Difference between revisions of "Expressing "would like to" with "xiang""

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* 我 <em>想</em> <strong>吃</strong> 面。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>xiǎng</em>  <strong>chī</strong> miàn. </span><span class="trans">I would like to eat noodles. </span>
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* 我 <em>想</em> <strong>吃</strong> 面。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>xiǎng</em>  <strong>chī</strong> miàn.</span><span class="trans">I would like to eat noodles.</span>
 
* 你 <em>想</em> <strong>喝</strong> 水 吗?<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>xiǎng</em> <strong>hē</strong> shuǐ ma? </span><span class="trans">Would you like to drink some water? </span>
 
* 你 <em>想</em> <strong>喝</strong> 水 吗?<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>xiǎng</em> <strong>hē</strong> shuǐ ma? </span><span class="trans">Would you like to drink some water? </span>
* 我们 <em>想</em> <strong>看</strong> 电视。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen <em>xiǎng</em> <strong>kàn</strong> diànshì. </span><span class="trans">We would like to watch TV. </span>
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* 我们 <em>想</em> <strong>看</strong> 电视。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen <em>xiǎng</em> <strong>kàn</strong> diànshì.</span><span class="trans">We would like to watch TV.</span>
* 他 <em>想</em> <strong>买</strong> 一 个 大 房子。 <span class="pinyin">Tā <em>xiǎng</em> <strong>mǎi</strong> yī gè dà fángzi. </span><span class="trans">He would like to buy a big apartment. </span>
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* 他 <em>想</em> <strong>买</strong> 一 个 大 房子。 <span class="pinyin">Tā <em>xiǎng</em> <strong>mǎi</strong> yī gè dà fángzi.</span><span class="trans">He would like to buy a big apartment.</span>
 
* 你 <em>想</em> <strong>去</strong> 酒吧 吗?<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>xiǎng</em> <strong>qù</strong> jiǔbā ma? </span><span class="trans">Would you like to go to the bar? </span>
 
* 你 <em>想</em> <strong>去</strong> 酒吧 吗?<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>xiǎng</em> <strong>qù</strong> jiǔbā ma? </span><span class="trans">Would you like to go to the bar? </span>
  
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* 他们 <em>不 想</em> 去 酒吧。 <span class="pinyin">Tāmen <em>bù xiǎng</em> qù jiǔbā. </span><span class="trans">They wouldn't like to go to the bar. </span>
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* 他们 <em>不 想</em> 去 酒吧。 <span class="pinyin">Tāmen <em>bù xiǎng</em> qù jiǔbā.</span><span class="trans">They wouldn't like to go to the bar.</span>
 
* 你 <em>不 想</em> 认识 这个 美女 吗?<span class="pinyin">Nǐ  <em>bù xiǎng</em> rènshi zhège měinǚ ma? </span><span class="trans">Would you not like to know this beautiful lady? </span>
 
* 你 <em>不 想</em> 认识 这个 美女 吗?<span class="pinyin">Nǐ  <em>bù xiǎng</em> rènshi zhège měinǚ ma? </span><span class="trans">Would you not like to know this beautiful lady? </span>
* 我 <em>不 想</em> 回家。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>bù xiǎng</em> huíjiā. </span><span class="trans">I wouldn't like to return home. </span>
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* 我 <em>不 想</em> 回家。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>bù xiǎng</em> huíjiā.</span><span class="trans">I wouldn't like to return home.</span>
* 那个 地方 很 近,我 <em>不 想</em> 开车。<span class="pinyin">Nàge dìfang hěn jìn, wǒ <em>bù xiǎng</em> kāichē. </span><span class="trans">That place is so close. I would not like to drive.</span>
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* 那个 地方 很 近,我 <em>不 想</em> 开车。<span class="pinyin">Nàge dìfang hěn jìn, wǒ <em>bù xiǎng</em> kāichē.</span><span class="trans">That place is so close. I would not like to drive.</span>
* 他  <em>不 想</em> 花 父母 的 钱。 <span class="pinyin">Tā <em>bù xiǎng</em> huā  fùmǔ de qián. </span><span class="trans">He would not like to spend his parents' money. </span>
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* 他  <em>不 想</em> 花 父母 的 钱。 <span class="pinyin">Tā <em>bù xiǎng</em> huā  fùmǔ de qián.</span><span class="trans">He would not like to spend his parents' money.</span>
  
 
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Revision as of 04:08, 24 May 2017

If you want to express something that you "would like to do," 想 (xiǎng) will be a very helpful auxiliary verb to know. Although similar to 要 (yào), 想 (xiǎng) will give you another more tactful option when you want to articulate a desire.

Basic Pattern Using 想 (xiǎng)

Structure

The verb 想 (xiǎng) can be used to express "would like to." In this case it's an auxiliary verb. The structure is:

Subj. + 想 + Verb + Obj.

Examples

  • 面。xiǎng chī miàn.I would like to eat noodles.
  • 水 吗?xiǎng shuǐ ma? Would you like to drink some water?
  • 我们 电视。Wǒmen xiǎng kàn diànshì.We would like to watch TV.
  • 一 个 大 房子。 xiǎng mǎi yī gè dà fángzi.He would like to buy a big apartment.
  • 酒吧 吗?xiǎng jiǔbā ma? Would you like to go to the bar?

Negate 想 (xiǎng) with 不 (bù)

No surprises here: use 不 (bù) to negate 想 (xiǎng).

Structure

Subj. + 不 + 想 + Verb + Obj.

Examples

  • 他们 不 想 去 酒吧。 Tāmen bù xiǎng qù jiǔbā.They wouldn't like to go to the bar.
  • 不 想 认识 这个 美女 吗?bù xiǎng rènshi zhège měinǚ ma? Would you not like to know this beautiful lady?
  • 不 想 回家。bù xiǎng huíjiā.I wouldn't like to return home.
  • 那个 地方 很 近,我 不 想 开车。Nàge dìfang hěn jìn, wǒ bù xiǎng kāichē.That place is so close. I would not like to drive.
  • 不 想 花 父母 的 钱。 bù xiǎng huā fùmǔ de qián.He would not like to spend his parents' money.

See also

Sources and Further Reading

Books

Websites