要 yào
to want / need / will
要 (yào) is a super-connector word meaning "want", "need", or "will". It works with every verb you learn later, so it instantly unlocks plans, desire, and intention.
How to use 要
我要 ___
I want ___
你要什么？
What do you want?
我不要 ___
I don't want ___
要不要 ___？
Do you want ___?
我要去 ___
I'm going to go to ___
我们都要 ___
We all want ___
Words used with 要
去
qù
to go
哪儿
nǎ'r
where
好
hǎo
okay / good
都
dōu
all / both
北京
Běijīng
Beijing
喝
hē
to drink
看
kàn
to look / read / watch
什么
shénme
what
学校
xuéxiào
school
Frequently asked questions
What does 要 (yào) mean in Chinese?
要 (yào) means "to want / need / will" in Chinese. 要 (yào) is a super-connector word meaning "want", "need", or "will". It works with every verb you learn later, so it instantly unlocks plans, desire, and intention.
How do you use 要 in a sentence?
The core pattern is "我要 ___" (I want ___). Once you know this block, you can reuse it with many other words to build full sentences.
What words are commonly used with 要?
Common words that pair with 要 include 去, 哪儿, 好, 都. Learning these together helps you build complete, natural sentences instead of isolated vocabulary.
What is the difference between 要 (yào) and 是 (shì)?
Both are high-frequency Chinese words taught early in Speak1000. 要 means "to want / need / will"; 是 means "to be". The fastest way to tell them apart is to hear each one used in real sentences — our free lessons drill every word in context so the contrast becomes natural.
Related Chinese concepts
Why this concept matters
One concept should unlock a network, not one translation
Speak1000 teaches 要 as part of a cumulative sentence network. You connect it to concepts you already know, hear the combinations in context, and retrieve them in new situations.
See the Concept Unlock MethodHear 要 used in real sentences
The fastest way to remember 要 (yào) is to hear it used naturally. Start with our free interactive lesson and practice with real audio from day one.
Try Free Lesson: Unit 1