<p>我们去森林里探险。</p>
<p>We go on an adventure in the jungle.</p>
<p>We are going on an adventure in the jungle.</p>
<p>We went on an adventure in the jungle.</p>
<p>We will go on an adventure in the jungle.</p>
<p>The tense is not obvious in a single stand-alone sentence like this. But the context should make it clear whether the adventure is past, future or ongoing.</p>
<p>我们<strong>要</strong>去森林里探险。</p>
<p>要 is a verb that can mean &quot;want to&quot; or &quot;have to&quot;. Again, tense is not indicated here. So the difference between the two sentences is that the first is a simple statement of an event, where as the second one indicates either intention or obligation.</p>
<p>我们<strong>要</strong>去森林里探险。</p>
<p>We want/wanted to go on an adventure in the jungle.</p>
<p>We have/had to go on an adventure in the jungle.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-07-07T17:16:26.230Z
2022-07-07T17:16:26.230Z
monalisa
<p>It is never a good idea to take a single sentence out of its context. In context, everything becomes clear.</p>
<p>If you use 要, you want to go, but that doesn't mean you will or can go.</p>
<p>妈妈，我们去森林里探险。<br />
Mum, we're gonna go explore the forest.<br />
好。<br />
Alright.</p>
<p>妈妈， 我们（想）要去森林里探险。<br />
Mum, we wanna go explore the forest.<br />
不行！你们不能去，那儿有危险的野兽！<br />
No way！ you can't go, there are dangerous wild animals in there!</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-07-07T22:45:51.057Z
2022-07-07T22:45:51.057Z
Pedroski
<p>I am Taiwanese.</p>
<p>I think I can tell you the scenario between this two sentence in real life.</p>
<p>We say &quot;我們去森林裡探險&quot; or &quot;我們剛剛去森林裡探險&quot; if people ask you &quot;你們剛剛去哪裡&quot;</p>
<p>We say &quot;我們要去森林裡探險&quot; if people ask you &quot;你們等一下要去哪裡&quot;</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-07-08T05:40:55.173Z
2022-07-08T05:40:55.173Z
EnergyBoy
<p>No subtle difference.</p>
<p>Q: 你們去那裡?</p>
<p>A1: 我们<strong>去</strong>森林里探险。We are going to expedite in the jungle. (The answer reflects a straight/plain decision)</p>
<p>A2: 我们<strong>要去</strong>森林里探险。We are going to expedite in the jungle. (The word &quot;要&quot; reveals the decision is planned/thought around &quot;desire&quot;, or &quot;must&quot;)</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-07-07T20:26:24.507Z
2022-07-07T20:26:24.507Z
r13
<p>Unfortunately, the Google translation for your second sentence is wrong. Adding the 要 (to want) makes the sentence into &quot;We <em>want</em> to go to the forest&quot;.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-07-07T19:45:33.690Z
2022-07-07T19:45:33.690Z
TainToTain
<p>For example, 我们去森林里探险。Translations for this will be pretty much the same as, &quot;我们要去森林里探险。</p>
<p>I understand the difference may be subtle, but I'm curious as to the nuance of the difference.</p>
<p>Thanks so much!!</p>

<translation><grammar><meaning><usage><ambiguity>
What is the difference between using "去 + place," versus using "要去 + place"?
# What is the difference between using "去 + place," versus using "要去 + place"?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2022-07-07)

For example, 我们去森林里探险。Translations for this will be pretty much the same as, "我们要去森林里探险。

I understand the difference may be subtle, but I'm curious as to the nuance of the difference.

Thanks so much!!

**Tags:** translation, grammar, meaning, usage, ambiguity


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## 5 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2022-07-07. Score: 5

我们去森林里探险。

We go on an adventure in the jungle.

We are going on an adventure in the jungle.

We went on an adventure in the jungle.

We will go on an adventure in the jungle.

The tense is not obvious in a single stand-alone sentence like this. But the context should make it clear whether the adventure is past, future or ongoing.

我们**要**去森林里探险。

要 is a verb that can mean "want to" or "have to". Again, tense is not indicated here. So the difference between the two sentences is that the first is a simple statement of an event, where as the second one indicates either intention or obligation.

我们**要**去森林里探险。

We want/wanted to go on an adventure in the jungle.

We have/had to go on an adventure in the jungle.


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### Answer by username_2 on 2022-07-07. Score: 3

It is never a good idea to take a single sentence out of its context. In context, everything becomes clear.

If you use 要, you want to go, but that doesn't mean you will or can go.

妈妈，我们去森林里探险。  
Mum, we're gonna go explore the forest.  
好。  
Alright.

妈妈， 我们（想）要去森林里探险。  
Mum, we wanna go explore the forest.  
不行！你们不能去，那儿有危险的野兽！  
No way！ you can't go, there are dangerous wild animals in there!


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### Answer by username_3 on 2022-07-08. Score: 2

I am Taiwanese.

I think I can tell you the scenario between this two sentence in real life.

We say "我們去森林裡探險" or "我們剛剛去森林裡探險" if people ask you "你們剛剛去哪裡"

We say "我們要去森林裡探險" if people ask you "你們等一下要去哪裡"


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### Answer by username_4 on 2022-07-07. Score: 1

No subtle difference.

Q: 你們去那裡?

A1: 我们**去**森林里探险。We are going to expedite in the jungle. (The answer reflects a straight/plain decision)

A2: 我们**要去**森林里探险。We are going to expedite in the jungle. (The word "要" reveals the decision is planned/thought around "desire", or "must")


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### Answer by username_5 on 2022-07-07. Score: 0

Unfortunately, the Google translation for your second sentence is wrong. Adding the 要 (to want) makes the sentence into "We *want* to go to the forest".


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