I've always wanted to

Writer's Note

"I always wanted to" suggests a sense of longing or desire that may have been present in the past but doesn't necessarily continue into the present.

1. He always wanted to be a good son.
彼はalways wanted to良い息子になりたかった。
2. She always wanted to find work at a larger corporation.
彼女はalways wanted to大企業で働くことを望んでいました。
3. I remember the days when I always wanted to live in Paris.
私はいつもパリに住みたいと思っていた日々を覚えています。
4. I always wanted to be a teacher when I was younger.
私は若い頃、教師になりたいと常に思っていました。

You can see that these sentences suggest that they wanted something to happen, to go somewhere, or be something but for some reason it hasn't come true.

"I have always wanted to" emphasizes that the desire has been ongoing from the past up to the present moment. To put it simply, it usually means you have never done something before.

1. I've always wanted to dine at a Michelin star restaurant.
私はずっと「Michelin star」レストランで食事をしてみたかったです。
2. I've always wanted to be born with a silver spoon in my mouth.
私はずっと「be born with a silver spoon in my mouth」という人生を送りたかった。
3. She's always wanted to be a mother. It breaks my heart to hear that she cannot have kids.
彼女はいつも母親になりたいと思っていました。彼女が子供を持てないと聞くと胸が痛みます。
4. He's always wanted to be able to play the drums. Unfortunately, he comes from an underprivileged household.
彼はずっと ドラムを演奏できるようになりたかった。しかし、彼は恵まれない家庭の出身です。