Auxiliary verbsHSK 3

Expressing "would like to" with 想

想 (xiǎng) can express 'would like to' when placed before a verb. It functions as an auxiliary verb, so the pattern is Subj. + 想 + Verb (+ Obj.). The most common mistake is omitting the main verb after 想, which changes the meaning to 'to think about' something.

Structure

Subj. + 想 + Verb (+ Obj.)

Examples

你想去吗？
Nǐ xiǎng qù ma?
Would you like to go?
我想吃面。
Wǒ xiǎng chī miàn.
I would like to eat noodles.
你想喝水吗？
Nǐ xiǎng hē shuǐ ma?
Would you like to drink some water?
我们想看电视。
Wǒmen xiǎng kàn diànshì.
We would like to watch TV.
他想买一个大房子。
Tā xiǎng mǎi yī gè dà fángzi.
He would like to buy a big apartment.

Words that use this

想xiǎngto think (about); to think of; to devise; to think (that); to believe (that); to desire; to want (to); to miss (feel wistful about the absence of)