欲しい・ほしい (shii hoshii)

Meaning & usage

てほしい expresses the speaker's wish for someone else to do a particular action. It follows the te-form of a verb, as in 来てほしい or 食べてほしい, and the person expected to act is marked with に when stated, while ほしい itself conjugates like an i-adjective. It sounds direct, so it is avoided toward superiors, and an unstated actor must be recovered from context rather than assumed.

Example sentences 6

1. 今日中きょうじゅうに答こたえを出だしてほしい。

   I need your answer before the end of the day.

2. 何を買ってきてほしいの？

   What do you want me to buy for you?

3. お前に行ってほしいんだよ。

   I want you to go.

4. できれば今日じゃなくて明日来てほしいんだけど。

   I'd rather you came tomorrow than today.

5. 私は父にその映画を見てほしい。

   I want my father to see the movie.

6. これが私に買ってほしかったやつ？

   Is this what you wanted me to buy?