Meaning
「I wish I were」は、仮定法過去を用いた表現で、現実とは異なる状況を願ったり、想像したりする際に使われます。この表現は、現在の状況が実際にはそうではないことを示しつつ、もしそうであればいいのにという意味を持ちます。
例えば、「I wish I were a bird.」と言うと、「私は鳥だったらいいのに」となり、実際には鳥ではないですが、鳥であることを願っていることを表現しています。
この表現における「were」は、主語が「I」の場合でも「was」ではなく「were」を使うのが特徴です。これは仮定法過去の形式であり、現実とは異なる仮定の状況を表すために使われます。
日常会話でよく使われるこの表現は、想像や希望を伝える際に便利です。たとえば、「I wish I were taller.」は「もっと背が高ければいいのに」という意味になります。
「I wish I were」を使うことで、現実とは異なる願いや想いを丁寧に伝えることができます。この表現を理解し、使いこなすことで、より豊かな英語コミュニケーションが可能になります。
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?
他に新しいことは何でしょうか？
Are you in a mood?
What’s going on?
どうしたのですか？
I wish I were richer.
I’m so sick of paying bills.
請求書を払うのにうんざりしている。
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.
とても裕福で、できることといえば使うことだけです。
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?
それは他の人の考えに関することですか？
Yes and no.
I wanna feel good about myself.
自分に対して良い気持ちを持ちたいです。
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.
これらのモデルは好きなものを何でも着ることができます。
I think you look perfectly beautiful the way you are.
Isn’t that more important?
それがもっと重要ではありませんか？
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.
年齢の割にとても若く見えますよ。
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.
見た目も若かったらいいのに。
I support you in any decision you make.
Even if that means going under the knife to look younger.
たとえそれが若返るためにメスを入れることを意味するとしても。
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?
少し休憩が必要ですか？
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.
ビーチに送りますので、一人で行くか一緒に行くか選んでください。
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.
どこに行くにも何をするにも暑すぎるね。
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
