1.
want to (do); would like to (do)
Attached to a verb stem to express the speaker's own desire to perform the action: 食べる → 食べたい (want to eat). The result inflects like an i-adjective (食べたくない, 食べたかった).
Attaches to the ます-stem: 飲みます → 飲みたい, 見ます → 見たい. The object may take either を or が, with が emphasizing the desired thing itself (水が飲みたい).
Forms
Usage limits
- Used for the speaker's own desire, or in questions about the listener's.
- Do not use plain 〜たい of a third person; say 行きたがっている (looks like they want to go) or 行きたいそうだ (they say they want to go).
- Saying 〜たいですか to a superior can sound blunt; いかがですか or 〜ませんか is safer.