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# want

«want» in Mova's school dictionary: **to wish to have or do something** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples, with 5 sentences of Mova's corpora that use it.

### part of speech

verb (want, wants, wanted, wanting); noun (wants — the things people want)

### meaning for a pupil

1) To want means to wish to have or do something. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/want/#m1)

2) «Want to» + a verb means you would like to do it: «I want to play». [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/want/#m2)

3) «Wanted» on a poster means the police are looking for someone. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/want/#m3)

4) Wants are things people wish for but do not really need, unlike needs. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/want/#m4)

### sense in the lessons

In school maths: a goal amount; the difference between what one has and what one wants; how many more are needed. In everyday life and economics lessons: needs and wants (food is a need, a toy is a want). Phrases: «want to», «want more», «do you want», «wanted poster».

### examples

- She wants 20 stickers and has 12. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/want/#x1)
- He wants to buy a bike that costs 80 dollars. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/want/#x2)
- How many more does she want? [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/want/#x3)
- Tom wants to share 15 apples equally. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/want/#x4)
- Do you want some juice? [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/want/#x5)
- I want to be a vet when I grow up. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/want/#x6)
- Food is a need, but a new game is a want. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/want/#x7)
- The sheriff put up a «wanted» poster. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/want/#x8)
- “But we want you to dance.” [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/want/#x9)

### note

«I want to go», not «I want go». «Would like» is more polite than «want»: «I would like some water, please». Maths: gives a goal; «how many more» = goal − what one has. Trap: the wanted amount is not yet owned, so do not add it to what one has.

### In the corpora

- [Coming home with flowers the day after a row is making up, a way of saying sorry and wanting to be friends again.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/14-grown-ups-who-argue-and-make-up/9/)
- [When people want something changed, they can protest peacefully, sign a petition, or stop work together in a strike.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/32-bad-news-protests-and-helping-others/4/)
- [When they want to help, they give money to charities, get sponsored for a challenge or volunteer their time.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/32-bad-news-protests-and-helping-others/5/)
- [«I'm fine» often means «I'm not fine, but I don't want to talk about it now».](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/34-when-grown-ups-are-tired-or-worried/18/)
- [Free prizes that want your password are traps."](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/47-viral-rumours-cancellations-fakes-and-apologies/4/)

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every meaning and example of «want» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/want/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.