I wish Meaning in English
expression · lemma: wish
ˈaɪ/ /ˈwɪʃ
EYE WISH
ˈaɪ/ /wˈɪʃ
EYE WISH
Definition
A phrase used to express a desire for something that is not true or not possible in the present, past, or future. Often shows regret, longing, or hope for different circumstances.
Usage & Nuances
'I wish' is often followed by a verb in the past simple to talk about unreal present situations (e.g., 'I wish I knew'), or by 'could'/'would' for expressing hope for change. It's more formal than 'I hope' and usually expresses something that can't easily happen.
Spanish: ojalá - desearíaPortuguese (BR): quem dera - eu queria - gostariaPortuguese (PT): quem dera - gostavaChinese (Simplified): 我希望 - 要是...就好了Chinese (Traditional): 我希望 - 要是...就好了Hindi: काशArabic: ليتني - أتمنىBengali: আমি চাই - আমি চাইতাম - ইশRussian: я хотел бы - хотелось бы - жальJapanese: 〜だったらいいのに - 〜であればよかったのにVietnamese: ước gì - tôi ướcKorean: 나는 ~했으면 좋겠다 - ~이었으면 좋겠다Turkish: keşke - isterdimUrdu: کاشIndonesian: aku berharap - andai saja
Example Sentences
I wish I had a dog.
basic
I wish it would stop raining.
basic
I wish you were here.
basic
I wish I hadn’t eaten so much cake last night.
natural
Sometimes I wish time would slow down.
natural
I wish I could travel the world someday.
natural