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? (¿Qué hacéis?)

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

A: How long did they wait? (¿Cuánto tiempo esperaron?)

They have been waiting since 12 o'clock. (Esperan desde las 12.)

My mother went in but the rest of us waited outside. (Mi madre entró pero los demás esperamos fuera.)

‘‘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. (Creo/Supongo que mañana lloverá.)

They expected to meet great resistance. (Esperaban encontrar mucha resistencia.)

She was expecting the visitors at 8 o'clock, but they didn't arrive until almost 9. (Esperaba a sus visitantes a las 8, pero no llegaron hasta casi las 9.)

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

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

Mary is expecting a baby. (María está embarazada.)

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. (Jane espera que Peter se acordara de cobrar el cheque.)

We hope (that) you're enjoying your new job. (Esperamos/deseamos que disfrutes tu nuevo trabajo.)

I hope (that) you enjoy the concert tomorrow. (Espero que disfrutéis el concierto mañana.)

I hope (that) you're coming to the party on Saturday. (Espero que vengáis a la fiesta el sábado.)

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

John hopes to see his cousin next week. (John tiene la esperanza de ver a su primo/prima la próxima semana.)

Compare: John expects to see his cousin next week. (John espera ver a ...) John wishes to see his cousin next week. (John desea ver a ...)

Which is a formal way of saying:

John wants to see his cousin next week. (John quiere ver a...)

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. (John piensa que ojalá hubiera estudiado en serio para los exámenes.)

I wish I hadn't eaten so much last night. (Ojalá no hubiera comido tanto anoche.)

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. (Ojalá supiera tocar la guitarra. / Desearía saber tocar la guitarra.)

Jane wishes (that) she didn't have to get up so early. (Jane piensa que ojalá no tuviera que levantarse tan pronto.)

My mother wishes my sister wouldn't smoke in the house. (Mi madre piensa que ojalá mi hermana no fumara dentro 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. (Ojalá vinieras / viniérais a la fiesta el sábado.)

Sally wishes (that) you could be with us next week. (Sally desearía que pudiérais estar con nosotros la semana que viene.)

	See also wish.