<p>If you want to express something that you "would like to do," 想 (xiǎng) will be a very helpful auxiliary verb to know. Although similar to 要 (yào), 想 (xiǎng) will give you another more tactful option when you want to articulate a desire.</p> <h2 id="basic-usage">Basic Usage</h2> <h3 id="structure">Structure</h3> <p>The verb 想 (xiǎng) can be used to express "would like to." In this case it's an <a href="auxiliary_verb" title="wikilink">auxiliary verb</a>. The structure is:</p> <div class="jiegou"> <p>Subj. + 想 + Verb (+ Obj.)</p> </div> <h3 id="examples">Examples</h3> <div class="liju"> <ul> <li>你 <em>想</em> <strong>去</strong> 吗？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>xiǎng</em> <strong>qù</strong> ma? </span><span class="trans">Would you like to go? </span></li> <li>我 <em>想</em> <strong>吃</strong> 面。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>xiǎng</em> <strong>chī</strong> miàn.</span><span class="trans">I would like to eat noodles.</span></li> <li>你 <em>想</em> <strong>喝</strong> 水 吗？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>xiǎng</em> <strong>hē</strong> shuǐ ma? </span><span class="trans">Would you like to drink some water? </span></li> <li>我们 <em>想</em> <strong>看</strong> 电视。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen <em>xiǎng</em> <strong>kàn</strong> diànshì.</span><span class="trans">We would like to watch TV.</span></li> <li>他 <em>想</em> <strong>买</strong> 一 个 大 房子。 <span class="pinyin">Tā <em>xiǎng</em> <strong>mǎi</strong> yī gè dà fángzi.</span><span class="trans">He would like to buy a big apartment.</span></li> </ul> </div> <h2 id="negate-想-xiǎng-with-不-bù">Negate 想 (xiǎng) with 不 (bù)</h2> <p>No surprises here: <a href="Standard_negation_with_"bu"" title="wikilink">use 不 (bù) to negate</a> 想 (xiǎng).</p> <h3 id="structure-1">Structure</h3> <div class="jiegou"> <p>Subj. + 不 + 想 + Verb + Obj.</p> </div> <h3 id="examples-1">Examples</h3> <div class="liju"> <ul> <li>他们 <em>不 想</em> 去 酒吧。 <span class="pinyin">Tāmen <em>bù xiǎng</em> qù jiǔbā.</span><span class="trans">They wouldn't like to go to the bar.</span></li> <li>你 <em>不 想</em> 认识 这个 美女 吗？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>bù xiǎng</em> rènshi zhège měinǚ ma? </span><span class="trans">Would you not like to know this beautiful lady? </span></li> <li>我 <em>不 想</em> 回家。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>bù xiǎng</em> huíjiā.</span><span class="trans">I wouldn't like to return home.</span></li> <li>那个 地方 很 近，我 <em>不 想</em> 开车。<span class="pinyin">Nàge dìfang hěn jìn, wǒ <em>bù xiǎng</em> kāichē.</span><span class="trans">That place is so close. I would not like to drive.</span></li> <li>他 <em>不 想</em> 花 父母 的 钱。 <span class="pinyin">Tā <em>bù xiǎng</em> huā fùmǔ de qián.</span><span class="trans">He would not like to spend his parents' money.</span></li> </ul> </div> <h2 id="see-also">See also</h2> <ul> <li><a href="Wanting_to_do_something_with_yao" title="wikilink">Wanting to do something with yao</a></li> </ul> <h2 id="sources-and-further-reading">Sources and Further Reading</h2> <h3 id="books">Books</h3> <ul> <li><a href="Integrated_Chinese:_Level_1,_Part_1_(3rd_ed)" title="wikilink">Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed)</a> (pp. 112-3) <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276385/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0887276385">→buy</a></li> <li><a href="New_Practical_Chinese_Reader_1_(新实用汉语课本1)" title="wikilink">New Practical Chinese Reader 1 (新实用汉语课本1)</a> (pp. 179-80) <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/7561910401/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=7561910401">→buy</a></li> <li><a href="New_Practical_Chinese_Reader_1_(新实用汉语课本1)(2nd_ed)" title="wikilink">New Practical Chinese Reader 1 (新实用汉语课本1)(2nd ed)</a> (pp. 207) <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/7561926235/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399373&creativeASIN=7561926235">→buy</a></li> </ul> <h3 id="websites">Websites</h3> <ul> <li>Yale Chinese Usage Dictionary: <a href="http://comet.cls.yale.edu/chineseusagedictionary/0133.html">The Uses of 想</a></li> </ul> <p> </p> <p><a href="Category:A2_grammar_points" title="wikilink">Category:A2 grammar points</a></p>