Desire, Intention, and Decision Japanese Grammar Lessons

The ～たいです ending is used to express that you want to perform a specific action. This ending attaches to the verb's ます-base and follows the same conjugation patterns as i-adjectives. In polite conversation, it is strictly used to state your own desires or to ask directly about the listener's desires.

The verb ending ～たくないです expresses that you do not want to perform a specific action. It attaches to the base of verbs and functions similarly to an i-adjective, allowing you to politely state your own lack of desire. Because it describes internal feelings, it is normally used to talk about your own desires, or to ask a direct question about what the listener does not want to do.

The pattern ～たかったです is the polite past form of ～たいです, used to express that you wanted to perform an action. You can use it to state your own past desires or to ask the listener what they wanted to do. Because it describes internal feelings, it cannot be used to directly state what a third person wanted to do.

The ending ～たくなかったです expresses that you did not want to perform an action in the past. It is the polite past negative form of ～たい (want to do), and it is primarily used to describe your own past desires. Because it attaches to verbs, it specifically describes actions you did not want to do, rather than objects you did not want to have.

～がほしい is a sentence pattern used to express your desire to have a specific object, person, or abstract thing. It grammatically functions as an i-adjective, so you use the particle が to mark the desired item rather than the object particle を. You will encounter this frequently in everyday beginner conversations to state what you want or to ask someone directly what they would like.

The Japanese phrase ほしくない is the negative form of the i-adjective ほしい and is used to state that you do not want a specific object, person, or abstract thing. Because it only attaches to nouns, it cannot be used with verbs to say you do not want to perform an action. In negative sentences, it is very common and natural to replace the standard particle が with the topic particle は to emphasize the negation.

The pattern ～つもりです is used to state a firm personal intention or plan to do something. It attaches to the dictionary form of a verb for things you plan to do, and to the nai-form for things you plan not to do. Because it describes a personal, subjective decision rather than an official schedule, it should only be used with actions you can control.

The ending ～たがる is used to describe what a third person wants to do, based on their observable behavior or outward signs. Because Japanese considers inner feelings private, you cannot simply use ～たい to state someone else's direct desires. Instead, you attach ～たがる to a verb to show that the person is showing signs of wanting something, or use ～たがっている for a current, ongoing desire.

The Japanese pattern ～てほしい (te hoshii) is used to express that you want someone else to do something. It attaches to the te-form of a verb and marks the person you want to act with the particle に. While it literally states a desire, it often functions as an indirect, casual request to friends, family, or peers.

The Japanese grammar pattern ことにする is used to state that you have made a conscious, personal decision to do or not do something. You will encounter it when people talk about their resolutions, active choices, or new personal routines. By using the continuous form, ことにしている, you can also describe habits or personal rules that you actively maintain.

～ようと思う is a grammar pattern used to express your personal intentions, resolutions, or plans to do something. You will encounter this frequently in everyday conversation when people discuss what they are thinking of doing. It attaches to the volitional form of a verb and can be used in both casual and polite speech.

The pattern ～つもりだ, meaning “tsumori da,” is used to express a firm personal intention or plan that you have already decided on. It can also describe a strong subjective belief or assumption, showing how you feel or act regardless of objective reality. Because it points to your own mind, it is generally used for your own plans rather than the actions of others.

The Japanese word 予定 (yotei) is a noun that means a plan, schedule, or program. When paired with verbs and nouns, ～予定だ describes future events that are already decided and put on the calendar. It sounds objective and formalized, making it the standard choice for business itineraries, travel schedules, and organized events.

The pattern ～ばよかった expresses regret about a past action or situation that cannot be changed. It is often translated as 'I should have' when reflecting on your own actions, or 'I wish I had' when wishing a situation had been different. To form it, conjugate a verb into the conditional -ba form and add よかった.

ようにする shows that you are making a conscious, ongoing effort to do something or to build a new habit. It attaches to the dictionary form or the nai-form of action verbs that you can actively control. You will often see it as ようにしている to describe a continuous daily habit, or ようにしてください for a gentle, ongoing request.

The grammar ending まい is a highly formal and literary suffix used to express a firm negative stance. It has two main functions: Declaring a strong personal resolution not to do something, or making a strong deduction that something will not happen. Because of its dramatic and formal tone, it is primarily used in writing, speeches, or internal monologues rather than casual everyday conversation.

The Japanese grammar pattern ことになる is used to state that something has been decided by someone else, an organization, or external circumstances. It frames the outcome as an objective fact rather than a personal choice, making it a common and polite way to announce life events or schedule changes. It can also describe a logical result or eventuality, meaning that if a certain condition continues, a specific outcome will inevitably happen.

～ことにしている is used to express a habit, routine, or personal rule that you have consciously decided to maintain. It emphasizes that the action is not just a natural occurrence, but the result of a deliberate, ongoing effort. You will often use this pattern to describe healthy habits, personal boundaries, or conscious lifestyle choices.

The Japanese grammar pattern つもりで expresses the mindset, intention, or subjective assumption behind an action. When used with dictionary-form verbs, it shows the future goal that drives a current action, similar to 'with the intention of'. When paired with past-tense verbs, nouns, or adjectives, it describes acting based on a personal belief or hypothetical scenario, even if that belief differs from objective reality.

The pattern ことになっていた is used to talk about a schedule, rule, or arrangement that was decided in the past. Because it describes an external decision rather than just personal intent, it is often used when a planned event did not actually happen or when a rule was broken. It attaches to verbs and emphasizes what was supposed to occur according to the previous plan.

The pattern ずにはおかない is an advanced, formal expression used to convey a strong determination to accomplish something without fail, or to state that a situation will inevitably cause a certain result. It is typically found in literary or formal written contexts and conveys a highly resolute, forceful tone. When describing inevitable consequences, it often pairs with the causative verb form to show an unavoidable impact on others.

思うように is an adverbial phrase used to describe situations that happen exactly as you expect, wish, or envision in your mind. It is overwhelmingly common in negative sentences to express frustration when reality falls short of your expectations and things do not go as planned. This expression is often paired with verbs related to progress, physical movement, or ability to show that a process is proving difficult.

The Japanese grammar form ～ともなしに expresses that an action is performed idly, unconsciously, or without focused intent. It is commonly used with verbs of perception, thought, or speech, often repeating the same verb to emphasize the lack of focus. When attached to a question word, it shows that there is no specific target, destination, or person in mind.