Japanese grammar
What does ～たがる mean? Japanese grammar N4
～たがる means (someone else) shows desire to ~.
| Level (estimated, JLPT framework) | N4 |
|---|---|
| Structure | N は V masu stem + たがっています N は V masu stem + たがります (general habit) |
| Romaji | ~ tagaru |
| Meaning | (someone else) shows desire to ~ |
Forming it
| Negative | ～たがりません／～たがっていません |
|---|---|
| Particle | The object uses を (NOT が, unlike ～たい) |
| How to form | Drop ます and add たがる: 行きます → 行きたがる、食べます → 食べたがる |
| The most commonly used form | ～たがっています (currently showing signs of wanting — a specific moment) |
| The ～たがります form | Only for habits, a general tendency: 子供は甘い物を食べたがります |
How to use it
Talking about a third person's desire that you observe.
- Japanese has a strict rule: you cannot assert what's inside someone else's mind. So ～たい is only used for the first person (and the second person when asking). To talk about a third person's desire, you must switch to ～たがる — meaning "showing outward signs of wanting".
- Because たがる describes an observable expression, it's almost always in the form ～たがっています (currently showing this behavior). The form ～たがります is only used when talking about a general tendency, not tied to a specific time.
- An easy grammar point to get wrong: ～たい uses the particle が for its object (「水が飲みたい」) because it's an adjective; but ～たがる is a VERB, so its object uses を (「水を飲みたがっています」). Change the particle accordingly.
- Note the nuance: ～たがる sometimes sounds a bit critical, as if "keeps insisting on doing it". Never use it for someone above you — don't say 「先生が帰りたがっています」. For someone above you, you must phrase it indirectly: 「先生は帰りたいとおっしゃっています」.
- A safe alternative phrasing for every case: use ～たいと言っています (says they want to) or ～たいようです (seems to want to).
Examples
弟は新しいゲームを買いたがっています。
My little brother wants to buy a new game.
子供はいつも外で遊びたがります。
Children always want to play outside.
妹は薬を飲みたがりません。
My little sister does not want to take her medicine.
Keep in mind
- たがる conjugates like a group 1 verb: たがります、たがった、たがって.
- If the third person states their own wish out loud, using 「～たいと言っています」 sounds more natural.
Common mistakes
-
Wrong弟は水が飲みたがっています。
My younger brother wants to drink water right now.
Correct弟は水を飲みたがっています。
～たい is an adjective so it takes が, but ～たがる is a verb so it takes を. Learners are used to 「水が飲みたい」 and keep が unchanged when switching to たがる.
-
Wrong田中さんは日本へ行きたいです。
Mr. Tanaka wants to go to Japan.
Correct田中さんは日本へ行きたがっています。／田中さんは日本へ行きたいと言っています。
Vietnamese speakers say "Tanaka wants to go to Japan" completely normally, so they carry ～たい straight over to the third person. Japanese treats this as an unfounded assertion about someone else's inner mind.
Exam tips
- The exam often gives a third-person subject and asks you to choose between ～たい／～たがっている — look at the subject to get the answer.