Auxiliary verbsHSK 3
Auxiliary verb 要 and its multiple meanings
要 (yào) can mean "to want" when followed by a noun or noun phrase, expressing a desire for something. Be careful not to confuse this with 要 used before a verb to indicate future intention.
Structure
Subj. + 要 + Noun
Examples
- 你要什么？Nǐ yào shénme?What do you want?
- 我要一杯水。Wǒ yào yī bēi shuǐ.I want a cup of water.
- 你们都要冰可乐吗？Nǐmen dōu yào bīng kělè ma?Do you all want coke with ice?
- 你要茶还是咖啡？Nǐ yào chá háishì kāfēi?Do you want tea or coffee?
- 我们要三碗米饭。Wǒmen yào sān wǎn mǐfàn.We want three bowls of rice.