Page 225 - Easy Japanese - Learn to Speak Japanese Quickly! (TUTTLE)

Gozonji desu ka. Do you know?
Sensei wa gozonji ja nai desu. The teacher does not know.

GRAMMAR NOTE X ga hoshi’i = Want X

Hoshi’i is translated as “is desired” or “(I) want”. It is an adjective and takes the
particle ga (wa or mo with the due shift of meaning) for what is wanted, and can
make a double subject sentence.
I’i shigoto ga hoshi’i desu nē. I want a good job.

Kore mo hoshikunai desu ka. Don’t you want this,
too?

Watashi wa kodomo wa hoshikunai I do not want children,
kedo… but…

Like the -tai form of verbs, hoshi’i normally expresses the speaker’s “wants” in
a statement and the addressee’s in a question. When expressing the third person’s
desire, hoshi’i is usually followed by n desu or no referring to the situation.

Nani ga hoshi’i? What do you want?
Ano hito wa nani ga hoshi’i n What does that person want?

desu ka.

When combined with a verb -te form, hoshi’i expresses a desire for someone
else to do an action.
Ganbatte hoshi’i desu nē. I want him to do his best.

Haha ni hayaku genki ni natte I want my mother to get well
hoshi’i. soon.

Contrast this with the verb -tai form, which expresses a desire for one’s own
action.

Ganbaritai desu nē. I want to do my best.
Hayaku genki ni naritai. I want to get well soon.

PATTERN PRACTICE 7

Cue: Mō tabeta? Have you already eaten?
Response: Ima tabete I’m eating right now.