JLPT N4

～たがる

Someone else wants to do/have

Structure

Verbます-form (remove ます) + たがる / Noun + を + ほしがる

How it works

This grammar is used when describing what a third person (not yourself) appears to want or desire, usually based on their actions or expressions. It's often used when you can observe their desire.

Examples

妹は新しいおもちゃをほしがっています。

My younger sister wants a new toy.

Common mistakes

Using ～たがる for one's own desires, or using it to describe a third person's desire without observable evidence (in which case, you might use '～たいと言っていました' - they said they wanted to).

Tip

Remember that '～たい' is for 'I want,' and '～たがる' is for 'they want' (observed). 'がる' (garu) turns an internal feeling into an observable outward behavior.

More JLPT N4 grammar

ようにするようになるそうだ (appearance)そうだ (hearsay)ようだらしいかもしれないてしまう

See ～たがる in real Japanese

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