I wanted too

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "I wanted too" is not correct in written English.
The correct form should be "I wanted to," which is used to express a desire or intention in the past. Example: "I wanted to go to the concert, but I couldn't get tickets."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

7 human-written examples

That was what I wanted, too, but Wu sought me out.

The New Yorker

Now we both understand that learning something new every day is something I wanted, too — and found a career that helped me do that.

The New York Times

At first he cried and said it was a one-off and that he wanted to stay with his family, which was what I wanted too, but over the next few days I found out he had lied and that the affair had been going on for at least six months.

Independent

When another girl arrives — the giggling, spontaneous Micheline — the narrator more or less dumps Frédérique, and reacts defensively to her silent disapproval: "What Micheline wanted from life was to have a good time, and wasn't that what I wanted too?" Yet here she tragically misunderstands herself — the way we do when we believe that we must want what everybody else wants.

The New Yorker

That's what I wanted too, to be free of blossom.

Huffington Post

I did what I wanted, with whom I wanted to do it with and I said what I wanted too, which made me a bit ballsy, decisive and untamed -- wildly attractive to my now-husband.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

51 human-written examples

Maybe I want too much.

The New Yorker

I want, too".

The New York Times

That's what I want, too.

The New York Times - Sports

That's what I want, too, but it ain't gonna happen with this tech.

TechCrunch

Yes! That's what I want too!

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always use "I wanted to" when expressing a past desire to do something. For example, "I wanted to go to the party too."

Common error

Avoid using "I wanted too" as it is grammatically incorrect. The correct form is "I wanted to" followed by a verb, or "I wanted it too" if referring to an object.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "I wanted too" functions incorrectly as a statement of past desire or intention. According to Ludwig AI, this phrase is not correct in written English. The correct usage would be either "I wanted to" followed by a verb, or "I wanted it too" when referring to a noun.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

83%

Science

8%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Social Media

0%

Reference

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "I wanted too" is generally grammatically incorrect and should be avoided. As Ludwig AI points out, the correct forms are "I wanted to" followed by a verb, or "I wanted it too" when referring to an object. Although the phrase does appear in some sources, predominantly News & Media, its incorrect usage impacts clarity and credibility. Therefore, it is best to use alternative phrases like "I wanted to also" or "I also wanted that" for more effective communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

I wanted to also

Adds clarity by explicitly including "to" indicating an action or state is desired, and "also" for emphasis.

I also wanted that

Shifts focus to a specific object or outcome, specifying what the speaker desired.

I desired that as well

Uses a more formal verb ("desired") and a slightly different adverbial phrase ("as well") to express a similar idea.

I had the same desire

Expresses having an equivalent feeling or aspiration, focusing on the shared nature of the wish.

I wished for it too

Replaces "wanted" with "wished", implying a sense of longing or perhaps unfulfillment.

I also had a yearning for that

Introduces a more intense emotion (yearning) and specifies the object of desire more clearly.

That was my desire as well

Rephrases the statement to emphasize that the desire was aligned with someone else's.

I shared that aspiration

Uses "aspiration" to suggest a higher-level goal or ambition that was commonly held.

My inclination was the same

Indicates a similar tendency or preference, focusing on a leaning rather than a strong desire.

I felt the same way about it

Highlights the emotional connection or sentiment linked with the thing that is desired.

FAQs

How to correct the phrase "I wanted too"?

The phrase "I wanted too" is generally incorrect. The correct phrases are "I wanted to" (followed by a verb) or "I wanted it too" (referring to a noun). For example, instead of "I wanted too go", say "I "wanted to go"". If you mean "in addition to someone else", use "I wanted it too".

What does "I wanted it too" mean?

The phrase "I wanted it too" means that you had the same desire for something as someone else. For example, if someone says they wanted a new car, you could respond with "I "wanted it too"" to indicate you also desired a new car.

Is it grammatically correct to say "I wanted too"?

No, it is not grammatically correct to say "I wanted too" if you are trying to express a desire to do something. The correct form is "I wanted to". However, if you mean to say that you also wanted a specific object or outcome, the grammatically correct sentence is "I wanted it too".

What are some alternatives to "I wanted to"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives such as "I desired to", "I wished to", or "I had hoped to". In informal contexts you can simply say "I "intended to"" or "I "planned to"".