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Activities: "How to say “want” in Japanese: ほしい (hoshii) and more!"

By: Mayumi Ito

Activity 1: ほしい

Part I

Your birthday is coming soon! Your parent/sibling/spouse/friend has asked you what you want for your birthday. Let’s help them choose the right gift for you by telling them what you want and what you don’t want. Pick a minimum of two items–one you want and one you don’t want–from the items below (or you can come up with your own ideas). You can pick more if you want! Then write two sentences, each describing the item(s) you want/don’t want.

Word Bank: Gift ideas
スマホ
Transcription: sumaho
Translation: smartphone
くまのぬいぐるみ
Transcription: kuma no nuigurumi
Translation: teddy bear
ゲーム機
Transcription: gēmuki
Translation: gaming console
こいぬ
Transcription: koinu
Translation: puppy
じてんしゃ
Transcription: jitensha
Translation: bicycle
きもの
Translation: kimono
ポニー
Transcription: ponii
Translation: pony
せかいのへいわ
Transcription: sekai no heiwa
Translation: world peace
  1. What you want:

  2. What you don’t want:

Part II

Your birthday has come and gone. Did you receive what you wanted? Write two sentences, one describing what you wanted (but didn’t get), the other describing what you didn’t want (but received anyway).
  1. What you wanted, but didn't get:

  2. What you didn’t want, but got:

Part III

Now it’s time for you to think about what other people want for their birthdays. Pick three people in your life (you can use the word bank below or come up with your own ideas) and write three sentences, each describing what the person wants. For practice, let’s use different expressions as instructed below.

Example: [person] [what they want]

Word Bank: People in your life
いもうと
Transcription: imōto
Translation: younger sister
あね
Transcription: ane
Translation: elder sister
ともだち
Transcription: tomodachi
Translation: friend
おとうと
Transcription: otōto
Translation: younger brother
あに
Transcription: ani
Translation: elder brother
いとこ
Transcription: itoko
Translation: cousin
  1. Use 〜がる transcribed garu:

  2. Use 〜と言っている transcribed to itte irumeaning ...says that…:

  3. Use 〜そうだ transcribed sōdameaning I’ve heard…:

Activity 2: 〜たい

Part I

While browsing at an antique shop, you have found a magic lamp! When you rub it, a genie appears and tells you that you have three wishes. Now is the time to express what you want to do with 〜たい! You can choose three activities listed below (or come up with your own dream activities) and write three short sentences.

Word Bank: Wish ideas
おいしいコーヒーをのむ
Transcription: oishii kōhii o nomu
Translation: to drink delicious coffee
富士山にのぼる
Transcription: Fujisan ni noboru
Translation: to climb Mt. Fuji
サーフィンをならう
Transcription: sāfin o narau
Translation: to learn surfing
すしをたくさん食べる
Transcription: sushi o takusan taberu
Translation: to eat a lot of sushi
映画スターになる
Transcription: eiga sutā ni naru
Translation: to become a movie star
金メダルをとる
Transcription: kin medaru o toru
Translation: to win the gold medal
南の島にすむ
Transcription: minami no shima ni sumu
Translation: to live in a southern island
うちゅうに行く
Transcription: uchū ni iku
Translation: to go to space

Part II

To your surprise, your genie says they will grant three more wishes, not for you this time, but for three people in your life, with one wish for each. Now is the time you use 〜たい to express what other people want to do! Choose three people and write one short sentence for each, following the given instructions. You can either use the activities listed above or come up with your own ideas. Also, use the word bank in Activity #1 Part II for people.

  1. Use 〜がる transcribed garu:

  2. Use 〜と言っている transcribed to itte irumeaning ...says that…:

  3. Use 〜そうだ transcribed sōdameaning I’ve heard…:

Activity 3: 〜に〜てほしい and 〜に〜てもらいたい

Finally, let’s review 〜に〜てほしい and a related expression 〜に〜てもらいたい. In this case, read each situation and examine the corresponding Japanese sentence. If the sentence is correct, leave it blank. If there is an error, rewrite the sentence in Japanese orthography with the necessary correction. In the latter case, there is only one error per sentence (i.e., don’t change the subject, object, etc.) The definitions for key words are provided.
  1. Situation: The speaker’s grandmother is 70 years old. The speaker wants her to live long.

    Key words: 祖母 transcribed sobomeaning grandmother, 長生きする transcribed nagaiki surumeaning to live long

    祖母には長生きしてもらいたいです。
    Transcription: Sobo ni wa nagaiki shite morai tai desu.

  2. Situation: The speaker bought a new pair of skis, but there is not enough snow on the ground. The speaker wishes for a lot of snow to accumulate.

    Key words: transcribed yukimeaning snow, たくさん transcribed takusanmeaning a lot , つもる transcribed tsumorumeaning to accumulate

    雪にたくさんつもってほしい。
    Transcription: Yuki ni takusan tsumotte hoshii.

  3. Situation: The speaker is reading a short Japanese story but struggling with some kanji. They want their teacher to tell them how to read those kanji.

    Key words: 先生 transcribed senseimeaning teacher, 読み方 transcribed yomikatameaning how to read, 教える transcribed oshierumeaning to teach

    先生、読み方を教えてほしいんですが・・・。
    Transcription: Sensei, yomikata o oshiete hoshii n desu ga….

  4. Situation: The speaker comes home and sees some signs that their mother has entered their room to clean it. The speaker tells their mother that they want her not to enter their room without asking them first.

    Key words: かってに transcribed kattenimeaning without permission, 部屋 transcribed heyameaning room, 入る transcribed hairumeaning to enter

    かってに部屋に入らないでほしいんだけど。
    Transcription: Katte ni heya ni hairanaide hoshii n da kedo.

  5. Situation: The speaker can’t wait for the summer. They wish it’ll come soon.

    Key words: 早く transcribed hayakumeaning soon; quickly, transcribed natsumeaning summer, 来る transcribed kurumeaning to come

    早く夏が来てもらいたいなあ。
    Transcription: Hayaku natsu ga kite moraitai nā.

  6. Situation: The speaker knows that Kanta wants Satsuki to lend him a book.

    Key words: transcribed honmeaning book, 貸す transcribed kasumeaning to lend

    勘太くんはさつきちゃんに本を貸してもらいたい。
    Transcription: Kanta kun wa Satsuki chan ni hon o kashite moraitai.