אני מקווה
ani mekave
The English phrase "I hope" is translated into Hebrew as אני מקווה (ani mekave).
אני מקווה is a phrase used to express a desire for something to happen in the future.
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb changes its ending based on the gender of the speaker: use mekave if you are male and mekava if you are female. When אני מקווה is followed by a clause (for example, "I hope that…"), the Hebrew word for "that" is often attached to the following word as the prefix ש־ (she-).
How do you pronounce it?
ani mekave
Did you know?
- The word מקווה shares its root with the mikveh, a ritual bath used for purification in Judaism. Both terms stem from an ancient root meaning 'to collect' or 'to gather'.
- While אני מקווה translates to 'I hope', Hebrew speakers often use the phrase בעזרת השם meaning 'with the help of God' to express hope for the future.
- When expressing hope in a religious context, speakers may use בעזרת השם as a verbal gesture to avoid 'tempting fate' by claiming a desire as a certainty.
Examples in context
- אני מקווה שתום בא.I hope Tom comes.Tatoeba #5490822 by fekundulo, translation #5418383 by CK
- אני מקווה שזה הכל.I hope that's everything.Tatoeba #5588512 by fekundulo, translation #5206976 by CK
- אני מקווה כי תשובי.I hope you'll return.Tatoeba #1370787 by MrShoval, translation #2146038 by Maralula
- אנחנו מקווים שהמסיבה תהיה מהנהWe hope the party will be enjoyable
- יש לנו תוכניות מרתקות לשנה הקרובה ואני מקווה שנוכל לשתף אותך בהןWe have exciting plans for the upcoming year, and I hope we can involve you in them.
- 457 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about an upcoming job interview.
- עגור Adiאני מקווה שתצליח בראיון.ani mekava she-etztliach ba-ryayon.I hope you succeed in the interview.
- נועם Noamתודה, אני מקווה שגם את תצליחי במבחן.toda, ani mekave she-gam at etztliach ba-mivchan.Thanks, I hope you succeed in the exam too.
- עגור Adiאני מקווה שזה יהיה קל.ani mekava she-ze yihiye kal.I hope it will be easy.
- נועם Noamבטח, הכל יהיה בסדר.betach, hakol yihiye be-seder.Sure, everything will be fine.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries אני, מקווה, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
