Welcome to Day 60 of your 100-Day JLPT N5 Challenge.
You’ve already learned how to describe actions using verbs and how to talk about what you like or dislike.
Now, it’s time to take an important step forward—learning how to express what you want to do.
Let’s learn how to use 「〜たい」 naturally and correctly.
Main Lesson: Understanding 「〜たい」
Meaning
「〜たい」 is used to express your desire to do something.
It means “want to (do something)”.
It attaches to the stem of a verb, which is the part of the verb before 「ます」.
Structure
Verb stem + たい
For example:
たべます → たべたい (want to eat)
いきます → いきたい (want to go)
のみます → のみたい (want to drink)
みます → みたい (want to see/watch)
Question Form
You can easily make a question by adding 「ですか」 or using rising intonation (in casual speech).
This is how you ask someone what they want to do or whether they want to do something.
Verb stem + たい です か。
(Polite question)
or
Verb stem + たい？
(Casual question)
なに を たべたい です か？
What do you want to eat?
どこ へ いきたい です か？
Where do you want to go?
In casual speech (with friends or family):
なに を たべたい？
どこ へ/に いきたい？ or どこ いきたい？
※In casual conversation, Japanese people often omit the particle entirely, making “どこ いきたい？” sound more natural.
Negative Form
To say “don’t want to,” use 「たくない」 instead of 「たい」.
たべたくない です。
I don’t want to eat.
いきたくない です。
I don’t want to go.
In casual speech, you can drop 「です」:
たべたくない。
いきたくない。
To sound softer or more polite, you can add すみません before the sentence:
すみません、いきたくない です。
(Sorry, I don’t really want to go.)
Past Form
To say “wanted to,” use 「たかった」.
にほん に いきたかった です。
I wanted to go to Japan.
けーき を たべたかった です。
I wanted to eat cake.
Vocabulary List
| Words | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| アパート | apāto | apartment |
| アメリカ | amerika | America / United States |
| カレーライス | karēraisu | curry rice |
| めがね | megane | glasses |
| ぎゅうにゅう | gyuunyuu | milk |
| しゅくだい | shukudai | homework |
| まっすぐ | massugu | straight |
| せんたく | sentaku | laundry / washing |
| りょこう | ryokou | travel / trip |
| ゆうめい | yuumei | famous |
| まいばん | maiban | every night |
Example Sentences
わたし は あたらしい アパート に すみたい です。
I want to live in a new apartment.
アメリカ に いきたい です。
I want to go to America.
きょう は カレーライス を たべたい です。
Today I want to eat curry rice.
ちいさい めがね を かいたい ですか？
Do you want to buy a small glasses?
あさごはん に ぎゅうにゅう を のみたかった。
I wanted to drink milk for breakfast.
あした まで に しゅくだい を したい です。
I want to do my homework by tomorrow.
まっすぐ いえ に かえりたい です。
I want to go straight home.
にちようび に せんたく を したい です。
I want to do the laundry on Sunday.
なつ に りょこう を したい です。
I want to travel in summer.
ゆうめい な えいが を みたい です。
I want to watch a famous movie.
まいばん、テレビ を みたい です。
I want to watch TV every night.
Conclusion
「〜たい」 is one of the most natural and useful expressions in everyday Japanese.
It allows you to talk about your desires, make plans, and connect with others through shared interests.
You can now say what you want, ask what others want, and respond naturally — a big step toward fluency and confidence in conversation.
Keep reviewing and practicing aloud daily.
Your Japanese is becoming more expressive with every lesson you complete.
