<p>@ccless1 have explained quite good, but there are some problems unsolved.</p>

<p>no <code>想要了</code> is used in Chinese actually.</p>

<ul>
<li><p><code>想要</code> means <em>I would like something</em></p></li>
<li><p><code>要</code> means <em>I want something</em></p></li>
</ul>

<p><strong>examples:</strong></p>

<ul>
<li>我想要一杯茶

<blockquote>
  <p>I would like a cup of tea, please</p>
</blockquote></li>
<li>我要一杯茶

<blockquote>
  <p>give me a cup of tea, b***h</p>
</blockquote></li>
</ul>

<p><strong>By the way</strong></p>

<p><em>我想一杯茶</em>  is not actually proper Chinese for <em>I would like a cup of tea</em></p>

<p><em>想</em> have the meanings of <em>think</em>, or <em>miss</em></p>

<p><em>我想一杯茶</em> means <em>I am thinking about / of a cup of tea</em></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-10-27T21:27:31.207Z
To be more precise, 想 becomes _want to_ when used in front of another verb, e.g. `我想去洗手間` `I want to go to the washroom`; `我想睡覺` `I want to sleep`. In English you can simply omit _to have_ after  _want_ to signify your desire for something i.e. `I want that car`; `I want a cup of tea`; What you are really saying is just `I want to have that car`; `I want to have a cup of tea`, `我想要那台車`; `我想要一杯茶`
Zukaberg
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-10-27T20:47:44.827Z
2016-10-28T12:21:01.493Z
2016-10-28T12:21:01.493Z
cinqS
<p>In this sentence like you could use either 想要，想 or 要，as all mean "to want," though you should note that there is a slight difference here in terms of tone and politeness. </p>

<p>我想一杯茶 means "I would like a cup of tea."</p>

<p>我要一杯茶 and 我想要一杯茶 mean "I want a cup of tea."</p>

<p>The link below might be helpful. </p>

<ul>
<li><a href="https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Comparing_%22yao%22_and_%22xiang%22" rel="nofollow">Differences between 想 and 要</a></li>
</ul>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-10-27T15:56:21.773Z
Thanks, I thought it might have something to do with the 了。
I guess I got confused. I thought 想 meant "to want to" and 想要 meant "to want."
RothX
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-10-27T16:02:54.163Z
Actually, the site you linked to does say that 想要 means "to want."
RothX
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-10-27T16:08:41.677Z
Actually, you're right, looks like 想要 works just as well. Sorry about the misinformation, not sure where I heard it. In any case, I think the problem then is the 了, as you previously stated.
perspicuousreading
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-10-27T16:16:53.037Z
Should the 了 go somewhere else or be removed altogether? And why?
RothX
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-10-27T16:20:42.063Z
了 is most commonly used to indicate a that an action has been completed or that a state has changed. In this case, 想要 is not an action that can be completed (you can't complete wanting it if you're asking for it), but you could say something like 我想要一杯茶了, which would mean "_Now_ I want a cup of tea," implying that you did not before.
perspicuousreading
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-10-27T16:28:09.640Z
[Uses of 了](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Uses_of_%22le%22)
perspicuousreading
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-10-27T21:45:51.057Z
As @ccless1 mentioned, 了 is a way to signify past tense, just to add on top of that, you **can** use past tense on 想 just like "_wanted to_" in english, however it is very rare and you can normally just use 想. Consider the following situations: `I wanted to try that new restaurant yesterday but I didn't have time` `我昨天想試那間新餐廳但是我沒時間` 昨天 already implies you wanted. `I had thought about going to Japan for vacation but it was too expensive` `我有想過去日本旅遊但是太貴了` 有想過is used to focus on the fact that you have indeed thought about it but you gave up on the idea because of some other reason.
Zukaberg
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-10-27T15:41:07.170Z
2016-10-27T16:10:43.763Z
2016-10-27T16:10:43.763Z
perspicuousreading
<p>I think the problem is the usage of the character "了".</p>

<p>When "想要" and "了" are used together, the object is usually placed between them.  e.g. "我剛才不渴, 但現在想要一杯茶了."  The object may be omitted too, e.g. "親愛的, 我想要了."  (....the wife whispering to her husband....)</p>

<p>You may also have noted the difference between "想要" and "想要....了".  When "想要" is used alone, it refers to the intention/though/request itself.  When "想要....了" is used, it usually signifies a recent change or a decision just made.</p>

<p>As for "想" vs "要" vs "想要", cingS has given a clear answer already.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-10-28T12:41:50.793Z
haha had a good laugh @ . "親愛的, 我想要了." (....the wife whispering to her husband....)
Mou某
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-10-28T03:08:21.450Z
2016-10-28T03:08:21.450Z
Henry HO
<p>Basically whole question in the title. I was told that saying 我想要了一杯茶 or anything along those lines is incorrect. Why?</p>

<grammar>
Why is it incorrect to say (Someone) 想要了一 (Something)?
# Why is it incorrect to say (Someone) 想要了一 (Something)?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2016-10-27)

Basically whole question in the title. I was told that saying 我想要了一杯茶 or anything along those lines is incorrect. Why?

**Tags:** grammar


---

## 3 answers

### Answer by username_4 on 2016-10-28. Score: 6 | Accepted answer

I think the problem is the usage of the character "了".

When "想要" and "了" are used together, the object is usually placed between them. e.g. "我剛才不渴, 但現在想要一杯茶了." The object may be omitted too, e.g. "親愛的, 我想要了." (....the wife whispering to her husband....)

You may also have noted the difference between "想要" and "想要....了". When "想要" is used alone, it refers to the intention/though/request itself. When "想要....了" is used, it usually signifies a recent change or a decision just made.

As for "想" vs "要" vs "想要", cingS has given a clear answer already.

> **Comments:**
> **username_5**: haha had a good laugh @ . "親愛的, 我想要了." (....the wife whispering to her husband....)  

---

### Answer by username_1 on 2016-10-27. Score: 4

@ccless1 have explained quite good, but there are some problems unsolved.

no `想要了` is used in Chinese actually.

* `想要` means *I would like something*
* `要` means *I want something*

**examples:**

* 我想要一杯茶
  > I would like a cup of tea, please
* 我要一杯茶
  > give me a cup of tea, b\*\*\*h

**By the way**

*我想一杯茶* is not actually proper Chinese for *I would like a cup of tea*

*想* have the meanings of *think*, or *miss*

*我想一杯茶* means *I am thinking about / of a cup of tea*

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: To be more precise, 想 becomes _want to_ when used in front of another verb, e.g. `我想去洗手間` `I want to go to the washroom`; `我想睡覺` `I want to sleep`. In English you can simply omit _to have_ after  _want_ to signify your desire for something i.e. `I want that car`; `I want a cup of tea`; What you are really saying is just `I want to have that car`; `I want to have a cup of tea`, `我想要那台車`; `我想要一杯茶`  

---

### Answer by username_3 on 2016-10-27. Score: 1

In this sentence like you could use either 想要，想 or 要，as all mean "to want," though you should note that there is a slight difference here in terms of tone and politeness.

我想一杯茶 means "I would like a cup of tea."

我要一杯茶 and 我想要一杯茶 mean "I want a cup of tea."

The link below might be helpful.

* [Differences between 想 and 要](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Comparing_%22yao%22_and_%22xiang%22)

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Thanks, I thought it might have something to do with the 了。 I guess I got confused. I thought 想 meant "to want to" and 想要 meant "to want."  
> **username_0**: Actually, the site you linked to does say that 想要 means "to want."  
> **username_3**: Actually, you're right, looks like 想要 works just as well. Sorry about the misinformation, not sure where I heard it. In any case, I think the problem then is the 了, as you previously stated.  
> **username_0**: Should the 了 go somewhere else or be removed altogether? And why?  
> **username_3**: 了 is most commonly used to indicate a that an action has been completed or that a state has changed. In this case, 想要 is not an action that can be completed (you can't complete wanting it if you're asking for it), but you could say something like 我想要一杯茶了, which would mean "_Now_ I want a cup of tea," implying that you did not before.  
> **username_3**: [Uses of 了](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Uses_of_%22le%22)  
> **username_2**: As @ccless1 mentioned, 了 is a way to signify past tense, just to add on top of that, you **can** use past tense on 想 just like "_wanted to_" in english, however it is very rare and you can normally just use 想. Consider the following situations: `I wanted to try that new restaurant yesterday but I didn't have time` `我昨天想試那間新餐廳但是我沒時間` 昨天 already implies you wanted. `I had thought about going to Japan for vacation but it was too expensive` `我有想過去日本旅遊但是太貴了` 有想過is used to focus on the fact that you have indeed thought about it but you gave up on the idea because of some other reason.  

---

