JLPT N2Mostly writtenWistful

たいものだ・てほしいものだI'd love to; I do wish they would

A wish said with a sigh: "I'd love to see it one day", "I do wish people would". It is more wistful than plain たい, and it asks nobody for anything.

一いち度どでいいから、オーロラを見みてみたいものだ。

Just once, I'd love to see the northern lights.

子こどもたちには、失しっ敗ぱいを恐おそれずに挑ちょう戦せんしてほしいものだ。

I do hope children will take on challenges without being afraid to fail.

Your own wish

Verb ます-stem + たいものだ

Very often てみたいものだ. Negative: たくないものだ.

A wish about others, or how things go

Verb て-form + ほしいものだ

Polite ものです. In conversation, もんだ.

Often with: 一いち度ど (once), いつか (someday), ぜひ (by all means), 何なんとかして (somehow).
Where you'll meet it: Essays, columns, speeches, letters, and people musing aloud. In conversation it sounds grown-up and reflective, and from a young person a little old-fashioned; friends say たいなあ.

ものだN3

Plain ものだ: how things are, "should", "used to".

人ひとは変かわるものだ。

People change.

In use

もう一いち度ど、学がく生せい時じ代だいの仲なか間まとゆっくり語かたり合あいたいものだ。

I'd love to sit down for a long talk with my friends from student days once more.

戦せん争そうのない時じ代だいが一いち日にちも早はやく来きてほしいものだ。

I do hope a time without war comes as soon as it possibly can.

そんな生せい活かつ、一いち度どでいいからしてみたいもんだ。

A life like that: I'd love to try it, just once.

Two things to know

It's for a wish you can't simply act on

A dream, a hope for the world, something out of your hands. With what you want right now, it sounds like a line from a play.

Sounds odd: のどが渇かわいた。水みずが飲のみたいものだ。

I'm thirsty. Oh, how I would love a drink of water.

Just 水みずが飲のみたい.

てほしいものだ is not a request

It is mostly said about people, not to them, and often as a grumble. Said to someone's face, it is a reproach. To ask for something, people say てもらえますか.

政せい治じ家かには、もっと国こく民みんの声こえを聞きいてほしいものだ。

I do wish politicians would listen more to the public.

Other forms built on もの

というものだN2

"That is what you'd call …": a verdict.

困こまったときに助たすけ合あうのが友ゆう情じょうというものだ。

Helping each other when things are hard: that is what friendship is.

というものではないN2

"It's not simply that …": one thing alone doesn't settle it.

謝あやまればそれでいいというものではない。

It's not as if saying sorry is all it takes.

ものがあるN2

"There is something … about it": a quality that strikes you.

彼かの女じょの歌うたには、人ひとの心こころを打うつものがある。

There is something about her singing that moves people.

ないものか・ないものだろうかN2

"Isn't there some way to …?": you wonder, hoping or worrying.

この暑あつさ、何なんとかならないものか。

This heat: can't something be done about it?

ものなら・（よ）うものならN2

After a potential verb (会あえる), "if I only could". After a volitional form (言いおう), "if you so much as …".

会あえるものなら、亡なくなった祖そ父ふにもう一いち度ど会あいたい。

If only I could, I would see my late grandfather once more.

Check yourself

1Which sentence sounds natural?

Choose an answer to see why.

2What is this person doing?

最さい近きんの若わかい人ひとには、もっと本ほんを読よんでほしいものだ。

Choose an answer to see why.

More sentences

いつか南なん極きょくの夜よ空ぞらを自じ分ぶんの目めで見みてみたいものだ。

Someday I'd love to see the Antarctic night sky with my own eyes.

引いん退たいしたら、時じ間かんをかけて日本にほん各かく地ちを歩あるいてみたいものだ。

When I retire, I'd love to take my time walking around different parts of Japan.

この町まちにも、子こどもたちが安あん心しんして遊あそべる場ば所しょがもっと増ふえてほしいものだ。

I do hope this town, too, gets more places where children can play safely.

この伝でん統とうが次つぎの世せ代だいにも受うけ継つがれてほしいものだ。

I do hope this tradition is handed on to the next generation too.

年としを取とっても、好こう奇き心しんだけは失うしないたくないものだ。

However old I get, I never want to lose my curiosity.

The negative, たくないものだ.