〜がほしい

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: Mark the desired thing with が and describe the desire using the i-adjective ほしい.
• Basic usage: It applies to things one wants to have available, such as time, as well as physical objects.
  • 自由な時間がほしい expresses a wish to have time available for one's own use.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Negative and past forms
  • ほしくない expresses not wanting something, ほしかった a past desire, and ほしくなかった not having wanted something in the past.
• What is desired compared with たい
  • 時計がほしい expresses wanting to have a watch, while 時計を買いたい expresses wanting to perform the action of buying one.
• Someone else's desire
  • Direct expressions of desire mainly state the speaker's own feelings. For another person, use an observation such as ほしがっています or report their words with a form such as ほしいと言っています.