TAKOBOTO

to want something (desirative)
I want a car.

くつがほしいのです。

I'd like some shoes.

「わたしは、つまとこどもがほしいので、いえがひつようなんだよ。」

"I want a wife and children, and so I need a house."

だれかはなしあいてがほしい。

I want someone to talk to.

もういちはいビールがほしいな。

I feel like another beer.

デザートにアイスクリームがほしい。

I want ice cream for dessert.

きみはなにがほしい。

What do you want now?

りょうしゅうしょがほしいのですが。

I would like a receipt, please.

ほしい。

I want (you/it). [romantic nuance]

ぼくのしゅくだいをしてほしいですが。

I want you to do my homework.

なにがほしいかいってください。

If you want something please ask for it.

どんなかばんがほしいですか。

What sort of portfolio do you want?

わたしがほしいちずはどこにもありませんでした。

The map I wanted was nowhere to be seen.

わたしはもっとちいさいがほしいです。

The tape recorder I want is a little smaller.

あたらしいようふくがほしいです。

I want new Western-style clothes.

But how do you express "don't want"? I can say "don't need" with irimasen, and "don't intend to" with tsumori dewa arimasen, but it still seems like there is a better way? Is there no direct opposite to hoshii?

euphoriafish

the negative of hoshii is hoshikunai
　行って欲しくない
I dont want you to go

dc

You can also use hoshi to express your desire for someone else to do something.

私はキムさんがケーキを食べてほしいですが
I want kim to eat cake, but ....

for the most part you can exclude 私は because its implied by the grammar. the person you want to complete the action takes the が　particle and the verb takes the てform followed by the 欲しい statement 欲しいです

the final が at the end of the sentence means "but" and is used to soften the tone of the request.

tigert

Formed by a noun or noun phrase + ga hoshii.
(Note that, depending on context, ga may be replaced with the topic / contrast marker ha / wa)

N = noun

Amatuka

Darn. Typo on 'differs'.

Amatuka

Note that it's commonly spelt 〜欲しい, like in ex #4990

mathrick

I believe you can also use 欲しい with the て-form of the verbs:

EX. 写真を撮って欲しいんですが。
I want to have a picture taken.

The difference between 撮って欲しい and 撮りたい is that in the latter, it is I who wishes to take the picture, while in the former, I want someone else to take a picture for me.

sutashu

I read somewhere that you can also add のが欲しい to the end of a verb (not as a conjugation) to make it say, for instance, "I want to have a picture taken." It'd sort of be like "I want the thing of taking a picture." (の making 'to take a picture' a noun clause?)

Saralynne

hoishi is always used in the case of nouns... means when we want some noun.. that could be a book... car... camera.. anything.
where as tai is also a want but it concern with some action or verb u want to do.. example: shigoto o shitai desu.
one more..
example in both the case.... make out the difference
example of hoishi..
watashi wa kuruma ga hoishi desu..
example of tai..
watashi wa kuruma o kaitai desu.

I hope.... u all got this ...........
domo

prachi

I give some examples of JPLT4 to show that this entry is level 4 rather than level 3.

赤毛

Good point Saralynne,

Its important to remember that although some grammar constructions can only be used in combination with a noun, In Japanese turning a verb into a noun is rather simple. こと、の、or just slap a noun right after the dict-form of a verb and you can use it with any construction you want.

Hey prachi,
Hoshi isn`t always used with nouns its also used with verbs to express that you want others do do something for you. して欲しい

tigert