Japanese Grammar 111 – Verb + tai desu

Verb +tai desu (to want/wish) ­ polite form

This structure is made with the indefinite base of the verb+ tai desu.

­ Godan verbs

Hanashi (indefinite base of ‘hanasu’) + tai desu = Hanashi tai desu -I would like to speak
Kare wa kanojo to hanashitaidesu – He would like to speak to her
Yomi (indefinite base of ‘yomu’) + tai desu = Yomi tai desu – I would like to read
Watashi wa ano hon o yomi taidesu – I would like to read that book

­ ichidan verbs

Tabe (indefnite base of ‘taberu’) + tai desu = Tabe tai desu – I would like to eat
Kanojo wa sushi o tabetaidesu – She would like to eat sushi

Mi +tai desu=Mi tai desu.

Karera wa terebi o mitaidesu – They would like to watch tv

­Irregular verbs

Shi (indefinite base of ‘suru’) + tai desu = Shi tai desu

Watashi wa nihongo o benkyō shitaidesu – I would like to study Japanese – do the study

Ki (indefinite base of ‘kuru’) + tai desu = ki tai desu

Watashi wa kōen ni kitaidesu – I would like to come to the park

­For the colloquial form you only delete ­desu from the polite form:

Watashi wa shōsetsu o kakitaidesu – I would like to write a novel (polite form)
Watashi wa shōsetsu o kakitai – I would like to write a novel (colloquial form)

­The polite negative form has ­taku+arimasen instead of ­tai desu.

The colloquial negative form is: ­taku + nai

Examples:

Watashi wa shōsetsu o kaki taku arimasen – I don’t want to write a novel (polite form)
Watashi wa shōsetsu o kaki taku nai – I don’t want to write a novel (colloquial form)

EXERCISE: 111 Verb + tai desu