French word

espérer

Pronunciation

IPA/ɛspeʁe/

Meaning

  • verbhope

Example

J'espère que tu vas bien.

I hope you're well.

Illustration for espérer (hope)

More examples

Nous espérons le meilleur pour toi.

We hope for the best for you.

Core concept

A desired event viewed as likely, though not certain, to happen.

Common phrases

  • espérer que

    hope that ___

  • espérer le meilleur

    hope for the best

  • espérer en quelqu'un

    place one's hopes in someone

Similar words

vouloir: To have the intention of obtaining or doing something.
souhaiter: To voice a hope for a favorable result for someone or something.
désirer: To strongly want something or long to have it.
s'attendre: To believe that something will probably happen.

Definition in French

Exprime un désir ou une attente qu'un fait se réalise.

Word origin

French espérer comes from Latin sperare through Old French esperer and is related to Latin spes, meaning hope.

Usage tips

  • After espérer que, French generally uses the indicative, as in J'espère que tu vas bien, rather than the subjunctive required by many expressions of desire.

Other meanings

  • expectverb
  • wishverb

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word