Translation guide
The English word 'desire' covers a wide range of wants, from strong cravings to polite wishes. In Japanese, the natural expression depends on whether you're talking about a concrete object, an action you want to do, an action you want someone else to do, or an abstract longing. This guide breaks down the most common and useful ways to express these different shades of 'desire' for English-speaking learners.
Expressing that you want a concrete object or thing.
Use this pattern to say you want a noun. It's an i-adjective, so it conjugates like one. This is the most direct and common way to express desire for an object.
I want a new car.
I want more free time.
Use this to describe someone else's desire for an object. Using ほしい directly for others can sound presumptuous. This form is more objective.
He wants a new smartphone.
Expressing your own desire to perform an action.
Attach たい to the masu-stem of a verb to say 'I want to do X'. It conjugates as an i-adjective. This is the standard way to express personal desire to act.
I want to go to Japan.
I want to drink something cold.
Use this to describe someone else's desire to do something. It's the objective form of たい, often used when you can observe signs of their desire.
She wants to work abroad.
Expressing a desire for another person to perform an action.
Use this pattern to say you want someone else to do something. The person you want to act is marked with に. This is a very common and natural construction.
I want you to help with this work.
I want him to come earlier.
This is a slightly more polite or indirect way to express wanting someone to do something, implying receiving a favor. It's often used in requests.
I'd like you to check these documents.
Expressing an intense, often emotional or physical desire.
A noun meaning 'desire' in the sense of a strong, often physical or material craving. It can be used for ambition, lust, or greed.
Human desires are limitless.
A literary word for a deep, almost desperate longing or craving, like thirst. Often used in poetic or dramatic contexts.
Expressing a desire in a polite, formal, or written context, often as a request or hope.
A formal way to express a desire or wish, often used in applications, requests, or official statements. It's more about a hopeful request than a personal craving.
I would like an early reply.
A formal noun for a wish or aspiration. It's often used in psychological or self-help contexts, or in formal writing.
Referring specifically to sexual or romantic desire.
The standard, clinical term for sexual desire or libido. It's neutral and can be used in medical or everyday contexts.
Sexual desire is a natural human emotion.
A more literary or Buddhist term for sexual desire, often with a connotation of lust or carnal passion. It's one of the traditional 'three poisons'.
English often uses 'desire' as a verb (e.g., 'I desire a new car'), but in Japanese, using 欲望する is unnatural. Instead, use the patterns ～がほしい or ～たい depending on whether you want a thing or an action.
I desire a new car. (natural Japanese)
Use ほしい when you want a noun (thing). Use ～たい when you want to do a verb (action). They are not interchangeable.
In Japanese, directly stating desire can sometimes be too blunt. Using ～たいんですが or ～ほしいんですが softens the statement and makes it more polite, often implying a request.
I'd like to take a break (if that's okay).
He is driven by a desire for power.
彼女は知識を渇望していた。
She thirsted for knowledge.
彼の願望は世界平和です。
His desire is world peace.
色欲に溺れる。
To be consumed by lust.