想 vs. 要 vs. 想要

[dsrguru]

I've always taken 想 to mean "would like" and 要 to mean "want," so I've generally used 想 with verbs (e.g. 我想吃...) and 要 with nouns (e.g. 我要這個 / 我要这个). However, I just came across the phrase 想要, which doesn't work well in English when taken literally. Is it synonymous with 想 or 要? Or does it have a slightly different meaning/usage?

[LaoZhang]

A lot depends on context.

1) 我想吃饭

2) 我要吃饭

3) 我想要吃饭

1,2,3 = I want to eat.

1. Can be a subjective want. Sometime I'd like to eat. I "want" to retire early. I want a horse. I want to.... (dream?)

2. when 要=want, it's more demanding. I *want* to eat. I need to eat. But 要 can also mean "will" so you see it depends on the context.

3. More often used to express that I'd like to eat (soon).

I want that car:

我想要那辆车 is correct, but 我想那辆车 is incorrect

想要+Verb or Noun

想+Verb

(unless 想=miss, like 我想家。。。）

and 我想你。。。that can be up to your own interpretation:wink: though it usually means I miss you.

[neverain]

en ....in my opinion.

1/. when you are talking about "i want to do sth" "i will do sth" etc, you can pick any of them as you like.

2/. 想 ah...means want if talking about jobs 'i want to take ... as a job.' .."我想做。。“.

..... but usually, don't use "我想sth“ . when "想” is used as Verb it means ’think‘.

3/. 要 means 'will'

4/. 想要 "我想要sth" and “我要sth ” is imperative sentence. 'i want sth'

[dsrguru]

Thank you both. Please let me know if the following conclusion seems correct:

想 means "would like" and is used only with verbs. 想要 also means "would like" but can be used with nouns as well as verbs. If used with a verb, 想要 is a synonym for 想. The word 要 means "want" and is more forceful/certain than 想 or 想要. Like 想要, it can be used with verbs or nouns.

[jade-]

想，literally means, think

要，literally means, want, sometimes, need

想要，would like, literally, you think of it first, then decide you want it. It is a thought before the action.

想 + noun or pronoun, means think of something or somebody

要 + noun or pronoun, means want or need something or someone. This is not for solely using to indicate the thing will happen in the future, sometime it indicates a present state. For example:

我得工作，因为我要吃饭。- I have to work since I need to survive

[neverain]

想, means think that is the point.that is an action in mind,and 要 is a real action.

[lily.li]

:wink:hello everyone i found here by accident(i'm chinese.)

i found it so interesting and i like the "grammar and vocabulary"part best.

like i found you guys are discussing about "想，要，想要"。

i laughed pretty hard...haha.it looks cute to me.

i'm not a chinese teacher ,i'm just a chinese girl.and here is my opinion:

想means want,something on your mind.

要is more physical, means you wanna get it.

想要...i think its almost the same as 要.

to make it easy.here is some examples:

我要蛋糕/我想要蛋糕 right. you wanna get it..eat it.

我想蛋糕 wrong. you miss a cake? lol

我想你。right. i miss you .

我要你。right..but its a sexual meaning

我想要你。right..:oops:sexual also .lol

does that make sense?

did i make myself clear?

Edited February 23, 2010 at 10:36 AM by imron
moved to the 想 vs. 要 vs. 想要 thread.