JLPT N4 Grammar – Difference between “〜てほしくない” and “〜ないでほしい”
Table of Contents
1. Difference between “〜てほしくない” and “〜ないでほしい”
2. 〜てほしくない
3. 〜ないでほしい
4. Let’s Compare
5. Summary
6. Quiz
7. Similar Articles
8. Comment
Q: What is the difference between “〜てほしくない” and “〜ないでほしい”?
A: Simply put, the difference between these two expressions can be explained as a distinction between “hope, desire, and request” and “criticism.”
〜てほしくない (JLPT N4)
[Meaning]
Gently conveys hope or desire toward the other person
[Rule]
[V] Verb て form＋ほしくない
[Examples]
ここに物を置いてほしくないです。
I don’t want you to put things here.
一緒にいるときにスマホばかり見てほしくないです。
I don’t want you to keep looking at your phone when we’re together.
私はあなたに無理してほしくないです。
I don’t want you to push yourself too hard.
他の人にこの部屋に入ってほしくないです。
I don’t want others to enter this room.
“〜てほしくない” is used when the speaker does not want the listener to take a particular action or result in a specific outcome. It also carries a nuance of hoping that this does not happen in the future as well.
[Example]
彼は優秀な社員ですから、会社を辞めてほしくないです。
He is an excellent employee, so I don’t want him to quit the company.
⇒ The speaker does not desire the employee to take the action of “quitting.”
〜ないでほしい (JLPT N4)
[Meaning]
Used to strongly request that the listener refrain from a specific action or to express a somewhat urgent plea or prohibition.
[Rule]
[V] Verb negative form＋でほしい
[Examples]
文句ばかり言わないでほしいです。
I don’t want you to keep complaining.
夜遅くまでゲームしないでほしいです。
I don’t want you to play games until late at night.
ここでタバコを吸わないでほしいです。
I don’t want you to smoke here.
そんなこと言わないでほしいです。
I don’t want you to say things like that.
The speaker uses this expression when they want to specifically criticize the other person’s action. It is also used when the speaker wishes to avoid a particular state from continuing into the future, carrying a nuance of earnest plea. Depending on the situation, this expression may also convey the speaker’s emotional feelings.
[Example]
彼は優秀な社員ですから、会社を辞めないでほしいです。
He is an excellent employee, so I don’t want him to leave the company.
⇒ This conveys an earnest desire for the employee to avoid the situation of leaving the company.
Let’s Compare
“〜てほしくない” is used when the speaker wants to convey a hope or request to the other person or a third party. On the other hand, “〜ないでほしい” has a meaning similar to “please don’t,” and is used when the speaker wants the other person to avoid a certain action. However, this distinction depends on the speaker’s feelings, so in some cases, they can be interchangeable.
[Examples]
明日、会議室を使いたいから物を置いてほしくないです。
I don’t want you to put things in the meeting room because I want to use it tomorrow.
⇒ The speaker wants to use the meeting room, so they are expressing their request to the other person.
明日、会議室を使いたいから物を置かないでほしいです。
I’d like you not to put things in the meeting room because I want to use it tomorrow.
⇒ The speaker wants to use the meeting room, so they are expressing a desire for the other person to avoid putting things there.
Now, in the following situations, which expression would be more suitable?
① Watching elderly parents:
両親には病気に（なってほしくない・ならないでほしい）し、いつまでも健康でいてほしいです。
② A quarrel between a man and a woman:
彼「きのうのこと、謝りたくて電話したんだけど。」
彼女「もう電話（してほしくない・しないでほしい）んだけど…。」
Correct answer:
① なってほしくない – The speaker wishes their parents wouldn’t fall ill.
② ないでほしい – The speaker is asking the other person to avoid this action. Additionally, there is a strong emotional aspect to the speaker’s request.
Summary
[〜てほしくない]
- It is used when you want to express a wish or request to someone or a third party.
- It is used to convey that you do not want a particular outcome or state to occur in relation to someone.
[〜ないでほしい]
- It has a similar meaning to “〜ないでください,” and is used when you want someone to refrain from a certain action.
- It is used when you wish to avoid a certain state from the present into the future, carrying an earnest tone, like a heartfelt request. It may also contain an emotional element depending on the situation.
Quiz
Read the following sentence and choose the expression that fits the context from the options provided in the parentheses.
Click on the question to check the answer.
A. ほしくない
明日は大事な試合があるから、雨が降ってほしくないな。
I have an important game tomorrow, so I don’t want it to rain.
*”ほしくない” follows the て form here, expressing the speaker’s wish.
A. でほしい
お母さん、わたしの部屋に入らないでほしいな。
Mom, I don’t want you to come into my room.
*”でほしい” follows the ない form, which conveys the same meaning as “Please don’t enter.”
A. でほしい
こんな事件、二度と起きないでほしい。
I don’t want such an incident to ever happen again.
*”でほしい” follows the ない form, expressing a deep and emotional desire for this not to happen again.
A. ほしくない
体に悪いから子供にはおかしばかり食べてほしくない。
I don’t want my children to eat only sweets because it’s bad for their health.
*”ほしくない” follows the て form, expressing the speaker’s preference or request.
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