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1 ♦ could
♦ could /kʊd, kəd/v. modalecould, come tutti i verbi modali, ha caratteristiche particolari:● ha significato di passato o di condizionale;● non ha forme flesse (-s alla 3a pers. sing. pres., - ing, -ed), non è mai usato con ausiliari; in sostituzione delle forme mancanti si usano, secondo il significato, quelle di to be able o di to be possible;● forma le domande mediante la semplice posposizione del soggetto;● l'infinito che segue non ha la particella to;● viene usato nelle question tags1 ( esprime capacità o abilità) – At 12 he still could not read properly, a dodici anni non sapeva ancora (o non era ancora in grado di) leggere bene; He could be very unpleasant when he wanted, sapeva (o poteva) essere molto sgradevole quando voleva; I could not resist intervening, non seppi resistere all'impulso di intervenire; The doctors could not save him, i medici non hanno potuto (o non sono riusciti a) salvarlo; I'm sorry I couldn't come earlier, mi dispiace di non esser potuta venire prima; How could you do such a thing?, come hai potuto fare una cosa simile?; We decided we could afford a bigger house, decidemmo che potevamo permetterci una casa più grande; We could hear firing in the distance, sentivamo spari in lontananza; I could feel my heart thumping, mi sentivo martellare il cuore; I turned my back to him so that he couldn't see me smiling, mi girai perché non mi vedesse sorridere2 ( nel discorso indiretto) – She said she could come after lunch, (rif. al futuro) ha detto che può (o potrà) venire dopo pranzo; (rif. al passato) disse che avrebbe potuto (o poteva) venire dopo pranzo3 ( esprime capacità ipotetica) – I could recognize that man if I saw him again, saprei riconoscere quell'uomo, se lo rivedessi; I'm so furious I could scream!, sono così furioso che mi metterei a urlare!4 ( esprime possibilità o probabilità rif. al futuro o, seguito da inf. pass., al passato) – I could be wrong, but…, potrei sbagliarmi, ma…; This could well turn out to be an advantage, questo potrebbe anche rivelarsi un vantaggio; Repairs could take two months, le riparazioni potrebbero richiedere due mesi; These mushrooms could be poisonous, questi funghi potrebbero essere velenosi; He said the damage could have been caused by a subsidence, ha detto che il danno potrebbe essere stato causato da un cedimento del terreno; The weather couldn't have been lovelier, il tempo non avrebbe potuto (o non poteva) essere migliore; He couldn't possibily have said that, non può assolutamente aver detto questo; è impossibile che abbia detto questo; She couldn't have been more than twenty, non poteva avere più di vent'anni5 ( esprime suggerimento o richiesta) – I could try again tomorrow, potrei riprovare domani; Could you go there yourself?, potresti andarci tu?; Could I have a word with you?, potrei parlarti un momento?; Couldn't we wait a bit longer?, non potremmo aspettare ancora un po?; If I could just ask a brief question…, vorrei solo fare una rapida domanda se posso6 ( seguito da inf. pass., esprime rammarico o rimprovero per qc. di non avvenuto) – Things could have been different, le cose sarebbero potute andare altrimenti; You could have hurt yourself, avresti potuto farti male; She could have told me!, avrebbe potuto dirmelo!; I could have been here by ten, if I hadn't had a puncture, sarei potuta arrivare per le dieci se non avessi forato; You couldn't have been more cruel, non saresti potuto essere più crudele7 ( in frase ipotetica, dopo if) – I would help you, if I could, ti aiuterei, se potessi; If only Dad could see me now!, se Papà mi potesse vedere ora!● could but ► but (1), B, def. 3 □ could not help ► to help □ as soon as I could, non appena potei (o mi fu possibile); più presto che potei □ as tight as could be, strettissimo □ as easy as could be wished, facile come di più non si potrebbe (o, in contesto pass., non si sarebbe potuto) desiderare.NOTA D'USO: - could have- -
2 wish
wiʃ
1. verb1) (to have and/or express a desire: There's no point in wishing for a miracle; Touch the magic stone and wish; He wished that she would go away; I wish that I had never met him.) desear (que)2) (to require (to do or have something): Do you wish to sit down, sir?; We wish to book some seats for the theatre; I'll cancel the arrangement if you wish.) querer, desear3) (to say that one hopes for (something for someone): I wish you the very best of luck.) desear
2. noun1) (a desire or longing, or the thing desired: It's always been my wish to go to South America some day.) deseo2) (an expression of desire: The fairy granted him three wishes; Did you make a wish?) deseo3) ((usually in plural) an expression of hope for success etc for someone: He sends you his best wishes.) deseo, saludo, recuerdo•- wishing-well
wish1 n deseoto make a wish pedir un deseo / pensar un deseowish2 vb1. querer2. desear3. ojalátr[wɪʃ]1 (want) querer, desear■ I wish I was rich! ¡ojalá fuera rico!2 formal use (demand, want) querer3 (hope) desear1 desear ( for, -)2 formal use (want) querer1 deseo1 (greeting) deseos nombre masculino plural; (in letter) saludos nombre masculino plural, recuerdos nombre masculino pluralwith best wishes from... saludos cordiales de..., recuerdos de...\SMALLIDIOMATIC EXPRESSION/SMALLto make a wish pedir un deseoto wish somebody well / wish somebody all the best desear buena suerte a alguienwish you were here ojalá estuvieras aquíyour wish is my command sus deseos son órdenes para míwish ['wɪʃ] vt1) want: desear, querer2)to wish (something) for : desearthey wished me well: me desearon lo mejorwish vi1) : pedir (como deseo)2) : quereras you wish: como quieraswish n1) : deseo mto grant a wish: conceder un deseo2) wishes npl: saludos mpl, recuerdos mplto send best wishes: mandar muchos recuerdosv.• dar los buenos días v.• desear v.• querer v.(§pret: quis-) fut/c: querr-•)n.• anhelo s.m.• desear s.m.• deseo s.m.• voto s.m.wɪʃ
I
a) ( desire) deseo mto make a wish — pedir* un deseo
her wish came true — su deseo se hizo realidad, se le cumplió el deseo
his last o dying wish — su última voluntad
your wish is my command — (set phrase) tus deseos son órdenes (fr hecha)
wish to + INF: I've no wish to upset you, but... no quisiera disgustarte, pero...; I've no great wish to see the play — no tengo muchas ganas de ver la obra
give your mother my best wishes — dale a tu madre muchos recuerdos de mi parte, cariños a tu madre (AmL)
best wishes, Jack — saludos or un abrazo de Jack
II
1.
a) ( desire fervently) desearto wish (THAT): I wish I hadn't come ojalá no hubiera venido!; I wish I were rich ojalá fuera rico!; she wished she hadn't told him lamentó habérselo dicho; I wish you wouldn't say things like that me disgusta mucho que digas esas cosas; I do wish you'd told me before! — me lo podrías haber dicho antes!
b) ( want) (frml) desear (frml), querer*should you wish to do so... — si así lo deseara... (frml)
to wish somebody/something to + INF — desear que alguien/algo (+ subj) (frml)
c) ( want for somebody) desearto wish somebody good night — darle* las buenas noches a alguien
to wish somebody well — desearle suerte or lo mejor a alguien
2.
via) ( make magic wish) pedir* un deseob) (want, desire)as you wish, sir — como usted mande or diga, señor
Phrasal Verbs:- wish for[wɪʃ]1. N1) (=desire, will) deseo mthey are sincere in their wish to make amends for the past — son sinceros en su deseo de enmendar el pasado
their wish for peace is sincere, they are sincere in their wish for peace — son sinceros en sus deseos de paz
•
he did it against my wishes — lo hizo en contra de mis deseos or mi voluntadto go against sb's wishes — ir en contra de los deseos or la voluntad de algn
•
his wish came true — su deseo se hizo realidad•
it is her dearest wish to go there one day — su mayor deseo es ir allí un día•
his dying wish was to be buried here — su última voluntad fue que lo enterraran aquí•
she expressed a wish that the money be donated to charity — manifestó su deseo de que el dinero se donara a instituciones benéficas•
the fairy granted her three wishes — el hada le concedió tres deseos•
I have no great wish to go — no tengo muchas ganas de ir, no me apetece mucho irdeath 2.•
to make a wish — pedir un deseo2) (in letters, greetings)(with) best wishes — saludos, recuerdos
best wishes or all good wishes for a happy birthday — te deseamos un feliz cumpleaños, nuestros mejores deseos para un feliz cumpleaños
(with) best wishes for Christmas and the New Year — (con) nuestros mejores deseos or frm augurios para la Navidad y el Año Nuevo
the Prime Minister has sent a message of good wishes to the French president — el Primer Ministro ha mandado un mensaje de buena voluntad al presidente francés
2. VT1)I wish (=if only) —
I wish I could! — ¡ojalá pudiera!
"did you go?" - "I wish I had" — -¿fuiste? -¡ya me hubiera gustado! or -¡ojalá!
I wish I hadn't said that — siento haber dicho eso, ojalá no hubiera dicho eso
I do wish you'd let me help — ¿por qué no me dejas que te ayude?
I wish you wouldn't shout — me gustaría que no gritaras, a ver si dejas de gritar
2) (other subjects, other tenses)she wishes that she could go to school like other children — le gustaría poder ir a la escuela como otros niños
I bet you wish you were still working here! — ¡apuesto a que te gustaría seguir trabajando aquí todavía!
3)to wish sb sth: to wish sb good luck/a happy Christmas — desear buena suerte/felices pascuas a algn
wish me luck! — ¡deséame suerte!
I wish you all possible happiness — os/te deseo la más completa felicidad
•
to wish sb well/ ill, we wish her well in her new job — le deseamos todo lo mejor en su nuevo trabajoI don't wish her ill or any harm — no le deseo ningún mal
4)• to wish sth on sb — desear algo a algn
5) frm (=want) querer, desear frmI do not wish it — no lo quiero, no lo deseo frm
to wish to do sth — querer or frm desear hacer algo
I wish to be alone — quiero or frm deseo estar solo
I wish to be told when he comes — quiero or frm deseo que se me avisen cuando llegue
I don't wish to sound mean, but... — no quisiera parecer tacaño, pero...
without wishing to be unkind, you must admit she's not the most interesting company — sin ánimo de ser cruel, tienes que admitir que no es una persona muy interesante
to wish sb to do sth — querer or frm desear que algn haga algo
what do you wish me to do? — ¿qué quieres or frm deseas que haga?
3. VI1) (=make a wish) pedir un deseo•
to wish for sth — desear algowhat more could one wish for? — ¿qué más se puede pedir or desear?
•
"of course you're earning a lot, aren't you?" - "I wish!" — -claro que ganas un montón, ¿verdad? -¡ojalá!2) frm (=want)•
(just) as you wish — como quieras, como usted desee frm4.CPDwish fulfilment N —
daydreams are a sort of wish fulfilment — las fantasías son una especie de satisfacción de los deseos
top of my wish list is... — mi deseo principal es...
* * *[wɪʃ]
I
a) ( desire) deseo mto make a wish — pedir* un deseo
her wish came true — su deseo se hizo realidad, se le cumplió el deseo
his last o dying wish — su última voluntad
your wish is my command — (set phrase) tus deseos son órdenes (fr hecha)
wish to + INF: I've no wish to upset you, but... no quisiera disgustarte, pero...; I've no great wish to see the play — no tengo muchas ganas de ver la obra
give your mother my best wishes — dale a tu madre muchos recuerdos de mi parte, cariños a tu madre (AmL)
best wishes, Jack — saludos or un abrazo de Jack
II
1.
a) ( desire fervently) desearto wish (THAT): I wish I hadn't come ojalá no hubiera venido!; I wish I were rich ojalá fuera rico!; she wished she hadn't told him lamentó habérselo dicho; I wish you wouldn't say things like that me disgusta mucho que digas esas cosas; I do wish you'd told me before! — me lo podrías haber dicho antes!
b) ( want) (frml) desear (frml), querer*should you wish to do so... — si así lo deseara... (frml)
to wish somebody/something to + INF — desear que alguien/algo (+ subj) (frml)
c) ( want for somebody) desearto wish somebody good night — darle* las buenas noches a alguien
to wish somebody well — desearle suerte or lo mejor a alguien
2.
via) ( make magic wish) pedir* un deseob) (want, desire)as you wish, sir — como usted mande or diga, señor
Phrasal Verbs:- wish for
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