magari
/maˈɡa.ri/
In Italian, "I wish" can be expressed as magari or mi piacerebbe.
Meaning: I would very much like that to be so (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Italian | IPA |
|---|---|
| magari | /maˈɡa.ri/ |
| mi piacerebbe |
When used to express a wish or a strong sense of "if only," magari is used to convey a desire for something that is often unrealistic. While magari can also mean "maybe" or "perhaps" in other contexts, in this specific context it functions as "if only".
Which one should you use?
magari is used to express a strong, often unrealistic desire or a sense of "if only" in a colloquial way. In contrast, mi piacerebbe is used when expressing a polite preference or a wish that is more grounded in reality than the exclamation magari.
How do you pronounce it?
/maˈɡa.ri/. The word has 3 syllables and the stress is on the 2nd syllable.
Did you know?
- The Greek root of magari implies a state of being 'blessed', suggesting that when an Italian says 'if only', they are subconsciously dreaming of a blessed or happy state.
- Depending on the tone of voice, magari can transform from a hopeful 'I wish!' into a sarcastic 'Yeah, right!' when someone suggests something unlikely to happen.
- In a conversation, magari can function as a complete sentence. A person can answer a question with just this one word to mean 'I wish it were true!'
Examples in context
- Magari avessi più amici.I wish I had more friends.This sentence is useful for expressing a wish regarding the number of friends one has using magari.Tatoeba #7713732 by Valdast, translation #1969247 by CK
- Magari fosse davvero così!I wish it were really like that!This sentence is useful for expressing a wish that a situation were actually true using magari.Tatoeba #3165434 by Guybrush88, translation #12211094 by carlosalberto
- Magari non avessi dei bambini.I wish I didn't have any kids.This sentence is useful for expressing a wish regarding not having children using magari.Tatoeba #9040204 by Valdast, translation #8732784 by shekitten
- Vorrei tanto imparare a ballare la tarantella.I would really like to learn how to dance the tarantella.
- 10 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about the weather during a rainy day.
- GiuliaMagari ci fosse il sole oggi.I wish it were sunny today.
- MatteoSì, ma oggi piove molto.Yes, but it is raining a lot today.
- GiuliaMagari potessimo andare al mare.I wish we could go to the beach.
- MatteoSarebbe fantastico, Giulia.That would be fantastic, Giulia.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “I wish” translations and entries magari, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries magari, mi, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
