Volere, desiderare e sperare
To want, to wish, to desire and to hope
There are two different structures to express wish, desire and hope in Italian.
1. When a subject expresses a wish for him/herself, we use the infinitive:
- Voglio studiare la storia d’Italia.
- Vorrei studiare la storia d’Italia.
- Volevo studiare la storia d’Italia.
With sperare the subject is followed by di + infinitive:
- Spero di imparare molto.
- Spererei di imparare molto.
- Speravo di imparare molto.
2. When a subject expresses a wish for someone else or for something to happen we use the subjunctive. Notice that in each of the following examples there are two subjects, and that the second subject is followed by the subjunctive:
- Voglio che tu veda quel museo. [present indicative + present subjunctive]
- Vorrei che tu vedessi quel museo. [conditional + imperfect subjunctive]
- Volevo che tu vedessi quel museo. [imperfect indicative + imperfect subjunctive]
The imperfect subjunctive is also used in the idiomatic expression magari…! [I wish / If only] whether the idea involves one or more subjects:
Magari io potessi studiare in Italia! [= Se solo io potessi studiare in Italia!]
Magari Francesco fosse gentile con me! [= Se solo Francesco fosse gentile con me!]
Notice that magari can also mean perhaps, depending on the context in which it is used. Consider the differences:
- Magari domani andiamo in piscina se fa bello. [Here magari means perhaps]
- Magari potessimo andare in piscina domani! [Here magari means we wish]
