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Old January 20, 2010, 01:14 AM
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Ojalá

¿Cómo traduciríais "ojalá" en una frase como:

Ojalá le hubieras dicho algo.

I wish/hope you should have told him something.

?

Thanks.
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  #2  
Old January 20, 2010, 01:59 AM
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If only.

If only you'd* said something to him.

* you had
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Old January 20, 2010, 05:13 AM
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OK, thanks.
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Old January 20, 2010, 08:04 AM
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I wish is fine too.
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Old January 20, 2010, 12:28 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ROBINDESBOIS View Post
I wish is fine too.
Thanks, Robin

But I was told (here) that "wish" is used when there's no possibility. What about if there is a possibility? For instance:

Ojalá llegues a tiempo.
I wish you arrive in time.

There are two alternatives, you can arrive in time or you can arrive late.
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Old January 20, 2010, 12:36 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by irmamar View Post
But I was told (here) that "wish" is used when there's no possibility. What about if there is a possibility? For instance:

Ojalá llegues a tiempo.
I wish you arrive in time.
But you can't say that.
I hope that you arrive in time.
I pray that you arrive in time
May you arrive in time
Please God let it be that you arrive in time

I just wish for once that you would arrive in time (you idiot)
.
.
.
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Old January 20, 2010, 12:44 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Perikles View Post
But you can't say that.
I hope that you arrive in time.
I pray that you arrive in time
May you arrive in time
Please God let it be that you arrive in time

I just wish for once that you would arrive in time (you idiot)
.
.
.
Don't you like "May you arrive in time"?

So, if there is a possibility, I must use "hope", but I can say "wish" if there's no possibility. Am I right?

I guess you can omit that "that" and say "I hope you arrive...". Do you prefer to use "that"?
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Old January 20, 2010, 01:16 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by irmamar View Post
Don't you like "May you arrive in time"?
No.

Quote:
So, if there is a possibility, I must use "hope", but I can say "wish" if there's no possibility. Am I right?
No. An example taken from the BNC:

"I just wish the old cow would hurry up and die."

Here it expresses frustration rather than impossibility.

I can't write more now, but I will try to think about this and come back later.
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Old January 20, 2010, 01:19 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pjt33 View Post
No.
Why?
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Old January 20, 2010, 01:38 PM
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La explicación he aprendido es así

Ojalá - más fuerte que "esperar"

No espero tener que hacerlo - I hope I don´t have to do it (the wash, algo con menos esfuerza)
No ojalá tener que hacerlo - I pray I don´t have to do it (kill someone today, algo muy difícil)
------
Wish or hope

Yo entiendo así,
"wish" es más o menos usado cuando es menos posible que algo ocurrirá
"hope" es usado cuando quizás puede ocurrir

I wish I could win the lottery today
I hope I win atleast 20 dollars at the casino

Pero no consideres esas reglas como no se pueden cambiar
Don´t consider these rules to be exact, but they are a good guideline
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--george bluthe sir
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