Wish

wishes about the present and future

1. We use ‘wish’ + past simple to express that we want a situation in the present (or future) to be different.
I wish I spoke Italian. (I don’t speak Italian.)
I wish I had a big car. (I don’t have a big car.)
I wish I was on a beach. (I’m in the office.)
Future: I wish it was the weekend tomorrow. (It’s only Thursday tomorrow.)

2. We use ‘wish’ + past continuous to express that we want to be doing a different action in the present (or future).
I wish I was lying on a beach now. (I’m sitting in the office.)
I wish it wasn’t raining. (It is raining.)
Future: I wish you weren’t leaving tomorrow. (You are leaving tomorrow.)

wishes about the past

We use ‘wish’ + past perfect to express a regret, or that we want a situation in the past to be different.
I wish I hadn’t eaten so much. (I ate a lot.)
I wish they’d come on holiday with us. (They didn’t come on holiday with us.)
I wish I had studied harder at school. (I was lazy at school.)

wish + would

We use ‘wish’ + would + bare infinitive to express impatience, annoyance or dissatisfaction with a present action.
I wish you would stop smoking. (You are smoking at the moment and it is annoying me.)
I wish it would stop raining. (I’m impatient because it is raining and I want to go outside.)
I wish she’d be quiet. (I am annoyed because she is speaking.)

Important points

1. To simply express that you want something to happen in the future (not talking about wanting an action or situation to be different, and not talking about impatience or annoyance) we use ‘hope’, not ‘wish’.
I hope it’s sunny tomorrow.
I wish it was sunny tomorrow. x
I hope she passes her exam next week.
I wish she were passing her exam next week. x
I hope the plane doesn’t crash tomorrow.
I wish the plane wouldn’t crash tomorrow. x

2. We can use ‘wish’ + infinitive or ‘wish’ + object + infinitive to mean ‘want’ in a formal situation.
I wish to leave now. (+ infinitive)
I wish to speak to your supervisor please. (+ infinitive)
I do not wish my name to appear on the list. (+ object + infinitive)

3. We can use ‘(I) wish you’ in fixed expressions.
I wish you a happy birthday.
We wish you good luck in your new job.