「～たがる」：Third-Person Desires and Feelings
Explanation
～たがる is a commonly used Japanese grammatical structure that expresses the desires or feelings of a third person. Unlike ～たい, which is used for the first person, ～たがる is specifically used to describe the wishes or feelings of others.
Grammar Pattern
| Grammar Point | Connection | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Verb Plain Form + たがる | Verb Plain Form + たがる | Used to express the desires or feelings of a third person, typically indicating that someone wants to do something. |
Basic Usage
～たがる is used to express the desires or feelings of a third person, usually indicating that someone wants to do something. It’s important to note that this structure cannot be used for the first or second person, as we cannot directly know the inner feelings of others and can only infer them based on external behavior.
Examples
うちの子供 は怖 い話 を聞 きたがる 。- Uchi no kodomo wa kowai hanashi o kiki tagaru.
- My child always wants to listen to scary stories.
彼 は新 しいゲーム を買 いたがっている 。- Kare wa atarashii geemu o kai tagatteiru.
- He wants to buy a new game.
Deep Dive
～たがる can be used with various verbs, whether they indicate actions or states.
Action Verbs
彼女 は旅行 に行 きたがっている 。- Kanojo wa ryokou ni iki tagatteiru.
- She wants to go on a trip.
彼 はその映画 を見 たがる 。- Kare wa sono eiga o mi tagaru.
- He wants to watch that movie.
State Verbs
彼女 は疲 れた様子 を見 せたがる 。- Kanojo wa tsukareta yousu o mise tagaru.
- She looks tired.
彼 はその情報 を知 りたがる 。- Kare wa sono jouhou o shiri tagaru.
- He wants to know that information.
Comparisons and Differences
Difference Between ～たがる and ～たい
- First Person：
私 は本 を読 みたい 。 - Watashi wa hon o yomi tai.
- I want to read a book.
- Third Person：
彼 は本 を読 みたがる 。 - Kare wa hon o yomi tagaru.
- He wants to read a book.
Difference Between ～たがる and ～たがっている
Both ～たがる and ～たがっている can be used for the third person to express someone’s desires or feelings.
彼 は新 しい車 を買 いたがる 。- Kare wa atarashii kuruma o kai tagaru.
- He wants to buy a new car. (General statement)
彼 は新 しい車 を買 いたがっている 。- Kare wa atarashii kuruma o kai tagatteiru.
- He is currently wanting to buy a new car. (Current state)
Examples
彼女 は新 しいレストラン に行 きたがっている 。- Kanojo wa atarashii resutoran ni iki tagatteiru.
- She is currently wanting to go to the new restaurant.
子供 たちは外 で遊 びたがる 。- Kodomotachi wa soto de asobi tagaru.
- The children want to play outside.
彼 はその映画 を見 たがっている 。- Kare wa sono eiga o mi tagatteiru.
- He is currently wanting to watch that movie.
Cultural Context
In Japanese culture, people often avoid directly expressing the desires and feelings of others, as it can be considered impolite or presumptuous. Instead, ～たがる is used to indirectly infer others’ feelings. This indirect way of speaking reflects the importance of politeness and humility in Japanese culture.
Summary
～たがる is used to describe the desires or feelings of a third person and is typically attached to the plain form of a verb. It differs from ～たい, which is used for oneself. By understanding this grammatical structure, you can better interpret and infer the intentions and feelings of others.