Lesson 83: Hopes and Wishes
Looking forward, you’ll want to express what you hope will happen — and what you wish for. Hebrew has a warm little word, הַלְוַאי, just for wishes.
Hoping for good weather
אֲנִי מְקַוֶּה שֶׁמָּחָר יִהְיֶה מֶזֶג אֲוִיר טוֹב.
ani mekave shemachar yihye mezeg avir tov.
I hope the weather will be good tomorrow.
גַּם אֲנִי. הַלְוַאי שֶׁלֹּא יֵרֵד גֶּשֶׁם.
gam ani. halevai shelo yered geshem.
Me too. I wish it won’t rain.
עַל מָה אַתְּ חוֹלֶמֶת?
al ma at cholemet?
What do you dream about?
אֲנִי מְקַוָּה לְטַיֵּל בְּכָל הָעוֹלָם יוֹם אֶחָד.
ani mekava letayel bechol ha’olam yom echad.
I hope to travel the whole world one day.
אֲנִי בָּטוּחַ שֶׁתַּצְלִיחִי.
ani batuach shetatslichi.
I’m sure you’ll succeed.
Grammar: “I hope…” and “if only…”
The verb is לְקַווֹת (lekavot, “to hope”), used two ways:
- מְקַוֶּה שֶׁ + future — “I hope that…”: אֲנִי מְקַוֶּה שֶׁתָּבוֹא (“I hope you’ll come”)
- מְקַוֶּה לְ + infinitive — “I hope to…”: אֲנִי מְקַוֶּה לְטַיֵּל (“I hope to travel”)
For a wish, especially one out of your control, use הַלְוַאי שֶׁ (halevai she, “if only / I wish that”): הַלְוַאי שֶׁלֹּא יֵרֵד גֶּשֶׁם.
Tip: מְקַוֶּה agrees with the speaker — a man says mekave, a woman מְקַוָּה (mekava).
Vocabulary
Hoping
| לְקַווֹת | lekavot | to hope |
| מְקַוֶּה | mekave | hope (I/you hope) |
| תִּקְוָה | tikva | hope |
Wishing
| הַלְוַאי | halevai | if only, I wish |
| חֲלוֹם | chalom | dream |
| יוֹם אֶחָד | yom echad | one day, someday |