HSK 1
想
xiǎng
to want
Structure
Subject + 想 + Verb / Verb Phrase
How it works
The auxiliary verb '想' (xiǎng) is used to express a desire or intention to do something. It is followed by an action or another verb phrase to indicate what the speaker 'wants' or 'would like' to do.
Examples
我想买杯咖啡。
Wǒ xiǎng mǎi bēi kāfēi.
I want to buy a cup of coffee.
你想去学校吗？
Nǐ xiǎng qù xuéxiào ma?
Do you want to go to school?
她不想回家。
Tā bù xiǎng huí jiā.
She doesn't want to go home.
Common mistakes
Do not place '想' after the main verb; it must always come before the action you want to perform.
Tip
To turn '想' into a negative, always place '不' (bù) immediately before '想'.
More HSK 1 grammar
See 想 in real Chinese
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