Grammar: 5 different ways to use 'wish' in English

Improve your English grammar by learning five different ways to use the word 'wish'.
For a quiz, transcript and more grammar notes: www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/...
TRANSCRIPT:
Dan
I wish I wish I wish I wish I wish… Oh! It only works if you know the grammar rules! I completely forgot. So here is the complete ‘wish’.
Wish has five uses in English and today we’re going to cover them all. Are you ready? Go!
1. Wish for present or past that isn’t real.
This is the most common form of wish. It’s when we wish for a situation in the present or past to change, but we know that it can’t change because it’s impossible.
‘I wish I were taller.’ (because I am not tall) Or: ‘I wish I had eaten ice-cream for breakfast this morning.’ (because I didn’t eat ice cream for breakfast this morning).
I wish I were taller is an example of a present wish. It is ‘wish’ plus the past simple. We often use ‘were’ instead of ‘was’ for all pronouns because of the subjunctive. I could also say:
‘I wish I knew how to speak Chinese.’ (because I don’t know how to speak Chinese.)
I wish I had eaten ice-cream for breakfast this morning is an example of a past wish. This morning is a past time; we make a past wish. ‘Wish’ is followed by the past perfect, which is had plus the past participle. That indicates true past time. Did you get it?
2. Wish for an irritation that can change.
Another common form of wish is to use ‘wish’ plus would plus the bare infinitive. And this is often in regards to other people and our irritation. For example:
‘I wish you would make the bed!’
This is a present wish, but unlike the wishes I discussed before, this wish means ‘I believe you can change and something can be done’. Compare:
‘I wish you would make the bed,’ means ‘I think you can, but you don't, so please do.
‘I wish you made the bed’ means ‘you don't and I don’t think you ever will so…’
It is extremely uncommon to use a first person ‘I’ in this form of wish. This is because we have control over our own actions, so to say:
‘I wish I would stop talking,’ means I want to stop talking, and I believe I can stop talking, so why don’t I?’
However, in terms of an illness or an addiction, this form is fine. When I say 'I wish I would stop smoking' it means 'I don’t want to smoke anymore, but I can’t stop because I’m addicted.' Someone give me a cigarette! Did you get it?
3. Wish to want
Wish followed by the full infinitive is a formal way of saying want. It’s not very common, and only used in special circumstances, for example, when you want to make a polite formal complaint. For example: ‘I wish to see the manager.’
We can also use wish followed by ‘for’ to attach an object that you want. And this is most often used in the circumstances of magic. For example: ‘I wish for a pizza.’ Got it?
4. Wish to send ‘good vibrations’.
We can use the verb wish followed by two objects, the first of which is most often a pronoun, to send ‘good vibrations’ to somebody. This is more common than hope and it is used in fixed phrases such as:
‘I wish you luck for your exam tomorrow.’ or ‘We wish you a merry Christmas.’ Got it?
5. Wish for the future.
This is a trick, because apart from sending good vibrations, as mentioned before, we cannot use the verb 'wish' in this way. We need another verb, and the verb is 'hope'. And this is usually followed by 'will' plus the infinitive. So, for example:
‘I hope you will pass your exam.’
Got it? Did you get it? Of course you got it! Now for more information please log on to bbclearningenglish.com. I’ve been Dan, you’ve been fantastic. I hope to see you next time, ok? Now. I wish I wish I wish I wish I wish… it works! Hahahaha!
#learnenglish #bbclearningenglish #wish #masterclass #vocabulary #speakenglish #englishtips

[@bbclearningenglish]

Are phrasal verbs formal, informal or neutral? Join Tim as he travels back in time to tackle some of the mysteries of multi-word verbs. kzbin.info/www/bejne/gX7SlqOlbrqrrJY

[@ahmedtalaatnile8404]

I am missing Dan's videos. I hope to meet the fantastic BBC learning English crew one day.

[@bahar1241]

I wish I were followed your programs earlier .

[@viraycaptainjv8656]

I had followed*

[@nirajthakor9748]

​@@viraycaptainjv8656Could you please tell me which sentence is correct 1) I wish i didn't eat chocolates like this daily 2) I wish i wouldn't eat chocolates like this daily

[@xiaoxianwu7310]

I wish I were as good a teacher as you. I always have fun watching your video.

[@incognito__00]

PERFECTLY EXPLAINED!❤

[@ricardon.8244]

Very clear! Thanks for the video!

[@khinsoe6187]

Thank you so much for your awesome explanation with clear examples.

[@bichngocpham3734]

Thanks a lot for your video. Your teaching is so amazing!

[@ruhngizrhimova6826]

Thanks for the video!

[@jayamohan9988]

Dan! You cleared everything about wishes! Thank from India!

[@Gab0000]

Thanks a bunch, Dan!

[@massimoguarneri6575]

Very interesting video. You are a great teacher

[@vivianagambetta9197]

Nice lesson, thank you

[@ChiquitaCarine]

Usefull vidéo. Thanks

[@LerrasWorld]

Thank u for this video. It’s so useful 🔥🔥🔥

[@jayamohan9988]

Interesting uses of word wish.

[@khushnoodakhter8812]

Nice way of teaching 👍

[@ronaldm.rivasphd1643]

The best explanation! …and fun

[@srinuraja1932]

I am really greatful to you

[@yaqeenyaqeen4521]

i got thanks it is really useful

[@christinelee6686]

Very helpful. Thank you!

[@JamilVugarAghasi]

Thanks for this video . I hope it'll be so useful for me 😊

[@mmafighter1868]

Cheers

[@Mjvk00]

I wish i had known this channel since 4 years a go

[@professorofsprituality]

Great

[@Dulce2492]

This is soo interesting!!, I did know many this you said, it's good to know 😊👌🏻

[@alirezamahzad]

Fabulous

[@user-nw6mf6qg2u]

It was sooo helpful!

[@jchinex]

Hi Dan, all is clear. But, Can I say I HOPE YOU PASS YOUR EXAM instead of I HOPE YOU'LL PASS YOUR EXAM? In any case, what's the difference between them? I'd be so grateful if you answered my question.

[@yondusaturn507]

Jesus, thank you so much!

[@rareshorga5082]

Love it, you really helped me for my exam

[@watermelon8542]

I wish I moved to the UK to study English

[@lauracastro343]

I wish I had followed you before.

[@szymonf157]

Earier

[@andreagiraldomdphd.8376]

Dear Sir , I was wondering if I might dare to ask you some question? 1) May I use wish + would to speak about something in the future or I have to use "Hope" ? 2) May I say, I would wish to see the manager instead of I wish to see the manager ? I truly love your teaching. I pay my respects to you. Taking this opportunity, wishing you and your awn family a lovely merry Christmas.

[@bbclearningenglish]

Hi Andrea. Thank you for your positive feedback. We’re happy that you find what we do useful. To answer your questions: 1) Wish + would is used to talk about an action or habit that someone does that the speaker believes can change. The action takes place in the present, not the future. If you are referring to an action which you know will happen in the future and want to express a desire that it doesn’t to another person, you would need to use ‘hope’ - for example. ‘I hope you won’t go to that party tomorrow’ However, if the person in question has a repeated habit which happens in the present, but is likely to continue into the future, then you can use wish + would. For example: ‘I wish you wouldn’t keep leaving the door open’. It’s not really the future specifically, more like using the present simple for a repeated habit i.e. He always leaves the door open (past, present and future) So, to summarise - no, I’m afraid not. If you are referring specifically to a future time use ‘hope’. 2) Saying ‘I would wish to see the manager’ is the second half of a conditional sentence (in this case 2nd conditional). It doesn’t make sense on its own and you couldn't say it to a shop assistant. The full sentence could be something like ‘If I had a problem with an item in the shop, I would wish to see the manager’. ‘I wish to see the manager’ is correct. It’s great that you are thinking about these things because it means that you are processing language, which in turn leads to better learning, so never be afraid to wonder or question - even if the answer you get back means you are wrong! That’s life! Thank you for your inquiry and a merry Christmas to you too.

[@datkakacho]

So if I say I wish he came=means he never comes but I want him to come and I wish he would come=that he can come but actually he cannot? I am a little confused, in my grammar book it says in the present after I wish we put the verb in past simple, and would+bare infinitive we use when we have irritation- I wish he would stop talking, I am tired of him :)Am I right or not please?

[@franadia5508]

this guy is cool

[@zianmhamid7231]

Thanksfor video

[@cyclistRM2024]

👌

[@linhthuy3423]

In the English grammar book that I studied, they said that if the subject of wish is the same as the subject of the would clause, we cannot say " I wish I would ". Is the book wrong?

[@todonada4453]

Hello is that sentence correct ? : I wish I had eaten more fruit when I was younger? Thanks

[@bbclearningenglish]

Yes, absolutely. It shows a past regret and a wish that you could change it. We imagine that there's a lot of people around the world who wish they had eaten more fruit and veg when they were younger..!

[@todonada4453]

@@bbclearningenglish Thank you very much:)

[@fredmohammadi4926]

Thank you so much for the video. Is this wrong to say I wish you will pass your exam?

[@ricardon.8244]

Fred Mohammadi I think the right one is 'I hope you pass your exam'.

[@hyg7234]

Hello then the rule is Wish + past participle ( if in past) Wish +past (if in the present

[@user-lx4ox9yx2i]

We know so many rules but getting used to practicing all these rules is tough and time consuming. We always learn and study but we never use. Anyways your explanations are perfect and superb. I wish you were our English teacher. I wish I had used all these Wish forms and had been accustomed to using it. Thumbs up to you! You rock!

[@mz6367]

i wish I had seen this video earlier so I wouldn't have been confused

[@najatarabia741]

Fingers crossed

[@hellenxu7404]

Can I see I wish traveling to certain place?

[@nemajojo7640]

Could you give me a sec: why we use to “s”. He wishes he were at school. What’s the difference between he wishe he were at school.

[@mathstutorialsjodhpur7928]

I wish I knew how to do magic I wish I had met you earlier I wish you would solve this question I wish i would stop texting you i wish to convey his message to you i wish for a bike i would like to wish you a happy wedding anniversary i hope you will get selected for this interview

[@rifatmahmood7161]

Great.

[@aquaza1568]

Dropping a coin into the bottle and then "wishing". Isn't it "hoping" ? I'm getting more confuse.

[@ceciliamacchi9732]

And when you regret for something in the past

[@evanishere_8831]

You challange Eminem 😂

[@marjanp4784]

For example: I never met my mother in law coz she had died long before we got married. Now in this case what it should be? a. I wish I met her. b. I wish I could meet her. c. I wish I could have met her.

[@elviraaguirre397]

c

[@svetlanamtvnk3864]

which is correct: I wish you didn't go there OR I wish you wouldn't go there (I want another person to stay at home and not to go to the party, for example.)

[@Dulce2492]

I wish for a Batman comic

[@tammytsang3487]

I wish I were healthier.

[@cristinaannuiti3962]

Habla muy rápido!!!!!!

[@m_a3219]

I wish l would stop gaining weight 😅 l wish l stopped gaining weight 😅

[@remiremi7646]

Plz speak slow u are very fast

[@bbclearningenglish]

Hi Remi Remi. You'll find the transcript here: www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/course/towards-advanced/unit-23/session-1

[@ataqazi]

I wish you had gone slow

[@7777Waldemar]

I wish Dan would stop using snaps and this strange music in his videos

[@aungthuchai4422]

I wish I would stop watching. Why don't I?

[@manijehazimi6214]

I wish you were talking slower .