Want you do to something with 〜てほしい

Grammar: Hope » 〜てほしい

年2022月10日08

年2025月09日21

The grammar pattern 〜て＋ほしい is used to express the speaker’s desire for someone or something to do something. It is a common structure in Japanese, especially in casual conversation.

Formation

Clause + Verb + て + ほしい
- 日本語(にほんご)をもっと勉強(べんきょう)してほしい
- "I want you to study Japanese more."
Noun (person) + に + Verb + て + ほしい
- 先生(せんせい)に説明(せつめい)してほしい
- "I want the teacher to explain."
- Note: に attaches to "who" the speaker wants to do the action.
Noun (thing) + が + Verb + て + ほしい
- 信号(しんごう)が変(か)わってほしい
- "I want the traffic light to change."
- Note: が attaches to "what" the speaker wants to do the action.

Variations

Past Tense: 〜てほしかった
- Express that the speaker wanted something to happen in the past, but it didn’t:
  - Example: 彼(かれ)にもっと手(て)伝(つだ)ってほしかった (I wanted him to help more)
Asking for Permission: 〜させてほしい
- To politely ask for permission to do something:
  - Example: ここで写真(しゃしん)を撮(と)らせてほしい (I want you to let me take a picture here.)
Negative Form: 〜ないでほしい
- To express that the speaker doesn’t want someone to do something:
  - Example: 遅(おく)れないでほしい (I don’t want you to be late)

Related Grammar

Wanting to do with 〜たい

Used to expresses the speaker's desire to do something.

Examples

Don't want you to misunderstand with 〜ないでほしい

After failing to trick Nishikata with a prank, Tagaki asks him if he doesn’t like her teasing him.

高木(たかぎ):: 「勘違(かんちが)いしないでほしいんだけど、西片が好きだからやってるんだよ。」; “I don't want you to misunderstand. It's because I like you that I do it.”

Don't want you to worry with 〜てほしくない

Kagetsu is overworking herself trying to write a song for her group’s upcoming performance.

With a typhoon passing by, she worries their outdoor stage may get ruined. Hototogisu offers to sneak out and check, and Mokuge goes with her.

Outside, Hototogisu says that Kagetsu stops humming when she’s worried, and it’s lonely without her humming.

ホトトギス:: 「だからあいつには悩(なや)んでてほしくないんだー。」; “That's why I don't want her to be worring.”
ムクゲ:: 「うん。はやく曲(きょく)できるといいねー。」; “Mm-hmm. It'd be nice if she could finish her song quickly.”

Want Christmas to come quickly with 〜てほしい

As they decorate their Christmas tree, Chii learns from her mother that kids need to be good because Santa is always watching. Chii wants Christmas to arrive soon so she doesn’t have to keep being good, until she takes a look at the decorated tree.

ちー:: 「ずっとこのままでいいなー。」; “It might also be nice if it stays this way forever.”; 「でもクリスマスもはやくきてほしいんだー。」; “But I want Christmas to also hurry and come.”