Idiomatic usage of "wanting to sit" vs. "taking/having a seat"

Question

In the following examples:

"When my dad turned 70, he often felt like wanting to sit"

Vs.

"When my dad turned 70, he felt like taking/having a seat."

Which expression sounds more natural and idiomatically correct to be used with "felt like" and express his need to sit down occasionally?

Can the former expression be used without the preposition "down"?

"When my dad turned 70, he often felt like wanting to sit (down)"

Matt Timmermans · Answer

He often felt like wanting to sit

means that he often wanted to want to sit, which is probably not what you want to say.

He often felt like taking a seat

means that he often wanted to sit, which is probably what you want to say.

Also consider:

He often felt like sitting.

or

He often wanted to sit.

which say the same thing a little more directly.

Also, you probably want to fix the first part.

When my dad turned 70, he often wanted to sit

means that he wanted to sit on his 70th birthday.

After my dad turned 70, he often wanted to sit

means that he only started wanting to sit on his birthday.

One Answer