1.36 Wait (for), expect, hope, look forward to, wish

Compare wait (for) and expect. ‘‘Wait’’ is something that you do, e.g.:

A: What are you doing? (Què feu?)

‘‘Waiting’’ always lasts a period of time (though this is not necessarily mentioned), e.g.:

A: How long did they wait? (Quant de temps van esperar?

They have been waiting since 12 o'clock. (Esperen des de les 12.)

My mother went in but the rest of us waited outside. (La meva mare hi va entrar però els altres esperàvem fora.)

‘‘Expect’’ is not possible in any of these cases.

‘‘Expect’’ usually refers to thinking about something in the future, e.g.:

I expect (that) it will rain tomorrow. (Espero/Suposo que plourà demà.)

They expected to meet great resistance. (Esperaven trobar molta resistència.)

She was expecting the visitors at 8 o'clock, but they didn't arrive until almost 9. (Esperava els visitants per a les 8 però no van arribar fins quasi les 9.)

‘‘Wait (for)’’ is not possible in any of these cases.

We also use ‘‘expect’’ in the following case:

Mary is expecting a baby. (La Mary està embarassada.)

Compare hope and wish. Typically you hope that something has happened/is happening/will happen the way you want it to happen, e.g.:

Jane hopes (that) Peter remembered to cash the check. (La Jane espera que en Peter s'hagi recordat de cobrar el xec.)

We hope (that) you're enjoying your new job. (Esperem/Desitgem que gaudeixis de la nova feina.)

I hope (that) you enjoy the concert tomorrow. (Desitjo que gaudiu del concert demà.)

I hope (that) you're coming to the party on Saturday. (Espero que vingueu a la festa dissabte.)

‘‘Wish’’ is not possible in any of these cases.

John hopes to see his cousin next week. (En John té esperances de veure el seu cosí/la seva cosina la setmana que ve.)

Compare: John expects to see his cousin next week. (En John espera veure/suposa que veurà...) John wishes to see his cousin next week. (John desitja veure ...)

Which is a formal way of saying:

John wants to see his cousin next week. (En John vol veure...)

However, normally you wish that something (in the past) had been different from the way it in fact was, e.g.:

John wishes (that) he had studied hard for his exams. (En John pensa que tant de bo hagués estudiat de valent per als exàmens.)

I wish I hadn't eaten so much last night. (Lamento haver menjat tant ahir al vespre.)

Or that something (in the present) was different from the way it in fact is, e.g.:

I wish (that) I could play the guitar. (Desitjaria poder tocar la guitarra.)

Jane wishes (that) she didn't have to get up so early. (La Jane pensa que tant de bo no s'hagués de llevar tan d'hora.)

My mother wishes my sister wouldn't smoke in the house. (La meva mare desitjaria que la meva germana no fumés dins de casa.) (Compare irritating habits.)

Or that something (in the future) could be different from the way it is going to be, e.g.:

I wish (that) you were coming to the party on Saturday. (Desitjaria que vinguessis a la festa dissabte.)

Sally wishes (that) you could be with us next week. (La Sally desitjaria que poguessis estar amb nosaltres la setmana que ve.)

	See also wish.