N4Grammar

～て欲(ほ)しい

I want you to

Structure

Verb［て］+ ほしい

Explanation

Beyond its use for 'wanting things' with がほしい, the adjective ほしい may also act as an auxiliary, meaning it must be attached to another word. It achieves this by linking with the conjunction particle て. The resulting structure, てほしい, is used to express the speaker's desire for someone else to perform an action.

To create this pattern, convert the verb for the action you want done into its て-form, and then simply append ほしい.

もう少(すこ)し待(ま)ってほしいです。
I want you to wait a little longer.
友達(ともだち)に私(わたし)が作(つく)ったケーキを食(た)べてほしい。
I want my friends to eat the cake I made.

Caution

This pattern, てほしい, can also be used when asking about or reporting on what another person wants someone to do. For this reason, careful attention to context is needed to determine who wants an action performed, and by whom.

何(なに)か買(か)ってほしいの？
You want me to buy something?
カナがケンジに静(しず)かにしてほしいと言(い)っていた。
Kana said that she wants Kenji to be quiet.

Examples

宿題(しゅくだい)を手伝(てつだ)ってほしかった。

I wanted you to help me with my homework.

英語(えいご)を教(おし)えてほしいです。

I want you to teach me English.

一緒(いっしょ)にパーティーに来(き)てほしい。

I want you to come to the party with me.

一緒(いっしょ)に買(か)い物(もの)に行(い)ってほしいんです。

I want you to go shopping with me.

毎朝(まいあさ)七時(しちじ)に起(お)こしてほしいです。

I want you to wake me up at 7:00 every morning.

私(わたし)が貸(か)した本(ほん)を読(よ)んでほしい。

I want you to read the book I lent you.

「大丈夫(だいじょうぶ)だよ」って言(い)ってほしい。

I want you to tell me, 'It's okay.'

後(あと)で電話(でんわ)してほしいです。

I want you to call me later.

寒(さむ)いから、窓(まど)を閉(し)めてほしい。

It's cold, so I want you to close the window.

歌(うた)を歌(うた)ったり、ギターを弾(ひ)いたりしてほしい。

I want you to do things like sing songs and play the guitar.

ずっと手(て)を握(にぎ)っていてほしい。

I want you to keep holding my hand.

この本(ほん)を図書館(としょかん)に返(かえ)してほしい。

I want you to return this book to the library.