How to say "I want" and "I don't want"

[GoldCoinLover]

I'm using pimsleur's japanese audio discs right now to learn japanese bit by bit and they have just taught me how to say "I want" and "I don't want".

But it's pretty hard to hear what they are saying exactly, to repricate it. For "want" it sounds like hoshii. I forget what "I don't want" sounds like.

I'd appreciate it if someone could tell me how to say these "I want" and "I don't want" in japanese so I can learn the phrase and so I can understand the audio disc better.

Thanks!

[JimmySeal]

Could it be "hoshiku nai?"

[GoldCoinLover]

Could it be "hoshiku nai?"


Maybe. But I don't remember the nai part.

[Elizabeth]

Maybe. But I don't remember the nai part.
Hoshiku arimasen ? Maybe ? :-)

[GoldCoinLover]

Hoshiku arimasen ? Maybe ? :-)


Is this how you say "I don't want", what is "I want"?

Thanks

[shikyo]

Is this how you say "I don't want"
Yes.
what is "I want"?
hoshii
(Page about adjectives: www[.]guidetojapanese.org/adjectives.html <- note the brackets.)

[Dutch Baka]

how about the "tai" part.

For example:
神戸に　いきたい。
I want to go to Kobe.
おこのみやき　たべたい。
I want to eat Okonomiyaki
セクシー 大学生　みたい。
I want to see a sexy University student.

[Elizabeth]

Is this how you say "I don't want", what is "I want"?
Thanks
Both are fine. This is the difference :

Hoshiku arimasen (long, formal)
Hoshiku nai (short, casual).

[nhk9]

I'm using pimsleur's japanese audio discs right now to learn japanese bit by bit and they have just taught me how to say "I want" and "I don't want".
But it's pretty hard to hear what they are saying exactly, to repricate it. For "want" it sounds like hoshii. I forget what "I don't want" sounds like.
I'd appreciate it if someone could tell me how to say these "I want" and "I don't want" in japanese so I can learn the phrase and so I can understand the audio disc better.
Thanks!

The particle "ga" usually comes after some noun and before "hoshii", for "I want"

For "I don't want", the literal translation can be "ha hoshikunai", but it is common to just say "ha iranai" (I don't need). This comes in handy whenever you go into one of those conbini stores.

[quamp]

My understanding is that it can also be done based on what you want.

For example, if you want someone to give you something tangible, one would use the object's name and then 下さい (kudasai.) Usually the object is marked with o, but sometimes it can be omitted in informal speech. For example:

コカコーラを 下さい I want you to give me a coke

If it's an action one wants, use the -te form of the verb plus 下さい.
Example:

先生を 聞いて下さい I want you to ask the doctor (or teacher)

By the same token, for a negative request for an action could be done using -naide plus 下さい.
Example:

入りかけないで下さい I don't want you to enter.

(This may be wrong, but it's how I was taught.)

[Mike Cash]

Quamp: are you familiar with the uses of ほしい when combined with other verbs?

For example:

写真を撮ってほしい
あいつだけに見せてほしくない


Example:
入りかけないで下さい I don't want you to enter.
(This may be wrong, but it's how I was taught.)

A little unnatural.

入らないでください
入ってはいけません
入ってもらってはこまる
入ってほしくない
入るな

or, on signs,

立入禁止

[Elizabeth]

If it's an action one wants, use the -te form of the verb plus 下さい.
Example:
先生を 聞いて下さい I want you to ask the doctor (or teacher))
When the situation is formal and the speaker is trying to speak politely, って下さい
is normally added for the benefit of the listener. The message can thus be changed to mean "Please ask the doctor (or teacher)" because they are the ones that can help first or more appropriately than myself. 　

What you may really want to say with "please" is "Do such and such for me. Get me a coke. Go ask them and stop bothering me with your pesky questions !" but that would be highly aggressive and rude so of course we don't in English or Japanese or our translations. And so they can be used similarly but aren't always interchangable.


基本的に、直接このように言われると不気味ですね。 Basically, it feels strange when "Please" is said so directly to mean the same as "want you to do this for me..."

[TheImmigrantSong]

Hmmm this is somthing I have wondered too! I cant see the Kanji on this computer, so let me make sure I too have it right!

1. I want a car
(boku wa) kuruma ga hoshiiku kudasai.

2. I dont want a car
(boku wa) kuruma ga hoshikunai.

Right? Thanks for posting this GoldCoinLover, I always wonderded this!
:blush:

[undrentide]

先生を 聞いて下さい I want you to ask the doctor (or teacher)


It's a bit off-topic, but this sounds unnatural.
先生に聞いてください (I want you to ask the doctor/teacher (the question).)

[Elizabeth]

Hmmm this is somthing I have wondered too! I cant see the Kanji on this computer, so let me make sure I too have it right!
1. I want a car
(boku wa) kuruma ga hoshiiku kudasai.
2. I dont want a car
(boku wa) kuruma ga hoshikunai.
Right? Thanks for posting this GoldCoinLover, I always wonderded this!
:blush:
When you don't have a dictionary handy, nhk9 already answered it. :)

The particle "ga" usually comes after some noun and before "hoshii", for "I want"
kuruma ga hoshii.