Ojala que este bien

Question

This is a follow up from a question I recently posted. I asked how I would say "I hope that he will be ok/allright", after hearing that someone has a medical issue/illness. Ojalá que esté bien was one of the answers. I see in the dictionary that ojalá means "hopefully". To me this sounds like "Hopefully that he will be well". Is this correct? Also, another person answered with two phrases. One using subjunctive esté, the other using future subjunctive estuviere. Which would be more appropriate in this situation? "Ojalá que estuviere bien", "Espero que esté bien", or "Espero que estuviere bien". Or are all of them valid responses? Thanks in advance for any help!!!

Answer 1

I looked it up in a spanish dictionary, and it says that ojalá means "I hope so!" I also looked up "hope" and it says that hope would be "esperanza." I also looked up "estuviere" on SpanishDict, and it said that it means "pending" so I would use "Espero que se recupere bien."

Of course, you should definitely get someone else's opinion... I'm only 12!

Answer 2

"Ojalá" or "ojalá que" falls more towards the category of an exclamation. A better translation in English for "ojalá" or "ojalá que" would be:

"I sure hope"

"I sure wish"

"I hope to God that"

Yes, these meanings are all in my college textbook. - foxluv, MAY 30, 2010

Answer 3

As far as I know, the "subjunctive future" is formed with the present subjunctive, therefore "Ojalá/Espero que esté bien" would be the correct answer.

Answer 4

Ojalá que esté bien.

Espero que se mejore.

Answer 5

The future subjunctive is not something that I have come across very much. My study material suggests that it is more commonly found in archaic writing and rarely in normal conversation.

'Ojalá que esté bien' ie the present subjunctive fits the bill in my view.

My Spanish teacher used to say that Ojalá was a little stronger than Espero and expressed a more forceful hope eg 'I really do hope that he is (or will be) OK' although I have never seen that in a text book.

You have not come across the future subjunctive, because it does not exist. There is not such things as the future subjunctive. - aceydoubleyou, MAY 30, 2010

Answer 6

Espero que estuviere bien

jeje, I wonder who suggested this, this is like 16th century Spanish

Don't forget that the RAE includes among its objectives that Spaniards through the ages shall be able to read Cervantes. I admit he overlaps into C17 but.... - geofc, MAY 30, 2010