SpeeekDownload on the App Store
Back to With Friends

German Phrase

Ich will unbedingt nach Japan.

/ɪç vɪl ˈʔʊnbəˌdɪç naːx ˈjaːpan/
Meaning"I absolutely want to go to Japan."
💡

Meaning

The speaker expresses a strong desire to travel to Japan. The adverb ‘unbedingt’ adds emphasis, turning a simple ‘I want to go to Japan’ into ‘I absolutely want to go to Japan.’

🎯

When to use

Use this sentence when you are talking about travel plans, sharing a dream destination, or responding to a question about where you’d like to go. It’s informal and direct, so it fits casual conversation with friends or family.

✦Grammar Breakdown

IchwillunbedingtnachJapan

1

Pronoun Ich

First‑person singular subject pronoun, always capitalised in German.

2

Modal verb wollen

‘will’ is the present‑tense form of ‘wollen’ (to want). It is followed directly by an infinitive or, in colloquial speech, by a bare verb phrase.

3

Adverb unbedingt

Intensifier meaning ‘absolutely, really, must’. It can modify the whole clause or the verb.

4

Preposition nach

Used with names of countries, continents and cities when you talk about direction or destination (no article).

5

Proper noun Japan

Country name, capitalised, does not take an article after ‘nach’.

🗨In Conversation

A

Wohin möchtest du im Sommer reisen?

Where would you like to travel this summer?

Ich will unbedingt nach Japan.

I absolutely want to go to Japan.

B

✕Common Mistakes

  • Ich will zu Japan.

    ‘zu’ is used with places that need a dative article (e.g., ‘zu dem Bahnhof’). For countries you must use ‘nach’.

  • Ich will nach dem Japan.

    Country names after ‘nach’ never take an article.

  • Ich will nach Japan gehen.

    When ‘will’ is used, the infinitive verb should follow directly; adding ‘gehen’ after the prepositional phrase sounds awkward.

↔Alternatives

  • Ich möchte unbedingt nach Japan reisen.

    I would really like to travel to Japan.

  • Ich habe den Wunsch, nach Japan zu gehen.

    I have the wish to go to Japan.

  • Ich träume davon, nach Japan zu fahren.

    I dream of going to Japan.

de

Cultural Tip

In German, ‘unbedingt’ conveys a strong, almost urgent desire, so it can sound a bit forceful. If you want to be more polite or less pushy, replace ‘will’ with ‘möchte’ (Ich möchte unbedingt nach Japan). Also remember that after ‘nach’ you never use an article – you say ‘nach Japan’, not ‘nach dem Japan’. For cities you would use ‘nach Berlin’ or ‘in Berlin’, depending on the context.