てほしい— Wanting Someone Else to Do Something

• 早く来てほしい。

  Hayaku kite hoshii.

  I want you to come quickly.

  来て (come, te-form) + ほしい = I want (someone else) to come

• 先生に説明してほしいです。

  Sensei ni setsumei shite hoshii desu.

  I want the teacher to explain it.

  先生に = target of the desire (marked with に) + 説明して + ほしい

• そんなことを言わないでほしい。

  Sonna koto o iwanaide hoshii.

  I want you not to say such things.

  言わないで (negative te-form) + ほしい = I want you NOT to say it

• ・Directness Warning: This is a fairly direct expression of desire. Toward superiors it can sound pushy; prefer 〜ていただけませんか (Could you please...).
• ・Target Marker: The person you want the action from is marked with に.
• ・Inanimate things: For things that can't act on request (I want the rain to stop), use 〜ように, not てほしい.

Commonly confused with

The JLPT rarely asks whether you recognise a pattern — it asks which of several similar patterns fits. These are the ones てほしい is tested against.

• たことがある — Have Done (Experience)
• つもりだ — Intention / Plan
• ほうがいい — Had Better / Should
• てほしい — Want someone (else) to do something
• だけで — Just by doing / With just
• ではないか / じゃないか — Isn't it? (rhetorical)
• が必要だ (がひつようだ) — Need / Necessary
• がする — Involuntary sense perception