N5 · Unit 5
Lesson 17What you want and want to do
Distinguish wanting an object from wanting an action, ask another person's intention, and make an invitation.
What you learn
Distinguish wanting an object from wanting an action, ask another person's intention, and make an invitation.
Learning points
- Wanting an object
- Wanting an action
- Invitations and shared actions
Why this lesson comes now
This lesson connects what you can already say to a new way of expressing it. Hear the key sentences, understand the structure, then use it in a real situation.
Your next step
Listen to the key sentences, understand the pattern, finish the examples and vocabulary, then continue to the next lesson.
Open the interactive lessonCore pattern
N が 欲しいです ・ 動詞ます語幹 + たいです ・ 動詞ませんか / 動詞ましょうBeginner explanation
Use Nが欲しいです to want an object. To want to do an action, remove ます and add たいです. Use 〜ませんか for an invitation and 〜ましょう to respond or suggest doing something together.
Understand these sentences first
- 新しい 靴が 欲しいです。atarashii kutsu ga hoshii desu
I want a new pair of shoes.
- 週末 京都へ 行きたいです。shūmatsu Kyōto e ikitai desu
I want to go to Kyoto this weekend.
- いっしょに 映画を 見ませんか。issho ni eiga o mimasen ka
Would you like to watch a film together?
- はい、見ましょう。hai, mimashō
Yes, let's watch it.
Core vocabulary
- 欲しいほしいwant
- 靴くつshoes
- 服ふくclothes
- 休みやすみholiday; break
- 旅行しますりょこうしますtravel
- 見ますみますwatch
- 遊びますあそびますplay
- 買いますかいますbuy
Grammar, one point at a time
Use N が欲しいです for wanting an item
person は item が 欲しいですThe person wanting something is normally the speaker, while a question may ask a close listener. The wanted item takes が. This states a personal desire and is not itself a request for delivery.
Examples
- 新しい コートが 欲しいです。I want a new coat.
- 今 何が いちばん 欲しいですか。What do you want most now?
For wanting an action, replace ます with たいです
V-stem たいです見ます becomes 見たい, 飲みます becomes 飲みたい, します becomes したい, and 来ます becomes 来たい. たい inflects like an i-adjective, with negative たくないです. The object normally takes を, though が is possible with some desired objects in conversation.
Examples
- 映画を 見たいです。I want to watch a film.
- 今日は お酒を 飲みたくないです。I do not want alcohol today.
- 何も したくありません。I do not want to do anything.
Question word + も + negative means none or nowhere
question-word + particle + も + negativeUse 何もしたくない, だれにも会いたくない, and どこへも行きたくない. Keep particles such as に, から, or と before も. With へ, use どこへも, while object を normally drops before も as in 何も.
Examples
- だれにも 会いたくないです。I do not want to see anyone.
- どこへも 行きたくありません。I do not want to go anywhere.
Vませんか politely invites with a negative question form
VませんかAlthough grammatically a negative question, this invites the listener to do something together. It leaves more choice than directly asking たいですか and is softer than a command.
Examples
- いっしょに お茶を 飲みませんか。Would you like to have tea together?
- 土曜日に コンサートへ 行きませんか。Would you like to go to a concert on Saturday?
Vましょう proposes or accepts a shared plan
VましょうReplace ます with ましょう to mean let's do it. It can make a proposal or accept a ませんか invitation and is more direct than ませんか.
Examples
- ちょっと 休みましょう。Let's take a short break.
- いいですね。行きましょう。Sounds good. Let's go.
Question word + でも means any option is acceptable or applies
question-word + でも + affirmativeUse 何でもいい, いつでも電話してください, or だれでも分かります. It normally pairs with an affirmative; total negatives use 何も〜ない or だれも〜ない instead.
Examples
- 何を 食べたいですか。— 何でも いいです。What would you like to eat? — Anything is fine.
- いつでも 連絡してください。Contact me anytime.
Expressions and situations
Direct desire questions suit close or role-defined relationships
何が欲しいですか or 何をしたいですか can fit friends, parents asking children, or teachers asking students. With a senior or unfamiliar person, state the plan and say いっしょにどうですか or 〜ませんか.
欲しい and たい normally do not directly assert another person's inner desire
This lesson focuses on first-person statements and second-person questions. For a third person, Japanese often uses evidence-based 欲しがっています or たがっています, or reports their words, a later topic.
〜中に means completing something before a deadline ends
中 in 今日中に and 今年中に is normally じゅう, while 今週中に and 来週中に commonly use ちゅう. It marks a deadline, not continuous duration throughout the period.
- この 仕事を 今日中に 終わります。I will finish this work today.
- 来週中に 連絡します。I will contact you by the end of next week.
ぜひ strengthens a wish, invitation, or request
It commonly pairs with たい, てください, or ましょう and means definitely or please do. It raises enthusiasm and should not create unnecessary pressure.
- 今度 ぜひ 遊びに 来てください。Please do visit next time.
お汁粉 is a sweet red-bean soup whose name and style vary by region
It is commonly made from cooked azuki beans and sugar and may contain mochi or shiratama dumplings. Names, sweetness, and ingredients vary by region and shop; ask the shop about allergens.
- お汁粉を 食べたいです。I would like oshiruko.
初詣 is the first shrine or temple visit of the New Year
Many people visit on New Year's Day or early January, but the definition is not rigidly limited to three days. Worship etiquette, hours, queues, and transport differ by shrine or temple; follow local guidance.
Final ね can soften a wish or thought shared with the listener
In 恋人が欲しいですね or やっぱり寿司ですね, ね does more than confirm; it presents the thought as shared reflection. Relationship and intonation affect closeness.
いつも means always; いつでも means anytime
いつも行きます means going regularly or every time. いつでも行けます means any time is possible.
- いつも 7時に 起きます。I always get up at seven.
- いつでも 来てください。Come anytime.
What you should be able to do
- Use 欲しい for an item and confirm that its object takes が.
- Convert masu-forms to たい and たくない, including します and 来ます.
- Use question word + も + negative for nobody, nowhere, and nothing.
- Rewrite a direct desire question as a more polite どうですか or ませんか invitation.
- Distinguish ませんか invitation from ましょう proposal and practise accepting or declining.
- Complete an original New Year planning dialogue: state a wish, suggest an activity, choose a time, and respect the other person's decision.
Culture and real use
Hatsumode: the first shrine or temple visit of the New Year
JNTO describes hatsumode as the first shrine or temple visit of the New Year, thanking the past year and praying for happiness in the next. Many visit from New Year's Eve through New Year's Day or early January, but the practice is not rigidly limited to January 1–3. Shrine visits commonly include purification, an offering, bows, and claps, while temple customs may differ. During crowded periods, follow routes, hours, and staff instructions. Amulets, ema plaques, and omikuji fortunes are common cultural items, but participation depends entirely on personal belief and choice.
- 初詣に 行きませんか。Would you like to go for hatsumode?
- 今年は 健康で いたいです。I would like to stay healthy this year.
- 混んでいますから、ゆっくり 歩きましょう。It is crowded, so let's walk slowly.