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Italian vocabulary · Beginner
How do you say "wish" in Italian?
desiderare
In Italian, "wish" is desiderare.
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Pronunciation
Desiderare is deh-zee-deh-RAH-reh, stress on the fourth syllable, a long five-syllable word that's worth breaking into two halves when practicing.
Grammar notes
desiderare is a verb used the same way as its English equivalent.
Example sentence
Ti auguro buon compleanno.
I wish you a happy birthday.
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How to remember desiderare
A deep desire is what you feel when you desiderare something - 'desider' matches 'desire' almost exactly.
Related words
- run correre
- walk camminare
- jump saltare
- climb scalare
- crawl strisciare
- swim nuotare
- fall cadere
- eat da mangiare
- chew masticare
Browse all Italian words in the glossary.
Questions about desiderare
How do you pronounce desiderare?
Desiderare is deh-zee-deh-RAH-reh, stress on the fourth syllable, a long five-syllable word that's worth breaking into two halves when practicing.
Is desiderare formal or casual?
desiderare is a neutral, everyday word that works in both casual and polite speech.
How is desiderare used in Italian?
desiderare is used the same way as the equivalent English verb. For example: Ti auguro buon compleanno. (I wish you a happy birthday.).
Where can I practice Italian words for free?
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"Wish" in other languages
Curated by Callan Ratcliffe
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