Spanish vocabulary · Beginner
Wish in Spanish: Deseo
Deseo · noun · deh-SEH-oh
Deseo serves as both the Spanish noun for wish and the first-person form of the verb desear (to wish, to desire). The interjection ojalá expresses a hopeful wish and is one of the few Arabic-origin words in everyday Spanish, derived from the phrase God willing. Together, deseo, desear, and ojalá cover the full range of English wishing.
Deseo is three syllables: deh-SEH-oh, stressing the second syllable. Ojalá is oh-hah-LAH, with stress on the final syllable.
Mi mayor deseo es viajar por toda Sudamérica.
My greatest wish is to travel all across South America.
Wish in Spanish: Quick Reference
Below are the most common Spanish words for wish, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.
| Spanish | English | Pronunciation | Region / Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| deseo | wish | deh-SEH-oh | Default, widely understood |
| desear | wish | verb form: to wish or to desire | |
| ojalá | wish | interjection meaning I wish or hopefully, often followed by subjunctive |
How Native Speakers Use Deseo
Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.
Birthday wish
Pide un deseo antes de soplar las velas del pastel.
Make a wish before blowing out the candles on the cake.
Pedir un deseo is the fixed phrase for making a wish, used at birthdays, fountains, and shooting stars.
Hopeful wish with ojalá
Ojalá que mañana no llueva para el concierto.
I wish it wouldn't rain tomorrow for the concert.
Ojalá triggers the subjunctive mood and expresses hope about uncertain future events.
Formal well-wishes
Les deseamos mucha felicidad en esta nueva etapa de su vida.
We wish you much happiness in this new stage of your life.
Desear is the verb used in formal well-wishes at weddings, graduations, and new beginnings.
Avoid These Mistakes When Using Deseo
Using esperar instead of desear for wishes
Incorrect: Espero un deseo al ver la estrella fugaz.
Correct: Pido un deseo al ver la estrella fugaz.
Esperar means to hope or to wait, not to make a wish. The fixed expression is pedir un deseo (to ask for a wish), not esperar un deseo.
Forgetting subjunctive after ojalá
Incorrect: Ojalá ella viene a la fiesta.
Correct: Ojalá ella venga a la fiesta.
Ojalá always triggers the subjunctive because it expresses a wish about an uncertain outcome. Viene is indicative; venga is the correct subjunctive form after ojalá.
Lock in Wish Vocabulary with the Parrot Method
Why word lists alone don't stick
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See Deseo used by native speakers
Parrot's short-form videos feature native speakers using deseo in real situations. Context-based exposure beats flashcards, you hear Mi mayor deseo es viajar por toda Sudamérica. while watching someone live the moment, connecting meaning, sound, and rhythm at once.
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Common Questions About Wish in Spanish
- How do you say wish in Spanish?
- Wish as a noun is deseo, and the verb to wish is desear. The interjection ojalá (I wish, hopefully) adds an emotional, hopeful dimension and is one of the most recognizable Arabic loanwords in the Spanish language.
- What does ojalá mean and where does it come from?
- Ojalá means I hope or I wish and derives from the Arabic phrase inshā'Allāh (God willing). It entered Spanish during the centuries of Moorish presence in the Iberian Peninsula and remains one of the most frequently used interjections in modern Spanish.
- How do you say I wish you the best in Spanish?
- The most natural way to say I wish you the best is te deseo lo mejor. For a more formal register, le deseo todo lo mejor uses the usted form. Both are appropriate for farewells, graduations, and life transitions.