"I wish" meaning in English

See I wish in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Phrase

Audio: en-au-I wish.ogg
Head templates: {{head|en|phrase}} I wish
  1. (idiomatic, colloquial) Used to express the speaker's wish that the preceding statement were true Tags: colloquial, idiomatic Synonyms: your lips to God's ears Related terms: you wish Translations (I would very much like that to be so): لَيْتَ (layta) (Arabic), تَمَنَّى (tamannā) (note: a sentence in subjunctive mood follows) (Arabic), tant de bo (Catalan), si (Catalan), 但願 /但愿 (dànyuàn) (Chinese Mandarin), was het maar zo dat (Dutch), totta kai (Finnish), ilman muuta (Finnish), si seulement (French), j’aurais aimé que (note: a sentence in subjunctive mood follows) (French), wenn auch (German), wenn doch nur (German), הַלְוַאי (halevái) (Hebrew), כֵּן יְהִי רָצוֹן (ken yehí ratzón) (Hebrew), magari (Italian), mi piacerebbe (Italian), -らいいのになあ (-ra ii noni nā) (Japanese), -ならいいのになあ (-nara ii noni nā) (Japanese), -よいものを (yoi mono o) (Japanese), sekira (Malay), semoga (Malay), xwezî (Northern Kurdish), skulle ønske det (Norwegian), skulle ønske jeg var (Norwegian), کاش (kâš) (Persian), کاشکی (kâški) [informal] (Persian), ای کاش (ey kâš) [formal] (Persian), jeśli by (Polish), jeśliby (Polish), o ile (Polish), gdyby tylko (Polish), oxalá (Portuguese), quem me dera (Portuguese), хоте́лось бы (xotélosʹ by) (Russian), е́сли бы то́лько (jésli by tólʹko) (Russian), е́сли бы (jésli by) (Russian), če bi le (Slovene), ojalá (Spanish), si (Spanish), si tan solo (Spanish), si tan siquiera (Spanish), keşke (Turkish), я́кби (jákby) (Ukrainian)
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          "text": "- I don't know how I'm going to afford all these Christmas presents.\n- Maybe you'll win the lottery and become a millionaire overnight.\n- I wish!",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Used to express the speaker's wish that the preceding statement were true"
      ],
      "id": "en-I_wish-en-phrase-S09oxApM",
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(idiomatic, colloquial) Used to express the speaker's wish that the preceding statement were true"
      ],
      "related": [
        {
          "word": "you wish"
        }
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "your lips to God's ears"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "colloquial",
        "idiomatic"
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "code": "ar",
          "lang": "Arabic",
          "roman": "layta",
          "sense": "I would very much like that to be so",
          "word": "لَيْتَ"
        },
        {
          "code": "ar",
          "lang": "Arabic",
          "note": "a sentence in subjunctive mood follows",
          "roman": "tamannā",
          "sense": "I would very much like that to be so",
          "word": "تَمَنَّى"
        },
        {
          "code": "ca",
          "lang": "Catalan",
          "sense": "I would very much like that to be so",
          "word": "tant de bo"
        },
        {
          "code": "ca",
          "lang": "Catalan",
          "sense": "I would very much like that to be so",
          "word": "si"
        },
        {
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "roman": "dànyuàn",
          "sense": "I would very much like that to be so",
          "word": "但願 /但愿"
        },
        {
          "code": "nl",
          "lang": "Dutch",
          "sense": "I would very much like that to be so",
          "word": "was het maar zo dat"
        },
        {
          "alt": "Had ik maar veel geld. – If only I had lots of money!",
          "code": "nl",
          "lang": "Dutch",
          "note": "or use auxiliary hebben with inversion and maar",
          "sense": "I would very much like that to be so"
        },
        {
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "I would very much like that to be so",
          "word": "totta kai"
        },
        {
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "I would very much like that to be so",
          "word": "ilman muuta"
        },
        {
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "I would very much like that to be so",
          "word": "si seulement"
        },
        {
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "note": "a sentence in subjunctive mood follows",
          "sense": "I would very much like that to be so",
          "word": "j’aurais aimé que"
        },
        {
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "I would very much like that to be so",
          "word": "wenn auch"
        },
        {
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "I would very much like that to be so",
          "word": "wenn doch nur"
        },
        {
          "code": "he",
          "lang": "Hebrew",
          "roman": "halevái",
          "sense": "I would very much like that to be so",
          "word": "הַלְוַאי"
        },
        {
          "code": "he",
          "lang": "Hebrew",
          "roman": "ken yehí ratzón",
          "sense": "I would very much like that to be so",
          "word": "כֵּן יְהִי רָצוֹן"
        },
        {
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "sense": "I would very much like that to be so",
          "word": "magari"
        },
        {
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "sense": "I would very much like that to be so",
          "word": "mi piacerebbe"
        },
        {
          "code": "ja",
          "lang": "Japanese",
          "note": "(conditional sentence + ii noni (nā)) -ばいいのになあ (-ba ii noni nā)",
          "sense": "I would very much like that to be so"
        },
        {
          "code": "ja",
          "lang": "Japanese",
          "roman": "-ra ii noni nā",
          "sense": "I would very much like that to be so",
          "word": "-らいいのになあ"
        },
        {
          "code": "ja",
          "lang": "Japanese",
          "roman": "-nara ii noni nā",
          "sense": "I would very much like that to be so",
          "word": "-ならいいのになあ"
        },
        {
          "code": "ja",
          "lang": "Japanese",
          "roman": "yoi mono o",
          "sense": "I would very much like that to be so",
          "word": "-よいものを"
        },
        {
          "code": "kmr",
          "lang": "Northern Kurdish",
          "sense": "I would very much like that to be so",
          "word": "xwezî"
        },
        {
          "code": "ms",
          "lang": "Malay",
          "sense": "I would very much like that to be so",
          "word": "sekira"
        },
        {
          "code": "ms",
          "lang": "Malay",
          "sense": "I would very much like that to be so",
          "word": "semoga"
        },
        {
          "code": "no",
          "lang": "Norwegian",
          "sense": "I would very much like that to be so",
          "word": "skulle ønske det"
        },
        {
          "code": "no",
          "lang": "Norwegian",
          "sense": "I would very much like that to be so",
          "word": "skulle ønske jeg var"
        },
        {
          "code": "fa",
          "lang": "Persian",
          "roman": "kâš",
          "sense": "I would very much like that to be so",
          "word": "کاش"
        },
        {
          "code": "fa",
          "lang": "Persian",
          "roman": "kâški",
          "sense": "I would very much like that to be so",
          "tags": [
            "informal"
          ],
          "word": "کاشکی"
        },
        {
          "code": "fa",
          "lang": "Persian",
          "roman": "ey kâš",
          "sense": "I would very much like that to be so",
          "tags": [
            "formal"
          ],
          "word": "ای کاش"
        },
        {
          "code": "pl",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "sense": "I would very much like that to be so",
          "word": "jeśli by"
        },
        {
          "code": "pl",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "sense": "I would very much like that to be so",
          "word": "jeśliby"
        },
        {
          "code": "pl",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "sense": "I would very much like that to be so",
          "word": "o ile"
        },
        {
          "code": "pl",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "sense": "I would very much like that to be so",
          "word": "gdyby tylko"
        },
        {
          "code": "pt",
          "lang": "Portuguese",
          "sense": "I would very much like that to be so",
          "word": "oxalá"
        },
        {
          "code": "pt",
          "lang": "Portuguese",
          "sense": "I would very much like that to be so",
          "word": "quem me dera"
        },
        {
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "xotélosʹ by",
          "sense": "I would very much like that to be so",
          "word": "хоте́лось бы"
        },
        {
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "jésli by tólʹko",
          "sense": "I would very much like that to be so",
          "word": "е́сли бы то́лько"
        },
        {
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "jésli by",
          "sense": "I would very much like that to be so",
          "word": "е́сли бы"
        },
        {
          "code": "sl",
          "lang": "Slovene",
          "sense": "I would very much like that to be so",
          "word": "če bi le"
        },
        {
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "I would very much like that to be so",
          "word": "ojalá"
        },
        {
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "I would very much like that to be so",
          "word": "si"
        },
        {
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "I would very much like that to be so",
          "word": "si tan solo"
        },
        {
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "I would very much like that to be so",
          "word": "si tan siquiera"
        },
        {
          "code": "tr",
          "lang": "Turkish",
          "sense": "I would very much like that to be so",
          "word": "keşke"
        },
        {
          "code": "uk",
          "lang": "Ukrainian",
          "roman": "jákby",
          "sense": "I would very much like that to be so",
          "word": "я́кби"
        }
      ]
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  "word": "I wish"
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      "word": "you wish"
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          "type": "example"
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      ],
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        "Used to express the speaker's wish that the preceding statement were true"
      ],
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        "(idiomatic, colloquial) Used to express the speaker's wish that the preceding statement were true"
      ],
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      "word": "your lips to God's ears"
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    {
      "code": "ar",
      "lang": "Arabic",
      "roman": "layta",
      "sense": "I would very much like that to be so",
      "word": "لَيْتَ"
    },
    {
      "code": "ar",
      "lang": "Arabic",
      "note": "a sentence in subjunctive mood follows",
      "roman": "tamannā",
      "sense": "I would very much like that to be so",
      "word": "تَمَنَّى"
    },
    {
      "code": "ca",
      "lang": "Catalan",
      "sense": "I would very much like that to be so",
      "word": "tant de bo"
    },
    {
      "code": "ca",
      "lang": "Catalan",
      "sense": "I would very much like that to be so",
      "word": "si"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "roman": "dànyuàn",
      "sense": "I would very much like that to be so",
      "word": "但願 /但愿"
    },
    {
      "code": "nl",
      "lang": "Dutch",
      "sense": "I would very much like that to be so",
      "word": "was het maar zo dat"
    },
    {
      "alt": "Had ik maar veel geld. – If only I had lots of money!",
      "code": "nl",
      "lang": "Dutch",
      "note": "or use auxiliary hebben with inversion and maar",
      "sense": "I would very much like that to be so"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "I would very much like that to be so",
      "word": "totta kai"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "I would very much like that to be so",
      "word": "ilman muuta"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "I would very much like that to be so",
      "word": "si seulement"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "note": "a sentence in subjunctive mood follows",
      "sense": "I would very much like that to be so",
      "word": "j’aurais aimé que"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "I would very much like that to be so",
      "word": "wenn auch"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "I would very much like that to be so",
      "word": "wenn doch nur"
    },
    {
      "code": "he",
      "lang": "Hebrew",
      "roman": "halevái",
      "sense": "I would very much like that to be so",
      "word": "הַלְוַאי"
    },
    {
      "code": "he",
      "lang": "Hebrew",
      "roman": "ken yehí ratzón",
      "sense": "I would very much like that to be so",
      "word": "כֵּן יְהִי רָצוֹן"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "sense": "I would very much like that to be so",
      "word": "magari"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "sense": "I would very much like that to be so",
      "word": "mi piacerebbe"
    },
    {
      "code": "ja",
      "lang": "Japanese",
      "note": "(conditional sentence + ii noni (nā)) -ばいいのになあ (-ba ii noni nā)",
      "sense": "I would very much like that to be so"
    },
    {
      "code": "ja",
      "lang": "Japanese",
      "roman": "-ra ii noni nā",
      "sense": "I would very much like that to be so",
      "word": "-らいいのになあ"
    },
    {
      "code": "ja",
      "lang": "Japanese",
      "roman": "-nara ii noni nā",
      "sense": "I would very much like that to be so",
      "word": "-ならいいのになあ"
    },
    {
      "code": "ja",
      "lang": "Japanese",
      "roman": "yoi mono o",
      "sense": "I would very much like that to be so",
      "word": "-よいものを"
    },
    {
      "code": "kmr",
      "lang": "Northern Kurdish",
      "sense": "I would very much like that to be so",
      "word": "xwezî"
    },
    {
      "code": "ms",
      "lang": "Malay",
      "sense": "I would very much like that to be so",
      "word": "sekira"
    },
    {
      "code": "ms",
      "lang": "Malay",
      "sense": "I would very much like that to be so",
      "word": "semoga"
    },
    {
      "code": "no",
      "lang": "Norwegian",
      "sense": "I would very much like that to be so",
      "word": "skulle ønske det"
    },
    {
      "code": "no",
      "lang": "Norwegian",
      "sense": "I would very much like that to be so",
      "word": "skulle ønske jeg var"
    },
    {
      "code": "fa",
      "lang": "Persian",
      "roman": "kâš",
      "sense": "I would very much like that to be so",
      "word": "کاش"
    },
    {
      "code": "fa",
      "lang": "Persian",
      "roman": "kâški",
      "sense": "I would very much like that to be so",
      "tags": [
        "informal"
      ],
      "word": "کاشکی"
    },
    {
      "code": "fa",
      "lang": "Persian",
      "roman": "ey kâš",
      "sense": "I would very much like that to be so",
      "tags": [
        "formal"
      ],
      "word": "ای کاش"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "sense": "I would very much like that to be so",
      "word": "jeśli by"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "sense": "I would very much like that to be so",
      "word": "jeśliby"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "sense": "I would very much like that to be so",
      "word": "o ile"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "sense": "I would very much like that to be so",
      "word": "gdyby tylko"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "I would very much like that to be so",
      "word": "oxalá"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "I would very much like that to be so",
      "word": "quem me dera"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "xotélosʹ by",
      "sense": "I would very much like that to be so",
      "word": "хоте́лось бы"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "jésli by tólʹko",
      "sense": "I would very much like that to be so",
      "word": "е́сли бы то́лько"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "jésli by",
      "sense": "I would very much like that to be so",
      "word": "е́сли бы"
    },
    {
      "code": "sl",
      "lang": "Slovene",
      "sense": "I would very much like that to be so",
      "word": "če bi le"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "I would very much like that to be so",
      "word": "ojalá"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "I would very much like that to be so",
      "word": "si"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "I would very much like that to be so",
      "word": "si tan solo"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "I would very much like that to be so",
      "word": "si tan siquiera"
    },
    {
      "code": "tr",
      "lang": "Turkish",
      "sense": "I would very much like that to be so",
      "word": "keşke"
    },
    {
      "code": "uk",
      "lang": "Ukrainian",
      "roman": "jákby",
      "sense": "I would very much like that to be so",
      "word": "я́кби"
    }
  ],
  "word": "I wish"
}

Download raw JSONL data for I wish meaning in English (7.5kB)

{
  "called_from": "translations/609-20230504",
  "msg": "Translation too long compared to word, so it is skipped",
  "path": [
    "I wish"
  ],
  "section": "English",
  "subsection": "phrase",
  "title": "I wish",
  "trace": ""
}

This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2025-02-17 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2025-02-02 using wiktextract (ca09fec and c40eb85). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.