"I wish" Deseo vs desearía

Question

I was told by Maria that Desearía is more commonly used for I wish than deseo, and that "Desearía que él no sea tan tonto" (about my stepdad) is more flowing to her ears than "Deseo que". I told her that ía is would after the infinitive and she said that with desear it takes a slighly different meaning and still means "I wish" and is more common in Mexico than deseo though both are used. Thoughts? Gracias.

Answer 1

I was told by Maria that Desearía is more commonly used for I wish than deseo, and that "Desearía que él no sea tan tonto" (about my stepdad) is more flowing to her ears than "Deseo que". I told her that ía is would after the infinitive and she said that with desear it takes a slighly different meaning and still means "I wish"

I wish in Spanish is translated as "ojalá".

Desearía algo...is a bad translation.

Deseo means I wish for something, I want something.

IN any case, your sentence is incorrect.

In case you want to say desearía:

Desearía que él no fuera tan tonto.

The best way:

¡Ojala no fuera tan tonto!

I usually use Ojala to mean I hope, and I know it means a lot of stuff. Ojala que te sientas mejor, and stuff like that. - jeezzle, May 30, 2010

Answer 2

Makes perfect sense to me. Wishes are more hypothetical than factual so the conditional tense seems more appropriate. If it were so, I would...

Guess what? Here were are back to you discussion between the subjunctive vs the future. Si fuera así, haría eso. subjunctive and conditional

The difference is the subjunctive says if this hypothetical condition existed I would do this. The future tense states probability or conjecture of what you will do without any conditions being involved..

Hmm... I don't feel that it's as cut and dry as all that though. I see the clauses disregarded very often. Although I know of them, the guys at work including Maria tend to use sub after every instance of que and cuando etc.. I think it's book vs people. - jeezzle, May 30, 2010

that's why I'm starting to see that subjunctive is not a choice at all but just a rule, clauses or no, whereas future is a choice of when to switch to probable vs certain. - jeezzle, May 30, 2010

Answer 3

"Desearía que él no sea tan tonto" which is like "I wish that he isn't so stupid"

I don't think this sentence is correct in English.

NO way you can use wish with present simple, and you should not in Spanish. Doesn't sound so bad as in English but anyway. That is simply wrong grammar.

And desearía seems to be regional.

It is used as gustar. Desearía venir a las 8.I would like to come at 8

Not as "I wish"

Yes, I wish that he isn't is incorrect English, and so I assume that's why sea tan tanto is incorrect Spanish too, to follow along that line of thinking. - jeezzle, May 30, 2010

I also used desearía in the manner that you just described, that's why she surprised me by implying that is means to wish, and not to "would like" which is how I always saw it, but you know... - jeezzle, May 30, 2010

I understand all these Spanish movies from Spain really well, and then I can't grasp what the Mexican guys at work are saying though. Maria says I need to learn the way that they are talking, otherwise I'm not learning a language that's actually relevant. - jeezzle, May 30, 2010

to where I am, so it's just for watching TV or something and not for speaking and meeting people. - jeezzle, May 30, 2010

Well, she has a point, after all you need the Mexican usage, even though the usage is not the correct one. - 00494d19, May 30, 2010

Answer 4

In case you want to say desearía:

Desearía que él no fuera tan tonto.

The best way:

¡Ojala no fuera tan tonto!

So imperfect subjunctive is just another way to say past tense subjunctive right, since there is no other preterite subjunctive right? So it's like Maria wanted me to say "Desearía que él no sea tan tonto" which is like "I wish that he isn't so stupid" and you want me to say "Desearía que él no fuera tan tonto" which is like "I wish that he wasn't so stupid" (makes sense) but then you want me to use Ojala, which doesn't need the que, but can use it if you want. "Ojala que no fuera tan tanto" or "Ojala no fuera tan tanto" I wish that he wasn't so stupid. If I said "Ojala no sea tan tonto" it would be like "I wish that he isn't so stupid". Maria and have of late been speaking of the differences in "Spain"ish vs Mexican Spanish and she thinks some regional differences are to be expected. Ojala may be more used for wish in Spain? She says desearía is the way to go here, but I'll try to learn both forms I guess.

Answer 5

Both forms make sense to me - "I wish/want something" makes as much sense as "I would wish/want something." So I would go with whatever sounds better to native speakers.

Verbs of desire and verbs of volition...there seem to be overlaps with some verbs - 0074b507, May 30, 2010