pprendeville Posted March 18, 2012 at 04:13 PM Report Share Posted March 18, 2012 at 04:13 PM Can someone explain the differences between these 3. Kinda confused as to when I should be using which. For example should I say 我要写一封信 or 我想写一封信 or should I be using the combination 想要？ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skylee Posted March 18, 2012 at 04:24 PM Report Share Posted March 18, 2012 at 04:24 PM 我要写一封信 can mean either I have/need to or I want to write a letter, depending on the context. 我想写一封信 means I want to write a letter. 我想要写一封信 also means I want to write a letter, but 要 sounds redundant here. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tooironic Posted March 19, 2012 at 11:48 AM Report Share Posted March 19, 2012 at 11:48 AM I would say 要 by itself is generally more common; 想要, whilst mentioned quite a lot in grammars and the like, is polite and thus, like many polite words in Mandarin, not terribly common. Note also that 想 can mean "think" or "want" depending on context. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbradfor Posted March 20, 2012 at 01:19 AM Report Share Posted March 20, 2012 at 01:19 AM Doesn't 要 also have the sense of "will / plan to"? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shinewind Posted March 20, 2012 at 03:15 AM Report Share Posted March 20, 2012 at 03:15 AM #4 is right and it does. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B-scorpio Posted March 20, 2012 at 12:28 PM Report Share Posted March 20, 2012 at 12:28 PM Actually,想、要、想要 they have the same meaning both in formal and oral chinese. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skylee Posted March 20, 2012 at 12:42 PM Report Share Posted March 20, 2012 at 12:42 PM #6, no, not always. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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