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Expressing wishes, regrets and hypothetical situations using wish and if only.
Practice: build the sentences →Wish and if only are used to express unreal situations, regrets, desires, and dissatisfaction about the present, past, or future.
The verb form after wish or if only depends on the time and meaning of the situation being imagined.
I wish I had more time.
Жаль, что у меня нет больше времени.
Present wish: wish + Past Simple.
If only I had studied harder.
Если бы только я учился усерднее.
Past regret: if only + Past Perfect.
I wish you would listen to me.
Я хотел бы, чтобы ты меня послушал.
Future change: wish + would.
Use wish + Past Simple to express a desire for a present situation to be different from reality.
For example, I wish I had more time and She wishes she lived closer.
I wish I had more time.
Жаль, что у меня нет больше времени.
Present situation contrary to reality.
She wishes she lived closer.
Она хотела бы жить ближе.
Wish + Past Simple for present.
I wish I knew the answer.
Жаль, что я не знаю ответа.
Present state.
They wish they were on holiday.
Они хотели бы быть в отпуске.
Present situation.
Were is traditionally used after wish in hypothetical statements with be, especially in formal English.
For example, I wish I were taller and She wishes she were here.
I wish I were taller.
Жаль, что я не выше ростом.
Were with I in hypothetical wish.
She wishes she were here.
Она хотела бы быть здесь.
Were with she.
I wish it were summer.
Жаль, что сейчас не лето.
Were with it.
Wish + Past Simple can express a desire for a present ability or circumstance to be different.
For example, I wish I could speak Spanish and I wish I knew how to fix it.
I wish I could speak Spanish.
Жаль, что я не умею говорить по-испански.
Present ability: wish + could.
I wish I knew how to fix it.
Жаль, что я не знаю, как это починить.
Present ability/knowledge.
She wishes she could play the piano.
Она хотела бы уметь играть на пианино.
Wish + could.
Wish + could expresses a desired change involving ability, possibility, or circumstances.
For example, I wish I could drive and I wish we could stay longer.
I wish I could drive.
Жаль, что я не умею водить.
Wish + could for ability.
I wish we could stay longer.
Жаль, что мы не можем остаться дольше.
Wish + could for possibility.
She wishes she could help.
Она хотела бы помочь.
Wish + could.
Use wish + would to express a desire for a person, situation, or repeated behaviour to change.
For example, I wish you would listen to me and She wishes the neighbours would be quieter.
I wish you would listen to me.
Я хотел бы, чтобы ты меня послушал.
Wish + would for desired change.
She wishes the neighbours would be quieter.
Она хотела бы, чтобы соседи были тише.
Wish + would for change in situation.
I wish it would stop raining.
Я хотел бы, чтобы дождь прекратился.
Wish + would for future change.
Wish + would is often used when the speaker is dissatisfied with repeated behaviour or a situation that they want to change.
For example, I wish you would stop interrupting me.
I wish you would stop interrupting me.
Я хотел бы, чтобы ты перестал меня перебивать.
Annoyance with repeated behaviour.
I wish he would not leave his socks on the floor.
Я хотел бы, чтобы он не оставлял носки на полу.
Wish + would for annoying habit.
She wishes the dog would stop barking.
Она хотела бы, чтобы собака перестала лаять.
Annoying behaviour.
Wish + would can express a desire for someone to be willing to do something, especially when their cooperation is wanted.
For example, I wish he would help us.
I wish he would help us.
Я хотел бы, чтобы он помог нам.
Wish + would for willingness.
I wish she would agree to come.
Я хотел бы, чтобы она согласилась прийти.
Desire for cooperation.
They wish he would cooperate.
Они хотели бы, чтобы он сотрудничал.
Willingness.
Use wish + Past Perfect to express regret about a past event or situation that cannot now be changed.
For example, I wish I had studied harder and She wishes she had not said that.
I wish I had studied harder.
Жаль, что я не учился усерднее.
Past regret: wish + Past Perfect.
She wishes she had not said that.
Она жалеет, что сказала это.
Regret about past action.
I wish I had known earlier.
Жаль, что я не знал раньше.
Past regret.
They wish they had bought the house.
Они жалеют, что не купили дом.
Past decision regret.
A negative Past Perfect after wish expresses regret that an unwanted past event happened.
For example, I wish I had not missed the train.
I wish I had not missed the train.
Жаль, что я опоздал на поезд.
Regret that an unwanted event happened.
She wishes she had not forgotten her keys.
Она жалеет, что забыла ключи.
Negative past regret.
He wishes he had not quit his job.
Он жалеет, что уволился.
Past regret.
Wish + Past Perfect can express regret about a decision that was made in the past.
For example, I wish I had accepted the offer.
I wish I had accepted the offer.
Жаль, что я не принял предложение.
Regret about a past decision.
She wishes she had chosen a different major.
Она жалеет, что выбрала другую специальность.
Past decision regret.
We wish we had invested earlier.
Мы жалеем, что не инвестировали раньше.
Past decision.
If only + Past Simple can express a strong desire for the present situation to be different.
For example, If only I had more money and If only she were here.
If only I had more money.
Если бы только у меня было больше денег.
Strong present wish: if only + Past Simple.
If only she were here.
Если бы только она была здесь.
If only + were.
If only I could speak French.
Если бы только я умел говорить по-французски.
If only + could.
If only + Past Perfect can express strong regret about a past situation.
For example, If only I had listened to you and If only they had arrived earlier.
If only I had listened to you.
Если бы только я послушал тебя.
Strong past regret: if only + Past Perfect.
If only they had arrived earlier.
Если бы только они приехали раньше.
Past regret.
If only I had not made that mistake.
Если бы только я не совершил ту ошибку.
Negative past regret.
If only + would can express a strong desire for a future change or for someone or something to behave differently.
For example, If only he would call me and If only it would stop raining.
If only he would call me.
Если бы только он позвонил мне.
If only + would for future change.
If only it would stop raining.
Если бы только дождь прекратился.
If only + would for desired change.
If only she would be more careful.
Если бы только она была осторожнее.
If only + would for behaviour change.
Wish and if only can express similar meanings, but if only is generally more emphatic.
Compare I wish I had more time with If only I had more time.
I wish I had more time.
Жаль, что у меня нет больше времени.
Wish: less emphatic.
If only I had more time.
Если бы только у меня было больше времени.
If only: more emphatic.
She wishes she could help.
Она хотела бы помочь.
Wish.
If only she could help.
Если бы только она могла помочь.
If only.
Wish + would or could can express a desired future change, depending on whether the meaning concerns behaviour, willingness, possibility, or ability.
For example, I wish you would come earlier and I wish I could visit you next month.
I wish you would come earlier.
Я хотел бы, чтобы ты пришёл раньше.
Wish + would for future behaviour.
I wish I could visit you next month.
Жаль, что я не смогу навестить тебя в следующем месяце.
Wish + could for future ability.
She wishes she would be promoted.
Она хотела бы получить повышение.
Wish + would for future change.
Wish + could generally expresses a desired possibility or ability, while wish + would generally expresses a desired change in behaviour or circumstances.
Compare I wish I could help with I wish you would help me.
I wish I could help.
Жаль, что я не могу помочь.
Wish + could: ability.
I wish you would help me.
Я хотел бы, чтобы ты помог мне.
Wish + would: change in behaviour.
She wishes she could travel.
Она хотела бы путешествовать.
Wish + could: ability/possibility.
She wishes he would travel less.
Она хотела бы, чтобы он меньше путешествовал.
Wish + would: behaviour change.
The verb form after wish signals that the desired situation is different from the current or actual reality.
Past forms after wish express distance from reality rather than ordinary past time in many present and future wishes.
I wish I were rich.
Жаль, что я не богат.
Reality: not rich.
I wish I had studied.
Жаль, что я не учился.
Reality: did not study.
I wish it were Friday.
Жаль, что сейчас не пятница.
Reality: not Friday.
Wish + Past Simple and the Second Conditional can both describe unreal present or future situations, but they serve different grammatical functions.
Compare I wish I had more money with If I had more money, I would buy a new car.
I wish I had more money.
Жаль, что у меня нет больше денег.
Wish + Past Simple.
If I had more money, I would buy a new car.
Если бы у меня было больше денег, я бы купил новую машину.
Second conditional.
She wishes she lived closer.
Она хотела бы жить ближе.
Wish.
If she lived closer, she would visit more.
Если бы она жила ближе, она бы чаще навещала.
Second conditional.
Wish + Past Perfect and the Third Conditional can both refer to unreal past situations and regrets, but they structure the meaning differently.
Compare I wish I had studied harder with If I had studied harder, I would have passed the exam.
I wish I had studied harder.
Жаль, что я не учился усерднее.
Wish + Past Perfect.
If I had studied harder, I would have passed the exam.
Если бы я учился усерднее, я бы сдал экзамен.
Third conditional.
She wishes she had not said that.
Она жалеет, что сказала это.
Wish + Past Perfect.
If she had not said that, he would not have been upset.
Если бы она не сказала этого, он бы не расстроился.
Third conditional.
Wish can express a desire for another person's situation or behaviour to be different.
For example, I wish he lived closer and I wish she would call more often.
I wish he lived closer.
Жаль, что он живёт не ближе.
Wish about another person.
I wish she would call more often.
Я хотел бы, чтобы она звонила чаще.
Wish + would about another person.
I wish they would stop arguing.
Я хотел бы, чтобы они перестали ссориться.
Wish + would for behaviour.
Wish + Past Simple can express dissatisfaction with a present state, possession, circumstance, or relationship.
For example, I wish I knew the answer and I wish we had a bigger house.
I wish I knew the answer.
Жаль, что я не знаю ответа.
Present state.
I wish we had a bigger house.
Жаль, что у нас нет дома побольше.
Present possession.
She wishes she were taller.
Она хотела бы быть выше.
Present state with were.
Wish can be used to express dissatisfaction or disagreement indirectly rather than stating it directly.
For example, I wish you would be a little more careful can sound less direct than You are not careful enough.
I wish you would be a little more careful.
Я хотел бы, чтобы ты был немного осторожнее.
Indirect criticism.
I wish you would not interrupt.
Я хотел бы, чтобы ты не перебивал.
Polite dissatisfaction.
I wish you would consider my proposal.
Я хотел бы, чтобы ты рассмотрел моё предложение.
Indirect request.
Choose the form after wish or if only according to whether the desired change concerns the present, future, or past.
Common mistakes include using the Present Simple after wish for an unreal present situation, using would for ordinary present states, confusing wish + Past Perfect with wish + Past Simple, and confusing wish with if only.
I wish I have more time.
Жаль, что у меня нет больше времени.
Incorrect: use Past Simple "had", not Present Simple.
I wish I would know the answer.
Жаль, что я не знаю ответа.
Incorrect: use Past Simple "knew" for present state, not would.
I wish I had studied.
Жаль, что я не учился.
Correct: wish + Past Perfect.
I wish I would have studied.
Жаль, что я не учился.
Incorrect: use "had studied", not "would have studied".