Meaning
在语法上，“I've always wanted to”由四个部分组成：
这个表达适用于各种场合，帮助你自然地表达长期以来的愿望，无论是生活中的小事还是人生大事。例如：“I've always wanted to learn how to play the guitar”表示“我一直想学弹吉他”。
通过使用“I've always wanted to”，你可以让别人明白这是一个长期的愿望，而不仅仅是一个临时的想法。这种表达的灵活性使其可以用于多种情境，无论是谈论职业抱负、旅行梦想，还是个人兴趣。
Today's Sentences
- I’ve always wanted to be a father.
- I’ve always wanted to ride a bike.
- I’ve always wanted to be an athlete.
- I’ve always wanted to raise a big family.
- I’ve always wanted to play an instrument.
- Writer's Note
01
I’ve always wanted to be a father.
Situation 1
What is one thing you wish you could have done but haven’t achieved yet?
I’ve always wanted to be a father, to have a family of my own.
I guess it’s never too late.
Never say never, I suppose.
Situation 2
If you could go back to your younger self, what advice would you give?
Well, I’ve aways wanted to be a father.
I think I’d tell myself to marry that wonderful girl and start a beautiful family.
我想我会告诉自己去娶那个美好的女孩，然后开始一个美好的家庭。
Do you regret not being married?
I regret not marrying the love of my life.
02
I’ve always wanted to ride a bike.
Situation 1
Why are you wearing a helmet?
I’m gonna go ride my bike for an hour.
I’ve always wanted to ride a bike.
I’ll teach you!
Maybe not today but how about the weekend?
或许不是今天，但这个周末怎么样？
Situation 2
What’s one thing you didn’t get to have when you were younger?
I’ve always wanted to ride a bike.
I wanted to meet my friends and go to school riding a bike.
我想骑自行车去见我的朋友们和上学。
It’s never too late.
Why don’t I teach you?
我为什么不教你呢？
That would make me so happy!
03
I’ve always wanted to be an athlete.
Situation 1
You’re really good at soccer.
Thanks.
I’ve always wanted to be an athlete.
我一直想成为一名运动员。
Why didn’t you pursue it?
I was more focused on studying.
I decided that soccer would just be a hobby.
我决定将足球仅仅作为一种爱好。
Situation 2
What do you regret from your past?
I’ve always wanted to be an athlete.
I wish I was more confident in making my own decisions.
我希望我在做决定时能更有自信。
I agree.
I wish I studied harder in school so that I would live a more abundant life.
我希望我在学校时更加努力学习，这样我就能过上更充实的生活。
I mean, people always say it’s never too late.
But the reality is that you can’t achieve anything you want, especially later in life.
但现实是，你不可能实现所有想要的目标，特别是在生活的后期。
04
I’ve always wanted to raise a big family.
Situation 1
I’m going home for the holidays.
How about you?
你呢？
I’ll be at my parents’ house celebrating Christmas.
We have a small family so it’s quiet during the holidays.
我们家人不多，所以假期时很安静。
Our family is like that too.
I’ve always wanted to raise a big family.
我一直想要一个大家庭。
Me too.
Situation 2
I’ve always wanted to raise a big family.
Me too.
I wanted four kids, two girls and two boys.
我想要四个孩子，两个女孩和两个男孩。
Four?
That was before I actually had kids.
I have two now and they’re a handful.
现在我有两个孩子，他们很难对付。
05
I’ve always wanted to play an instrument.
Situation 1
I’ve always wanted to play an instrument.
Really?
I was lucky to have learnt the guitar.
我很幸运学会了吉他。
I can’t imagine life without music.
But I really want to pick up an instrument.
但是我真的很想学会一种乐器。
You should! I highly recommend learning an instrument.
It will bring you happiness.
它会带给你快乐。
Situation 2
What’s that big black case?
Oh, it’s for my cello.
You play the cello?
Good for you for keeping up with it.
I’ve always wanted to play an instrument.
你坚持下来了，真不错。
我一直想学一种乐器。
It’s challenging to find time to practice but I really enjoy it.
Writer's Note
"I always wanted to" suggests a sense of longing or desire that may have been present in the past but doesn't necessarily continue into the present.
- He always wanted to be a good son.
- She always wanted to find work at a larger corporation.
- I remember the days when I always wanted to live in Paris.
- I always wanted to be a teacher when I was younger.
You can see that these sentences suggest that they wanted something to happen, to go somewhere, or be something but for some reason it hasn't come true.
"I have always wanted to" emphasizes that the desire has been ongoing from the past up to the present moment. To put it simply, it usually means you have never done something before.
- I've always wanted to dine at a Michelin star restaurant.
- I've always wanted to be born with a silver spoon in my mouth.
- She's always wanted to be a mother. It breaks my heart to hear that she cannot have kids.
- He's always wanted to be able to play the drums. Unfortunately, he comes from an underprivileged household.
