<p>I think you can express something like this as (101). If we imagine a speaker addicted to using their smartphone, they might say something like this.</p>

<pre><code>Mi  wile ike    e  ilo  toki. (101)
1sg want bad D.O. tool speak
</code></pre>

<p>I think <em>to want badly</em> in English would map to <code>wile mute</code>, since you're talking about extent rather than making a value judgment. </p>

<p>Making a value judgment and describing wanting something as egodystonic are not <em>exactly</em> the same thing, but they are similar, at least when talking about oneself.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-07-05T17:17:32.493Z
2019-08-09T19:11:26.523Z
2019-08-09T19:11:26.523Z
Greg Nisbet
<p>mi wile e ni: mi wile tawa.<br />
I want this: I want to go.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-09-24T03:47:19.957Z
2020-10-14T05:53:37.627Z
2020-10-14T05:53:37.627Z
jastako
<blockquote>
  <p><code>mi wile ala e     ni:  mi wile e     ijo   nasa.</code><br>
  <code>I  want not &lt;obj&gt;-this I  want &lt;obj&gt;-thing crazy</code></p>
</blockquote>

<p>The same principle as in "I do not want to drink water."</p>

<blockquote>
  <p><code>mi wile ala e     ni:  mi moku  e     telo.</code><br>
  <code>I  want not &lt;obj&gt;-this I  drink &lt;obj&gt;-water</code></p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-03-04T16:15:39.483Z
While I assume OP does not require it, I personally would appreciate it if you could add some form of gloss to the answer so someone not familiar with the language can appreciate the structure as well and learn something from this question.
Sascha Baer
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-11-06T07:01:00.850Z
The question centers on the word ”ala”, which is used as a negation, but it can also be used to pose a question, as in “sina wile ala wile X?”, do you want or not want X? That's why the attempt to say “mi wile ala wile X”, I want to not want X, can be interpreted as the question “Do I want or not want  X”. The answer given uses the word “ni”, this, as a way out of the problem, by saying “me wile ala e ni: ni wile X”, I do not want this: I want X.
PapaFreud
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-03-01T20:43:35.337Z
2019-08-12T20:34:55.530Z
2019-08-12T20:34:55.530Z
anonymous
<p>For example, "I do not want to want opium"</p>

<p>For example, this doesn't work, it is a yes-no question!</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>mi wile ala wile e ijo nasa<br>
     Do I want a drug?<br>
      ? Do I want not-want a drug?</p>
</blockquote>

<p>The positive doesn't seem to work either</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>mi wile wile e ijo nasa<br>
      * I want [in a wanting manner?] a drug.</p>
</blockquote>

<toki-pona><translation>
How does one express "want to want" in toki pona?
# How does one express "want to want" in toki pona?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2018-03-01)

For example, "I do not want to want opium"

For example, this doesn't work, it is a yes-no question!

> mi wile ala wile e ijo nasa  
> Do I want a drug?  
> ? Do I want not-want a drug?

The positive doesn't seem to work either

> mi wile wile e ijo nasa  
> \* I want [in a wanting manner?] a drug.

**Tags:** toki-pona, translation


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## 3 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2018-03-01. Score: 11 | Accepted answer

> `mi wile ala e ni: mi wile e ijo nasa.`  
> `I want not -this I want -thing crazy`

The same principle as in "I do not want to drink water."

> `mi wile ala e ni: mi moku e telo.`  
> `I want not -this I drink -water`

> **Comments:**
> **username_4**: While I assume OP does not require it, I personally would appreciate it if you could add some form of gloss to the answer so someone not familiar with the language can appreciate the structure as well and learn something from this question.  
> **username_5**: The question centers on the word ”ala”, which is used as a negation, but it can also be used to pose a question, as in “sina wile ala wile X?”, do you want or not want X? That's why the attempt to say “mi wile ala wile X”, I want to not want X, can be interpreted as the question “Do I want or not want  X”. The answer given uses the word “ni”, this, as a way out of the problem, by saying “me wile ala e ni: ni wile X”, I do not want this: I want X.  

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### Answer by username_1 on 2019-07-05. Score: 2

I think you can express something like this as (101). If we imagine a speaker addicted to using their smartphone, they might say something like this.
Mi  wile ike    e  ilo  toki. (101)
1sg want bad D.O. tool speak

I think to want badly in English would map to wile mute, since you're talking about extent rather than making a value judgment. 
Making a value judgment and describing wanting something as egodystonic are not exactly the same thing, but they are similar, at least when talking about oneself.


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### Answer by username_2 on 2020-09-24. Score: 1

mi wile e ni: mi wile tawa.  
I want this: I want to go.


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