How to express hopes and desires in English?

The verb want is a general term used to express a strong desire for something, whether it is a physical object, an experience, or a particular outcome.

Here are the main ways to use it:

• want

  noun phrase

  I want a new computer.

  They want more time to relax.

• want

  infinitive

  I wanted to be a teacher when I was young.

  She wants to travel the world.

  ⤷ Here, the subject of want is also the subject of the infinitive verb.

• want

  object

  infinitive

  I want my children to be in bed by nine o'clock.

  They want their friends to join the party.

  ⤷ Here, the subject of want is the subject of the infinitive verb.

There are two things to remember when using the verb want:

• Want is NEVER used with a that-clause.

  'that'-clause

  ❌ I want that my children are in bed by nine o’clock.

• Want cannot be used to talk about about regrets (desire for something that we know did not happen).

  I want her to have won the race.

  ✅ The race is over. Did she win? I do not know.
  ❌ The race is over. She lost. I regret that.

  Check out our post on expressing regrets in English or read on to learn about how you can express regret!

  ⤷ Notice this phrase!

  The phrase to have won is called a perfect infinitive. We use this to show that the action we are discussing is finished at the time that we are speaking.

The verb hope expresses a desire for a situation that will make things better in the future. It is commonly used when there is a chance or possibility of the desired result happening. The verb hope can be used with nouns / noun phrases, to infinitives or that clauses.

• hope

  for

  noun phrase

  She hopes for good weather on her wedding day.

  The negotiation is happening today and we hope for a successful outcome.

• hope

  infinitive

  I hope to learn a new language.

  We hope to travel the world.

  Use this structure when the subjectNo definition set for subjectLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. of hope is also the subject of the infinitive.

  Tip

  Notice this difference between want and hope:

  • ✅ I want to learn a new language.

  • ✅ I hope to learn a new language

  • ✅ I want her to learn a new language.

  • ❌ hope her to learn a new language

• want

  that clause

  I hope (that) she learns a new language.

  He hopes (that) he gets a promotion this time.

  Some notes:

  • The that clause always gets its own subject. The subject can be the same as the subject of hope or different.

  • The word that can be deleted with no change in meaning.

Just like with want, you cannot use hope to express regret, but you can use hope to talk about the unknown result of a past event by using the past tense in the that clause. For example:

If you use hope in the past tense, you are expressing a past desire about the future. For example:

• I hoped for good weather on my birthday, but it rained.

• I hoped to win the competition, and I did!

• We hoped that Sarah would win the race.

The verb wish is interesting in that it can be used to express desires or regrets. When used to express desires, it is specifically for something that may be difficult or unlikely. Follow these patterns:

• wish

  for

  noun phrase

  She wishes for a successful career.

  The farmers are wishing for more rain this summer.

• wish

  noun phrase

  infinitive

  I wish to travel around the world someday.

  He wishes the weather to be clear for the upcoming outdoor event.

  ⤷ As we saw above, if there is no object, then the subject of wish and the subject of the infinitive are the same. If there is an object, then the object of wish is the subject of the infinitive.

  Tip

  We most often use wish + infinitive as a very formal way to give a command. For example:

  • I wish to speak to a manager.

    → Go get a manager, so that I can speak to them!

  • The queen wishes you to wait here.

    → Do not leave this room!

• wish

  (that)

  past tenses

  This form is used to talk about a desire about the past or present.

  • Use wish + simple past tense or wish + past continuous for a present situation that is desired, but not true.

    simple pastpast continuous

    I wish I was taller.

    → I regret that I am not taller.

    I wish (that) my sister lived close by.

    → I regret that my sister does not live close by.

    We wish we were saving more money, but our expenses are very high.

    → I regret that we are not saving more money.

    Tip

    In formal writing, use were instead of was, in this context. For example, say:

    I wish I were taller.

    This is because technically the verb here is in the subjunctive, and in the subjunctive we use were for all subjects. In everyday speech, though, it is fine to use the ordinary form past simple form of be.

    A special case is wish + would. This expresses that you want someone to not change a habit or to display different behavior.

    • I wish my neighbor's dog would stop barking.

      → The dog is currently barking. I want it to stop.

    • I wish she would start winning more races!

      → She is currently losing all her races. I want her to win.

    • I wish my son would not throw food on the floor.

      → He currently throws food on the floor a lot. I want him to not do that.

  • Use wish + past perfect tenses for a regret about a past action or situation.

    past perfect

    I wish I had eaten something in the morning. Now, I am starving.

    → I did not eat something in the morning. I regret that.

    She wishes she had saved more money during her early career.

    → She did not save money. She regrets that.

    Tip

    In casual speech, you may hear native speakers use the simple past to talk about regrets. For example:

    past simplepast perfect

    I wish I ate more for breakfeast this morning.

    = I wish I had eaten more for breakfast this morning.

    However, this is not “proper” English and is considered an error.

  Important

  You cannot use wish + that clause to express a desire for the future. Instead use hope:

  • ❌ I wish that it doesn’t rain tomorrow.

  • ✅ I hope that it doesn’t rain tomorrow.

  You also cannot use wish + that clause to express a desire about an unknown past situation. Again, you should use hope instead:

  • ❌ I wish that you had a wonderful vacation.

  • ✅I hope that you have a wonderful vacation.

  The only way to use wish + that to express desire about the future is to would, though literally this is still wishing for a different situation now.

  I wish that you would buy me presents.

  → I want you to buy me presents.

• wish

  somebody

  blessing

  Use this to report that you spoke a blessing out loud to somebody. Generally these express that you want someone to have a positive experience. For example:

  objectblessing

  I wished him a happy birthday.

  → I said, “Happy birthday!” or something similar.

  I wished her a lovely afternoon.

  → I said, “Have a lovely afternoon!” or something similar.

  I wished them better luck next time.

  → I said, “Better luck next time!” or something similar.

The verb desire is also used to express a strong longing or craving for a particular thing, experience, or outcome. However, this verb is uncommon and very formal.

It can be used in three ways:

• desire

  noun phrase

  She desires success in her career.

  We really desired a break by the end of the work day.

• desire

  (object)

  infinitive

  She desires to be a better person.

  The queen desires her son to visit her.

• desire

  that

  root form

  The queen desires that her son visit her.

  The teacher desires that we never speak in class.

  ⤷ This use of desire is especially old-fashioned and is often an extremely formal way to give a command or instruction.

The verbs long and yearn are used to express a deep desire in your soul for something. They are poetic verbs that express that you need something to complete you.

They are mainly used in these ways:

• long / yearn

  for

  noun phrase

  I long for a long weekend when I can go camping.

  My sister yearns for a puppy for her birthday gift.

• long / yearn

  infinitive

  She longs to spend a quiet evening with her dog by the fireplace.

  He yearns to travel the world and experience different cultures.

• long / yearn

  for

  noun phrase

  infinitive

  I long / yearn for him to remember my birthday, just once!

The phrase would like is similar to the verb want, but it is considered a more polite way to express a desire or preference for something in English. You can use this phrase in various situations, such as ordering food at a restaurant, asking for information, making plans, or stating your preference without sounding too direct.

Use it in these patterns:

• would like

  noun phrase

  I would like a coffee and a donut, please.

• would like

  (object)

  infinitive

  We would like to see more recycling efforts in our town.

  She would like her children to live in nearby states.

To use this expression to talk about a past desire, use would have liked + infinitive / noun phrase or would like + perfect infinitive.

The phrase look forward to is a common expression that is used to convey anticipation or excitement about something that will happen in the future. It’s commonly used in both formal and informal contexts. Here’s how to use it:

• look forward to

  gerund / gerund phrase

  I am looking forward to making new friends in college.

  I look forward to hearing from you.

  The children look forward to their grandparents’ visiting them this weekend.

• look forward to

  noun phrase

  She is looking forward to the summer vacation.

  We're looking forward to your phone call!

Modal verbs are auxiliary verbs that are used to indicate possibilities, permissions, obligations, or desires. Modal verbs wouldand mayare frequently used to express hopes and desires in English.

• The modal verb would in the following example sentences indicates hypothetical hopes:

  • I would love to live by the beach someday.

  • I would be excited to join a company that’s known for innovation.

• The modal verb may + subject is used to express a wish or desire out loud, like a blessing. This is very old-fashioned, but is used in some set phrases.

  subject

  May all your dreams come true!

  = I hope that all your dreams come true.

  May you both have a long, happy life together.

  = I hope that you both have a long, happy life together.

You can express that a sentence represents a hope or desire by starting your sentence with a conjunctive adverb like hopefullyor a similar set phrase. Here are some of the most common:

• Hopefully, he will be happy.

• With any luck, the traffic won’t be too bad.

• If all goes well, we should finish the project on time.

• Fingers crossed, they’ll choose me for the job.

• Best-case scenario, we’ll be able to resolve the issue quickly.