Translation of German word "wünschen" to English
wünschen
/vʏnʃən/
Meaning
VerbTo desire; to want.
How to use
The weak verb wünschen ('to wish / desire') conjugates regularly: ich wünsche, du wünschst, er wünscht, hat gewünscht. When wishing something for oneself, it requires the reflexive pronoun in the dative case (Ich wünsche mir ein Buch — I wish for a book). The person addressed is in the dative, and the wish is in the accusative (Ich wünsche dir Glück — I wish you luck).
🇬🇧 English
to wish
Example
Ich wünsche dir ein schönes Weihnachtsfest.
I wish you a Merry Christmas.
Sie wünscht mir Glück bei der Prüfung.
She wishes me good luck on the exam.
Your personal vocabulary
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Common phrases
- Glück wünschen— to wish luck (requires dative for person)
- zu wünschen übrig lassen— to leave a lot to be desired (idiom)
- alles Gute wünschen— to wish all the best
More Core Verbs words
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📖 Related grammar
🦊 Conjugation of the verb "wünschen"Full conjugation →
Present Tense (Präsens)
Simple Past (Präteritum)
Perfect (Perfekt)
ich habe gewünscht
Imperative (Imperativ)
Frequency rank: #218 in German
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the definition of the German word "wünschen"?▼
The German word "wünschen" is defined as: "To desire; to want."
What does the German word "wünschen" mean?▼
The German word "wünschen" means "to wish" in English.
How do you pronounce the German word "wünschen"?▼
You can hear the correct audio pronunciation of the word "wünschen" by clicking the play button next to the word at the top of this page.
Can I see an example sentence with "wünschen"?▼
Yes, here is a practical example: "Ich wünsche dir ein schönes Weihnachtsfest." (which translates as "I wish you a Merry Christmas.").
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