがる。
彼女は行きたがった。
彼女は行きたがっている。
彼が食べたがる。
彼は食べたがる。
彼は食べたがるます。
彼は食べたがります。
彼は食べたがっているようだ。
彼は食べたがっている。
彼が食べたがっている。
彼は食べたがっている。
彼は食べたがった。
彼は食べたがっている。
Sentence Patterns
___は___を___たがっています。
___は___したがらない。
なぜ___は___したがるのですか？
___は___を___たがっているようだ。
Real World Usage
彼、また会いたがってるよ。
うちの猫が外に出たがってる！
彼は新しいスキルを学びたがっております。
子供がアイスを食べたがっています。
お客様が追加注文をしたがっております。
生徒が質問したがっています。
Check the Subject
Don't be Presumptuous
Use with 'Sou'
Observation is Key
Smart Tips
Always pause and think: 'Is this my desire or theirs?'
Use tagaru to describe their behavior.
Use the polite 'tagatte-orimasu'.
Add 'you da' to soften the claim.
Pronunciation
Tagaru
The 'ga' is pronounced clearly. Ensure the 'ru' is crisp.
Statement
～たがっています↓
Neutral observation.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Tagaru: 'Tag' the person you are watching. If you 'tag' them, you are observing their desire.
Visual Association
Imagine a person standing behind a glass wall, pointing at a cake. You are outside, observing them. They are 'tagaru-ing' the cake.
Rhyme
For me use tai, for them use tagaru, it's the rule you must follow to be a star-u.
Story
My friend Taro is at the zoo. He sees a monkey. The monkey wants a banana. I say, 'The monkey wants a banana' using 'tagaru'. Taro wants a banana too, but I say that using 'tai'.
Word Web
Challenge
Observe three people today and write one sentence for each describing what they seem to want using 'tagaru'.
Cultural Notes
Using this form is essential to avoid sounding like you are reading someone's mind, which is considered rude.
Often uses 'tagaru' similarly but with different pitch accents.
Use the polite 'tagatte-orimasu' for clients.
Tagaru is a combination of the desiderative 'tai' and the verb 'garu', which means 'to show signs of'.
Conversation Starters
彼{彼|かれ}は何{何|なに}を食{食|た}べたがっていますか？
子供{子供|こども}は今{今|いま}何{何|なに}をしたがっていますか？
なぜ彼{彼|かれ}はそんなに働{働|はたら}きたがっているのでしょうか？
人々{人々|ひとびと}はなぜ有名{有名|ゆうめい}になりたがるのでしょうか？
Journal Prompts
Common Mistakes
Test Yourself
彼{彼|かれ}は水{水|みず}を___。
Which sentence is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
彼は寿司を食べたいがる。
彼は食べたがる。
A: 彼は何をしたがる？ B: ___
彼 / 映画 / 見たがる / は
Which uses 'tai'?
彼は行きたがる (Negative)
Score: /8
Practice Exercises
8 exercises彼{彼|かれ}は水{水|みず}を___。
Which sentence is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
彼は寿司を食べたいがる。
彼は食べたがる。
A: 彼は何をしたがる？ B: ___
彼 / 映画 / 見たがる / は
Which uses 'tai'?
彼は行きたがる (Negative)
Score: /8
Practice Bank
11 exercises{見|み}る (to see) → {見|み}たい (want to see) → ___ (shows signs of wanting to see)
If you say '{彼|かれ}は{知|し}りたがっている', what does it imply?
{妹|いもうと}は{眠|ねむ}たいがっている。
arranging_question
He acts like he wants to say something.
Select the correct form for each subject.
{彼|かれ}は{勉強|べんきょう}___。(He doesn't act like he wants to study)
{私|わたし}は{早|はや}く{帰|かえ}りたがる。
{彼|かれ}は新しいパソコン___欲しがっている。
ordering_question
Everyone acts like they want to become rich.
Score: /11
FAQ (8)
Yes, tagaru is for anyone other than yourself.
No, it's very common for pets too.
Use 'tagatte-iru you da' (seems like they want to).
Yes, 'Kare wa nani o shitagatte-imasu ka?'
No, it's actually more polite than assuming their feelings.
Yes, 'tagatta'.
Yes, but use the polite form 'tagatte-orimasu'.
It's a grammatical construction that functions as a verb.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
querer
Japanese requires a different verb for third-person desire.
vouloir
No grammatical distinction based on person.
wollen
Japanese changes the root verb for third-person.
～たがる
Focus on observable behavior.
يريد
No evidential marker.
想
No person-based distinction.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
Related Grammar Rules
The Extreme Emphasis Pattern: ~極まる / ~極まりない (Kiwamaru / Kiwamarinai)
Overview At the advanced stages of Japanese, expressing simple intensity with words like `とても` (totemo) or `非常に`...
Expressing Desire: "I want to..." (～tai)
Overview Japanese offers nuanced ways to express personal desire. The suffix `~tai` (～たい) is fundamental for articula...
Uncontrollable Feelings: ~てならない (~te naranai)
Overview Japanese grammar provides a rich toolkit for expressing internal states, and `~てならない` (`~te naranai`) is...
Before Doing X (Mae ni)
Overview In Japanese, establishing a clear sequence of events is fundamental to communication. The grammatical pattern...
Literary Similes: Like & As If (~gotoku / ~gotoki)
Overview Japanese offers several ways to express similes, but few carry the profound literary weight and stylistic versa...
