you wish
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8.4
- idiom
- Informal
:
ni lo sueñes
- Sure, you can have a pet unicorn. You wish that were true!
Examples
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If you think you can win without practicing, you wish!
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He said he could run a marathon without training, but I told him, you wish!
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- Be careful what you wish for.
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Be careful what you wish for.
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Careful what you wish for!
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You may go and see her if you wish.
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What types of music classes do you wish to see offered in schools?
Academic text (2011) -
More immediately, though, I am sure you wish to rest.
Fiction book (1996) -
My life is really yours to do with as you wish.
Fiction book (1999) -
"So, we take it that you wish to apply for membership with the Elements?"
Fiction book (1996)
Synonyms
Say in a joking way to show you do not expect someone to do what they said
How Dismissive
Surface Forms
Morphology
you + wish
The sarcastic retort 'you wish' does relate to the verb 'wish' (wanting something), so a learner might grasp the general idea of desire, but the specific meaning 'that won't happen / you only wish that' is an ironic, elliptical use that is not directly predictable from the words alone. Understanding this pragmatic, sarcastic function typically requires exposure to conversational usage, so the expression is only partially transparent to a B1 learner.
Etymology
You wish comes from the idea that someone is only making a wish for something, like a child hoping for a toy but not getting it. So saying you wish tells the person their hope is only a wish and means 'that won't happen' or shows 'not believing'.