What it means
てほしい expresses that the speaker wants another person or an animal to do something. It attaches to the te-form of a verb, and the person expected to perform the action is usually marked with に. The person who wants the action is normally understood to be the speaker, although the topic can be stated. The polite counterpart is てほしいです.
Usage note
てほしい does not mean that the speaker wants to do the action; use たい for that meaning. Although てほしいです is polite, the expression can sound direct when used as a request, so softer wording may be more suitable in formal situations.
How to use it
母に料理を作ってほしいです。
I want my mother to make a meal.
母に料理を作ってほしい。
I want my mother to make a meal.
Example sentences
先生にこの漢字の読み方をもう一度説明してほしいです。
I want the teacher to explain how to read this kanji one more time.
弟に、学校から借りた本を明日までに返してほしいです。
I want my younger brother to return the book borrowed from school by tomorrow.
旅行の前に、母に薬