N3 Intentions, Efforts, and Feelings

~がる: meaning, usage and examples

~がる means: to show signs of... (third person feeling).

Updated 9 November 2026 · By the My Senpai team · Spotted a mistake? Tell us

Examples

1. 娘むすめは犬いぬをこわがっています。

   My daughter is afraid of dogs.

2. 彼かれは、新あたらしいおもちゃを欲ほしがっている。

   He keeps saying he wants a new toy.

3. 母ははは、引ひっ越こした友ともだちに会あいたがっています。

   My mother wants to see her friend who moved away.

4. 木村きむらさんは、試験しけんに落おちて残念ざんねんがっていました。

   Mr. Kimura was disappointed that he failed the exam.

When to use it

がる turns a feeling word into a verb about someone else's feelings: 怖こわがる (to be scared), 寒さむがる (to feel cold), 残念ざんねんがる (to be disappointed), 欲ほしがる (to want). Japanese does not state another person's inner feelings directly, so you describe what they show: 娘むすめは犬いぬを怖こわがっています.

Nuance

Used for third persons, not for yourself; 私わたしは怖こわがっている sounds odd unless you describe yourself from outside. It can sound childish or slightly critical, so avoid it for superiors. The object takes を: 犬いぬを怖こわがる (but 犬いぬが怖こわい). Current feelings usually use がっている.

Compare

For your own feelings, use the adjective: 私わたしは犬いぬが怖こわい. For others, use がる: 妹いもうとは犬いぬを怖こわがっている. たい is your own wish (行いきたい); たがる is someone else's (行いきたがっている). らしい or そうだ can also describe others' feelings as a guess: 田中たなかさんは寂さびしそうだ.

Tip: Notice the particle switch when you add がる: が with the adjective (犬いぬが怖こわい), を with がる (犬いぬを怖こわがる).