How do you say "wish" in Spanish (Latin America)?

desear

Verb Noun

In Spanish (Latin America), "wish" is desear.

Listen to the pronunciation:

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Pronunciation

In everyday Latin American speech, "desear" becomes de-se-AR, spoken briskly with no aspirated th sound at all.

Grammar notes

desear is a verb used the same way as its English equivalent.

Example sentence

Te deseo feliz cumpleaños.

I wish you a happy birthday.

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How to remember desear

Whisper "desear" right after reading "I wish you a happy birthday." so the two lock into memory as one unit.

Questions about desear

How do you pronounce desear?

In everyday Latin American speech, "desear" becomes de-se-AR, spoken briskly with no aspirated th sound at all.

Is desear formal or casual?

desear is a neutral, everyday word that works in both casual and polite speech.

How is desear used in Spanish (Latin America)?

desear is used the same way as the equivalent English verb. For example: Te deseo feliz cumpleaños. (I wish you a happy birthday.).

Where can I practice Spanish (Latin America) words for free?

You can play free Spanish (Latin America) minigames in your browser on the Noun Town online games page, no sign-up required. Every word in the Spanish (Latin America) glossary also has native audio and an example sentence you can revisit any time.

"Wish" in other languages

Curated by Callan Ratcliffe

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