がる describes signs of a feeling; たがる describes signs that someone wants to do something. 怖がる derives from 怖い, while 行きたがる derives from 行きたい. They often report another person’s observable behavior, but ordinary adjectives can also describe others’ feelings in suitable contexts. 欲しがる commonly takes を for the wanted object.
also written garu / tagaru / 怖がる / 行きたがる
がる — shows a feeling, said of somebody else · たがる — wants to do it, said of somebody else
Sentences
6 sentences, word by word
がる · a feeling you can see
polite
。
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子供
こども ［0］
child
noun · the one showing the feeling, so は marks the topic
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は
は
as for — the topic
particle · written は, read わ
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犬
いぬ ［2］
dog
noun · the object of the fear, and 怖がる takes を
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を
を
marks the direct object
particle · pronounced お
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怖がっています
こわがっています
is frightened of
ている of 怖がる · 怖い ＋ がる, describing what you can observe
がるN4shows the feeling
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The child is frightened of the dog.
がる · the particle changes
polite
。
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弟
おとうと ［4］
my little brother
noun · your own younger brother, spoken to someone outside the family
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は
は
as for — the topic
particle · written は, read わ
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新しい
あたらしい ［4］
new
い-adjective · modifying ゲーム directly
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ゲーム
ゲーム
game
noun · loanword, and the object of 欲しがる
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を
を
marks the direct object
particle · pronounced お
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欲しがっています
ほしがっています
wants
ている of 欲しがる · a verb, which is why the particle is を
がるN4wants — of someone else
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My little brother wants the new game.
たがる · somebody else's wish
polite
。
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彼
かれ ［1］
he
pronoun · a third party, which is what forces たがる
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は
は
as for — the topic
particle · written は, read わ
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日本
にほん ［2］
Japan
noun · the destination, marked に
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に
に
to; at; into
particle · a point something reaches — a place, a time, a person, or a state
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行きたがっています
いきたがっています
wants to go
ている of 行きたがる · たい ＋ がる, because the wanting is his
たがるN4wants to — of someone else
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He wants to go to Japan.
たがらない · reluctance in someone else
plain
。
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妹
いもうと ［4］
my little sister
noun · your own younger sister, spoken about outside the family
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は
は
as for — the topic
particle · written は, read わ
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外
そと ［1］
outside
noun · read そと for outdoors, ほか for 'other'
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に
に
to; at; into
particle · a point something reaches — a place, a time, a person, or a state
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出たがらない
でたがらない
doesn't want to go
negative of 出たがる · the everyday way to report reluctance in others
たがらないN4doesn't want to
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My little sister doesn't want to go out.
The minimal pair
plain
。。
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私
わたし ［0］
I
pronoun · your own feeling, so the bare adjective is fine
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は
は
as for — the topic
particle · written は, read わ
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寒い
さむい ［2］
cold
い-adjective · about your own body, which you may assert
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彼
かれ ［1］
he
pronoun · a third party, so the bare adjective is blocked
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も
も
too; as well
particle · replaces を and が, never stacks with them
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寒がっている
さむがっている
looks cold
ている of 寒がる · reporting the signs, not the sensation
がるN4shows the feeling
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I'm cold. He looks cold too.
たがる · a habit rather than a moment
plain
。
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学生
がくせい ［0］
students
noun · unmarked for number, so it covers the group
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は
は
as for — the topic
particle · written は, read わ
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いつも
いつも
always
adverb · habitual, which is why the plain たがる fits here
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早く
はやく
early
adverbial form of 早い · early in time, not fast in speed
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帰りたがる
かえりたがる
want to go home
たがる on 帰る · plain form, so it reads as a standing tendency
たがるN4tend to want to
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The students always want to go home early.
Structure
How the suffix attaches
怖 / 寒 / 欲し＋がる
怖がる. Drop the final い and add がる — the result is a godan verb, not an adjective.
行きた / 帰りた＋がる
行きたがる. Same operation on the たい form, which is itself an い-adjective.
ゲーム＋を欲しがる
欲しい takes が, but 欲しがる is a verb and takes を. The particle changes with the word class.
怖がっ＋ている
怖がっている. The plain 怖がる reads as a habit; ている is the one for right now.
Meaning
Why the suffix exists at all
がる can report observable signs of a feeling.彼は寒がっている highlights behavior showing he feels cold. 彼は寒い can also be natural with a suitable context, so other people’s feelings are not categorically ungrammatical.
The suffix turns an adjective into a verb. That has consequences beyond meaning: 欲しい takes が for what is wanted, but 欲しがる takes を, because the resulting verb is typically transitive. Learners carry the old particle across and it is the commonest error here.
たがる is the same move on たい.私は行きたい, but 彼は行きたがっている. The たい form is an い-adjective, so it behaves exactly like 怖い does.
It can carry some distance or judgement in context.たがる in particular can sound like you find the wanting a little much — 子供は何でも欲しがる. For a neutral report about someone close to you, 〜たいと言っている is safer.
Watch out
Where がる and たがる go wrong
Saying 彼は寒い as a report
彼は寒い is possible in context. 彼は寒がっている specifically describes observable signs.
Carrying が across from 欲しい
欲しい takes が, but 欲しがる is a verb and takes を: ゲームを欲しがる.
Using がる about yourself
私は怖がっている can describe your behavior from the outside. For simply saying how you feel, 怖い is shorter and more natural.
Missing the edge たがる can carry
たがる can imply the wanting is excessive or childish. For a neutral report about someone you respect, 〜たいそうです or 〜たいと言っています is safer.
Also asked
Questions people ask about がる and たがる
When is 彼は嬉しい natural?
Japanese often signals the evidence for someone else’s feeling, but a direct description can be natural in context. You can report the signs (嬉しがっている), report their words (嬉しいと言っている), or hedge (嬉しそうだ).
Which adjectives take がる?
Feeling and sensation words: 怖い, 寒い, 痛い, 嬉しい, 欲しい. Adjectives describing things rather than feelings — 高い, 新しい — do not take it.
がる or がっている?
がっている for right now, plain がる for a standing tendency. 子供は何でも欲しがる is what children are like; 欲しがっている is this child, this moment.
Does がる work in questions?
Yes, and it stays about the other person: 何を怖がっているの. Asking about the listener's own feeling directly is fine too — 寒い? — because a question does not assert anything.
