Thread: желать

to wish

not to confuse with "хочеть" to want

я желаю жены
i wish for a wife

я хочу жену
i want a wife

it always takes the genative... does it not ??

я желаю
ты желаешь
вы желаете
он она оно желает
мы желаем
они желают

Originally Posted by Dogboy182

to wish

not to confuse with "хочеть" to want

You mean Хотеть.

So, can you use "to wish" the same as "to want" like we do in english?
Example:
I wish to eat.
I want to eat.
Can you do this?

Or is it only used like:
I wish for a husband.
I want a husband.

You can use it with the genitive, an infinitive or with чтобы.
So, emka71aln, I think you're right, you could probably say:
Я желаю съесть.
Я желаю, чтобы я съел.

You don't think it would be Я желаю поесть?

Dunno. What's the difference? You could probably go with пожрать too =o

Isn't съесть more specific? Like you use it when talking about eating an apple, and use поесть when talking about eating in general.

So, what I understand is that in this case, it is pretty much a direct translation of the English word "wish" Hmmm....that seems way too simple. There must be a catch somewhere.

To wish for, desire

Originally Posted by emka71aln

So, can you use "to wish" the same as "to want" like we do in english?
Example:
I wish to eat.
I want to eat.
Can you do this?

Or is it only used like:
I wish for a husband.
I want a husband.

why do people always assume wish and want are the same thing? we do NOT use them the same way in english, at least i don't. that would totally wear down the meaning of the words. if you want somthing you it is somthing that is a desire but, a small one at best. a wish, is like i WISH my wife didn't have cancer, i WISH i could speak russian. if you say i want to speak russian it's like, yea i'm, workin on speaking russianm takin it easy. if you say i want my wife not to have cancer, it sounds pretty weak... like either way u could live with the result. or, if you WISH for food infrontof me , that sounds гей and i would probly slap you. also if you say a BB gun that u really wanted, you wouldn't wish for it, that sounds stupid. u'd just say, man i really want that gun.

and yes mike i meant хотеть... i was already conjugatign ahead of myself