How do you say "I want to be with you." in Japanese?

"I want to be with you." in Japanese is "一緒にいたい。". This phrase is commonly used in Japan.

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How to Say ‘I want to be with you.’ in Japanese

Q: What does "一緒にいたい。" mean in English?

"一緒にいたい。" means "I want to be with you." in English. Usage tip: Very natural and romantic. Softer options: [一緒にいられたら嬉しい] (“I’d be happy if we could be together”).

一緒にいたい。

issho ni i tai

[ees-shoh nee ee tie]

💬 Usage Tip: Very natural and romantic. Softer options: [一緒にいられたら嬉しい] (“I’d be happy if we could be together”).

🇯🇵 In Japan: Compared to a direct “I love you,” [一緒にいたい] can feel more “serious relationship” and calm—good for honest talks after meeting on apps.

Phrase Breakdown

一緒

issho

[ees-shoh]

together; same (as); jointly

Means “together.” Very common in relationship lines like 一緒にいたい (“I want to be with you”).

Example

これからも一緒にいたい。

I want to be together from now on too.

に

[nee]

to; at; in; by (particle)

Here it marks a manner/state: 一緒に (“together”).

Example

一緒に帰ろう。

Let’s go home together.

いたい

i tai

want to be (there/with you)

From いる (to be/exist for living things) + たい (want to): “want to be (with you)/want to stay.”

Example

もう少しここにいたい。

I want to stay here a little longer.

Words in this phrase

い

[ee]

to be; to stay (stem)

Stem of いる (“to be/exist” for people/animals). Combined with たい to mean desire: いたい.

Example

君のそばにいられてうれしい。

I’m happy I can be by your side.

たい

tai

[tie]

want to (suffix)

Attaches to a verb stem to express desire. In いたい, it means “want to be/stay.”

Example

もう少し話したい。

I want to talk a little more.

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