Using 想

想 (xiǎng) before a verb means want to.

Put 想 after the subject and before the action.

This gives you a way to talk about what you want to do, not just what you do — a big jump in what you can express.

Structure

Subject + 想 + Verb + Object

我想喝茶。 Wǒ xiǎng hē chá. I want to drink tea.

Negative: Subject + 不 + 想 + Verb + Object

我不想喝茶。 Wǒ bù xiǎng hē chá. I do not want to drink tea.

想 can also be followed by more than one verb in a row, when the action has a destination or purpose: 我想去中国学习中文。 Wǒ xiǎng qù Zhōngguó xuéxí Zhōngwén. I want to go to China to study Chinese.

想 Without a Following Verb

想 directly before a person or place can mean miss, not want: 我想你。 Wǒ xiǎng nǐ. (I miss you.) 我想家。 Wǒ xiǎng jiā. (I miss home.) Here 想 is the main verb by itself — a different meaning from the "want to" pattern above, not an exception to it.

Examples

我想喝茶。 Wǒ xiǎng hē chá.

Breakdown: 我 (I) · 想 (want to) · 喝 (drink) · 茶 (tea)

→ I want to drink tea.

他想去中国学习中文。 Tā xiǎng qù Zhōngguó xuéxí Zhōngwén.

Breakdown: 他 (he) · 想 (want to) · 去 (go) · 中国 (China) · 学习 (study) · 中文 (Chinese)

→ He wants to go to China to study Chinese.

她想来我家吃米饭。 Tā xiǎng lái wǒ jiā chī mǐfàn.

Breakdown: 她 (she) · 想 (want to) · 来 (come) · 我家 (my home) · 吃 (eat) · 米饭 (rice)

→ She wants to come to my house to eat rice.

你想喝水吗？ Nǐ xiǎng hē shuǐ ma?

Breakdown: 你 (you) · 想 (want to) · 喝 (drink) · 水 (water) · 吗 (question particle)

→ Do you want to drink water?

我不想喝茶。 Wǒ bù xiǎng hē chá.

Breakdown: 我 (I) · 不 (not) · 想 (want to) · 喝 (drink) · 茶 (tea)

→ I do not want to drink tea.

我想买苹果，也想看书。 Wǒ xiǎng mǎi píngguǒ, yě xiǎng kàn shū.

Breakdown: 我 (I) · 想 (want to) · 买 (buy) · 苹果 (apple) · 也 (also) · 看 (read/look at) · 书 (book)

→ I want to buy apples, and I also want to read a book.

我朋友想工作，不想旅行。 Wǒ péngyou xiǎng gōngzuò, bù xiǎng lǚxíng.

Breakdown: 我朋友 (my friend) · 想 (want to) · 工作 (work) · 不想 (don't want to) · 旅行 (travel)

→ My friend wants to work, not travel.

Common Mistakes

Using 想 with only a noun

- Incorrect: 我想茶。 (Wǒ xiǎng chá.) - Correct: 我想喝茶。 (Wǒ xiǎng hē chá.) — I want to drink tea.

Negating the verb instead of 想

- Incorrect: 我想不喝茶。 (Wǒ xiǎng bù hē chá.) - Correct: 我不想喝茶。 (Wǒ bù xiǎng hē chá.) — I do not want to drink tea.

To say "don't want to," put 不 before 想, not before the verb after it — 想不喝 wrongly means "want to not drink," which is not how Chinese expresses "don't want to."

What Can You Say Now?

You can now express desire, not just action — 我想学习中文 (I want to study Chinese), 她想吃米饭 (She wants to eat rice). Try saying out loud what you want to eat or drink right now, using 想 before the verb.

Quick Summary

想 + Verb: 我想喝茶。 = I want to drink tea.