Grammar 文法 wén fɑ̌
* 想: talking about something that you “want to” do :
  • In our daily lives, there are things that we want to do or we don’t want to do. It depends on one’s willingness. When we talk about something that we want to do, we will use 想 in Chinese to express.
  • The use of the word 想 “xiɑ̌ng” in Chinese is the same as the use of the word “want to” in English. It put after the subject and followed by the verb.
    Example: 我舉辦一個聚會,大家一起慶祝聖誕。
    wǒ xiɑ̌ng jǔ bɑ̀n yī gè jù huì,dɑ̀ jiɑ̄ yī qǐ qìng zhù shèng dɑ̀n.
    I want to have a gathering and celebrate Christmas together.

The question form
When we ask one’s willingness, we will use the words 想 and 不想 to help us to form the question.
Question pattern: subject + 想不想 + verb? Or subject + 想 + verb + 嗎?
e.g. 你想不想去? nǐ xiɑ̌ng bù xiɑ̌ng qù?Or 你想去嗎? nǐ xiɑ̌ng qù mɑ?
When you answer, you have to use the correct word according to the degree of your willingness to go or not to go.
e.g. 我真的想去. wǒ zhēn de/hěn xiɑ̌ng qù. I really want to go.
我想去. wǒ xiɑ̌ng qù. I want to go.
我不想去. wǒ bù xiɑ̌ng qù. I do not want to go.