Meaning
La expresión «I wish I were» se utiliza en inglés para expresar un deseo o una situación hipotética que no es real en el presente. Este tipo de construcción se emplea para hablar sobre situaciones que deseamos fueran diferentes, pero que no están sucediendo actualmente.
En español, esta expresión se podría traducir como «Ojalá fuera», indicando un deseo que no se cumple en la realidad. Por ejemplo, si alguien dice «I wish I were taller» está expresando que, en un mundo ideal, le gustaría ser más alto, aunque en la realidad no lo sea.
Es importante notar que se usa «were» en lugar de «was» incluso cuando el sujeto es en primera persona singular (I), lo cual puede parecer inusual ya que «was» es la forma gramaticalmente correcta para «I» en el pasado simple. Sin embargo, en este contexto subjuntivo, «were» es la forma adecuada.
Para utilizar esta expresión correctamente en inglés, sigue este formato: I wish I were + adjetivo o sustantivo/gerundio. Por ejemplo: «I wish I were a doctor» o «I wish I were playing soccer now». Esto ayuda a comunicar claramente un deseo que no coincide con la realidad presente.
Today's Sentences
- I wish I were richer.
- I wish I were thinner.
- I wish I were younger.
- I wish I were on a beach.
- I wish I were running outside.
- Writer's Note
01
I wish I were richer.
Situation 1
Here’s your mail.
More bills.
What else is new?
¿Qué más hay de nuevo?
Are you in a mood?
What’s going on?
¿Qué está pasando?
I wish I were richer.
I’m so sick of paying bills.
Estoy tan cansado de pagar cuentas.
Situation 2
I wish I were richer.
Don’t we all.
But I mean like super rich.
So rich that all you can do is spend.
Tan rico que lo único que puedes hacer es gastar.
Would that really make you happier?
02
I wish I were thinner.
Situation 1
I wish I were thinner.
You look perfectly beautiful to me.
Is it about what others think?
¿Se trata de lo que piensan los demás?
Yes and no.
I wanna feel good about myself.
Quiero sentirme bien conmigo mismo.
Maybe focus on your inner self and why you feel like you need to be thinner.
Situation 2
Look at these models.
I recognize some of them.
I wish I were thinner.
These models can wear whatever they want.
Estos modelos pueden usar lo que quieran.
I think you look perfectly beautiful the way you are.
Isn’t that more important?
¿No es eso más importante?
03
I wish I were younger.
Situation 1
I'm starting to look middle aged.
No, you don’t.
You look very young for your age.
Pareces muy joven para tu edad.
I wish I were younger.
Well, how about wishing you could age gracefully instead of wishing for something that is impossible.
Situation 2
Should I go see a dermatologist?
Why?
Well, I wish I were younger.
I wish I looked younger too.
También desearía parecer más joven.
I support you in any decision you make.
Even if that means going under the knife to look younger.
Incluso si eso significa someterte a una cirugía para lucir más joven.
04
I wish I were on a beach.
Situation 1
I wish I were on a beach.
That sounds amazing.
Laying on the sand around sunset with a drink in one hand and a book in the other.
I’m looking at tickets, as we speak.
Situation 2
You’ve been so stressed these past few months.
Do you need to get away?
¿Necesitas alejarte?
I wish I were on a beach.
Tell you what.
I’ll send you to the beach, just choose if you’d rather go alone or together.
Te enviaré a la playa, solo elige si prefieres ir solo o acompañado.
Together, of course!
05
I wish I were running outside.
Situation 1
Damn this weather.
I know.
It’s just too hot to go anywhere or do anything.
Hace demasiado calor para ir a cualquier lugar o hacer algo.
I wish I were running outside.
Let’s go for a run as soon as this heatwave dies.
Situation 2
I wish I were running outside.
You can run all you want when you get better.
This cast is so itchy.
Hopefully, you’ll recover fully from your broken leg.
Writer's Note
What is the difference between "were" and "was"?
"Were" and "was" are both past tense versions of the verb to be. But "were" is usually used in relation to second person singular and plural pronouns such as "you", "your", "yours". And a handful of times it could be used with first and third person plural pronouns such as "we", "they".
We use "was", on the other hand, when we’re using the first person singular pronoun or when using the third person singular such as "he" or "she".
For example, you wouldn’t say, "You was going to the gym". You would say, "You were going to the gym".
But you would say, "I was going to the gym" rather than "I were going to the gym."
In a nutshell, I wish I were = grammatically correct
