How to Use 'Wish' and 'Hope' in English Correctly: A Guide for English Learners

🎯 Wish vs. Hope: How to Use Them Correctly in English

This week in class, we worked on something that often causes confusion for English learners: the difference between wish and hope. So I thought I’d share a quick guide here on the blog — clear, simple, and with examples in both English and Spanish!

✅ When to Use Hope

We use hope when we talk about something we want to happen in the future, especially when it’s realistic or possible.

📚 Structure:

hope + infinitive
hope + present simple

🗣 Examples:

I hope to get lots of work done this morning so I can finish early.
→ Espero poder terminar el trabajo pronto hoy.
I hope I pass the exam.
→ Espero aprobar el examen.

✅ When to Use Wish

We use wish in three main ways, and they each have their own structure and meaning. Let’s break them down:

💬 **1. Wish to express good intentions or desires for someone**

We use this all the time in greetings and farewells.

🗣 We wish you a merry Christmas.
🗣 I wish you a safe trip.
🗣 Wish me luck!

💭 **2. Wish to talk about things that are NOT true or unlikely**

These are imaginary, unreal, or regrettable situations — things we want to be different but aren’t.

🎯 Present Wishes → Use wish + past simple (like the second conditional)

I wish I were taller.
→ Ojalá fuera más alto/a.
I wish I had more free time.
→ Ojalá tuviera más tiempo libre.

📌 Note: Even with "I/he/she", we use "were" (not was) in formal English.

🎯 Past Wishes → Use wish + past perfect (like the third conditional)

I wish I had known the meeting was cancelled.
→ Ojalá hubiera sabido que se canceló la reunión.
I wish he had told me earlier. I could have prepared.
→ Ojalá me lo hubiera dicho antes. Podría haberme preparado.

😒 **3. Wish + would to express frustration or desire for change in someone’s behaviour**

Use this when something annoys you or you wish someone acted differently.

I wish he would clean up after cooking.
→ Ojalá limpiara después de cocinar.
I wish my boss would stop emailing me at 9 p.m.
→ Ojalá mi jefe dejara de escribirme a las nueve de la noche.

🤔 What's the difference between “I wish... were” and “I wish... would”?

Let’s compare two nearly identical sentences:

1. I wish my co-workers were more punctual.

You're expressing a general dissatisfaction with the current situation.
It’s unlikely to change, but you wish it were different.
🗣 Ojalá mis compañeros fueran más puntuales.

2. I wish my co-workers would be more punctual.

You're expressing frustration with their behaviour and hope they change in the future.
🗣 Ojalá mis compañeros empezaran a ser más puntuales.

📝 Quick Translation Table: Wish vs. Hope

Español	Inglés
Ojalá mi jefe me diera un aumento de sueldo.	I wish my boss would give me a pay rise.
Espero poder terminar el trabajo pronto hoy.	I hope I can finish work soon today.
Me gustaría que mis compañeros fueran más puntuales.	I wish my co-workers were more punctual.
Espero que el nuevo proyecto tenga éxito.	I hope the new project is successful.
Desearía no haber enviado ese correo tan rápido.	I wish I hadn’t sent that email so quickly.
Espero que no llueva durante el evento.	I hope it doesn’t rain during the event.
Ojalá hubiera estudiado ingeniería en lugar de derecho.	I wish I had studied engineering instead of law.
Espero que el jefe no nos pida quedarnos más tiempo.	I hope the boss doesn’t ask us to stay longer.
Me gustaría que los clientes fueran más pacientes.	I wish customers were a bit more patient.
Tengo la esperanza de encontrar un nuevo empleo este año.	I hope to find a new job this year.
Ojalá tuviera más tiempo libre durante la semana.	I wish I had more free time during the week.
Espero que la reunión termine antes de las cinco.	I hope the meeting ends before five.
Desearía poder hablar inglés con más fluidez.	I wish I could speak English more fluently.
Espero que no haya problemas con el envío.	I hope there are no problems with the delivery.
Ojalá mi ordenador no se colgara tanto.	I wish my computer didn’t crash so much.
Espero que podamos tomarnos unas vacaciones pronto.	I hope we can take a holiday soon.
Me gustaría que hubiera menos burocracia en esta empresa.	I wish there were less bureaucracy in this company.
Espero que todo salga bien con la presentación.	I hope everything goes well with the presentation.
Ojalá no tuviéramos tantas reuniones inútiles.	I wish we didn’t have so many pointless meetings.
Tengo la esperanza de que las cosas mejoren pronto.	I hope things get better soon.

💬 Final Thoughts

"Wish" and "Hope" are both powerful, emotional verbs — but using them accurately will make your English sound much more natural and advanced.

Remember:

✅ Use hope for real possibilities in the future.
✅ Use wish for imaginary, unlikely, or frustrating situations.

Got questions? Want to try your own sentences using wish or hope? Leave a comment or bring them to class next week — we’ll be happy to review them with you!

Contact us for information about our Business English Training Programme, for you or your company:

https://inglesconkillian.com/f/new-groups-opt-in

Phone: 622567969

Email: [email protected]

Categories: : Grammar & Vocabulary