JLPT N3・N5 Grammar -The difference between “〜ほしい”, “〜たい” and “〜がる”

Table of Contents

1. The difference between “〜ほしい”, “〜たい” and “〜がる”
2. 〜ほしい
3. 〜たい
4. 〜がる
5. Let’s Compare
6. When Expressing Other People’s Feelings
7. Summary
8. Quiz
9. Similar Articles
10. Comments

Q: Is there a difference in meaning between “〜ほしい”, “〜たい”, and “〜がる”?

A: Yes, there is.
“〜ほしい” expresses the feeling of wanting to have or obtain something.
“〜たい” expresses the feeling of wanting to do something.
On the other hand, “〜がる” is used when looking at another person’s behavior or appearance and saying that they seem to want to do something or seem to want something.

〜がほしい (JLPT N5)

[Meaning]
Expresses the speaker’s desire or wish to obtain something

[Rule]　　
[N] Noun＋が＋ほしい

[Examples]
新あたらしいカメラがほしいです。
I want a new camera.

もっと休やすみがほしいです。
I want more vacation days.

ゆみさんはどんなかばんがほしいですか？
What kind of bag do you want, Yumi?

“ほしい” is used when you want to obtain something.
When you want to do an action, such as 食たべる (to eat), 行いく(to go), or 買かう(to buy), use “〜たい”.

[Examples]
〇 新あたらしいカメラがほしいです。
I want a new camera.

〇 新あたらしいカメラを買かいたいです。
I want to buy a new camera.

〜たい (JLPT N5)

[Meaning]
Expresses the speaker’s wish or desire to perform a certain action or activity

[Rules]　
[V] Verb stem form＋たい
[V] Verb stem form＋たくない
[V] Verb stem form＋たかった
[V] Verb stem form＋たくなかった

[Point]
“〜たい” conjugates in the same way as an い adjective.

[Examples]
行いきたい: want to go
行いきたくない: do not want to go
行いきたかった: wanted to go
行いきたくなかった: did not want to go

[Examples]
今日きょうは疲つかれたから早はやく帰かえりたいです。
I’m tired today, so I want to go home early.

夏休なつやすみはキャンプに行いきたいです。
I want to go camping during summer vacation.

今日きょうはステーキが食たべたいです。

I want to eat steak today.

昨日きのうは何なにもしたくなかったです。

I did not want to do anything yesterday.

〜がる (JLPT N3)

[Meaning]
An expression used when the speaker looks at another person’s behavior or appearance and says that the person seems to want to do something, seems to want something, or seems to feel a certain way.

[Rules]
[V] Verb たい form + がる
[A] い adjective い ＋がる
[Na] な adjective な ＋がる
* For negative form, use “がらない”.

[Point]
When “〜がる” is attached to adjectives, it is often used with words that express feelings or sensations.

[Examples]
苦くるしい(painful), 悔くやしい(frustrating), 嬉うれしい(happy), 羨うらやましい(envious), 面白おもしろい(interesting)、痛いたい(painful), 寂さびしい(lonely), 怖こわい(scary), 恥はずかしい(embarrassed), 珍めずらしい(rare), 強つよい(strong), ありがたい(grateful), 嫌いやな(unpleasant), 不思議ふしぎな(mysterious), 不安ふあんな(anxious), etc.

[Examples]
娘むすめはケーキを食たべたがっています。
My daughter wants to eat the cake.

息子むすこは犬いぬを怖こわがっています。
My son is afraid of dogs.

山本やまもとさんは残業ざんぎょうするのを嫌いやがりました。
Mr. Yamamoto disliked working overtime.

弟おとうとは薬くすりを飲のみたがりません。
My younger brother does not want to take medicine.

Let’s Compare

When expressing the speaker’s own wish or desire, use “〜たい” or “ほしい”.

[Examples]
新あたらしいスマホがほしいです。
I want a new smartphone.

私わたしはジュースを飲のみたいです。
I want to drink juice.

When asking the other person directly, use “〜たい” or “ほしい” as well.

[Examples]
どんなくつがほしいですか？

What kind of bag do you want, Yumi?

ゆみさんは何なにが飲のみたいですか？

What do you want to drink, Yumi?

On the other hand, when describing another person’s behavior or appearance, use “〜たがる” or “〜ほしがる”.

[Examples]
妹いもうとはジュースを飲のみたがっています。

My younger sister wants to drink juice.

子供こどもは新あたらしいおもちゃをほしがっています。

The child wants a new toy.

犬いぬは病気びょうきになってから、何なにも食たべたがりません。
Since the dog got sick, it has not wanted to eat anything.

Even when talking about people close to you, such as family members or friends, use “〜がる” when talking about someone other than yourself.

[Examples]
私わたしはケーキを食たべたいです。

I want to eat cake.

妹いもうとはケーキを食たべたがっています。

My younger sister wants to eat cake.

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[Nをほしがる]

“ほしい”, which expresses the speaker’s own wish or desire, is usually used in the form “Nがほしい”.

[Example]
わたしはあのピンクのドレスがほしいです。
I want that pink dress.
⇒ This expresses the speaker’s own wish or desire.

On the other hand, when using “ほしがる” to describe another person’s behavior or appearance, it is usually used in the form “Nをほしがる”.

[Examples]
友達ともだちはあの青あおいドレスをほしがっています。

My friend wants that blue dress.

子供こどもは新あたらしいゲームをほしがっています。

The child wants a new game.

妹いもうとはかわいいかばんをほしがっていました。

My younger sister wanted a cute bag.

[Point]
Remember the forms as “Nがほしい” and “Nをほしがる”.

When Expressing Other People’s Feelings

When expressing the feelings of someone other than yourself, you can use not only “〜がる”, but also expressions such as “〜そうです” and “〜と言いっています”.
When reporting what the person said, use “〜と言いっています”.

[Examples]
妹いもうとは足あしが痛いたいと言いっています。

My younger sister says her leg hurts.

子供こどもは病院びょういんに行いきたくないと言いっています。

My child says he/she does not want to go to the hospital.

When describing what you see or the impression you get, use “〜そうです”.

[Examples]
妹いもうとは寂さびしそうです。

My younger sister looks lonely.

田中たなかさんは残念ざんねんそうでした。
Mr. Tanaka looked disappointed.

When expressing the feeling as a visible behavior or reaction, use “〜がる”.

[Examples]
子供こどもは病院びょういんに行いくのを嫌いやがっています。

My child does not want to go to the hospital.

犬いぬは父ちちが帰かえってくると嬉うれしがります。

The dog gets happy when my father comes home.

[Note When Talking About People of Higher Status]

“〜がる” has a nuance that the speaker is observing the other person’s behavior or appearance from the outside.

Because of this, when it is used to talk about people of higher status, such as teachers, supervisors, or customers, it can sound a little rude.

When talking about people of higher status, it is more natural to use expressions such as “〜たいとおっしゃっています”, “〜そうです”, or “〜ようです”.

[Examples]
〇 先生せんせいは何なにかお飲のみになりたいとおっしゃっています。

× 先生せんせいは飲のみ物ものを飲のみたがっています。

The teacher says that he/she would like to drink something.

〇 社しゃ長ながはとても嬉うれしそうです。

× 社長しゃちょうはとても嬉うれしがっています。

The president looks very pleased.

〇 お客きゃく様さまはこの商品しょうひんに興味きょうみをお持もちのようです。

× お客きゃく様さまはこの商品しょうひんをほしがっています。

The customer seems interested in this product.

When expressing the feelings or wishes of someone of higher status, it is natural to report what the person said or rephrase it using a polite expression.

[Examples]
先生せんせいは日本にほんへ行いきたいとおっしゃっています。

The teacher says that he/she wants to go to Japan.

部長ぶちょうは少すこしお疲つかれのようです。

The manager seems a little tired.

お客きゃく様さまはこのプランをご希望きぼうです。

The customer would like this plan.

Summary

[〜ほしい]

• The feeling of wanting to obtain something.
• Used for the speaker’s own wish or desire.
• Also used when asking the other person directly.
• The basic form is “Nがほしい”.

[〜たい]

• The feeling of wanting to perform a certain action or activity.
• Used for the speaker’s own wish or desire.
• Also used when asking the other person directly.
• Conjugates in the same way as an い adjective.

[〜がる]

• Describes a state where another person’s feeling or sensation appears outwardly.
• Used with some adjectives that express feelings or sensations.
• It does not directly state the other person’s inner feelings.
• It is important to distinguish it from “〜そう” and “〜と言いっている”.
• It is more natural not to use it for people of higher status.

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.

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