Regular verb
The verb to wish
wish → wished → wished
A2Meaning: to want something unreal or impossible; to hope someone has something good · Type: regular · Frequency: Top 50 English verbs
Key points to remember
- Present Simple:
wish / wishes(-es after -sh) - Past Simple:
wished - Past participle:
wished - -ing form:
wishing
Conjugation of the verb to wish
Present Simple
| I | wish |
| You | wish |
| He / She / It | wishes |
| We | wish |
| You (pl.) | wish |
| They | wish |
Past Simple
| I | wished |
| You | wished |
| He / She / It | wished |
| We | wished |
| You (pl.) | wished |
| They | wished |
All the forms of the verb to wish
Present Simple
Full pagewish / wishes
“I wish you luck.”
See the pagePresent Continuous
Full pageam / is / are wishing
“I am wishing everyone luck right now.”
See the pagePast Simple
Full pagewished
“I wished her a happy birthday.”
See the pagePast Continuous
Full pagewas / were wishing
“I was wishing everyone luck when the phone rang.”
See the pagePresent Perfect
Full pagehave / has wished
“I have already wished everyone luck.”
See the pagePast Perfect
Full pagehad wished
“She had already wished everyone luck when I arrived.”
See the pageFuture Simple
Full pagewill wish
“I will wish everyone luck tomorrow.”
See the pageGoing to Future
Full pageam / is / are going to wish
“I'm going to wish everyone luck this weekend.”
See the pageConditional (would)
Full pagewould wish
“I would wish everyone luck if I had time.”
See the pageHow to use to wish
1. Wishing someone something
- I wish you luck.
2. Wish I were... (a regret)
I wish I were… = I am not, but I would like to be.
- I wish I were taller.
A common mistake
1. Do a wish ❌
Say make a wish, not do a wish. People say Make a wish! before you blow out your birthday candles, or when you see a shooting star.
Going further
Conjugating to wish is a key skill in the English contest
Every year, the Big Challenge tests the key English verbs. Register your students so they can check their level in a real contest.
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Practise on PLAYYou can conjugate to wish. Now say it out loud.
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Related pages: wish
Pages on a similar topic or with a similar use, so you can keep exploring.
Frequently asked questions
What is the past simple of wish?+
The Past Simple of wish is wished. It is a regular verb: wish → wished → wished.
What is the difference between wish and hope?+
Wish is for something unreal or impossible, or for a regret: I wish I could fly. Hope is for something possible: I hope I pass the test. This difference is very important in English grammar.
Is it I wish I was or I wish I were?+
After wish, for something unreal, were is the better form, even with I: I wish I were taller. This were is called the subjunctive, a form that is rare in modern English. People also say I wish I was, but I were is more correct.
What does make a wish mean?+
Make a wish! means think of something you want very much. People say it when you blow out your birthday candles, or when you see a shooting star. It is a tradition. There is also a charity called the Make-A-Wish Foundation, for very sick children.
How do you use best wishes?+
Best wishes is a way to end a letter or an email, before your name. It is less formal than Yours sincerely but more formal than Cheers. With best wishes, Sarah.
Updated on 12 November 2026 by the Big Challenge teaching team. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999. Our teaching approach →
The Big Challenge · Updated on 12 November 2026 · Source: www.thebigchallenge.com/bl/academy/learn-english/verbs/wish
© The Big Challenge. Copying allowed for classroom use. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999.