English
Wishes About Now and the Past
Updated Oct 28, 2026
Express dissatisfaction and regret with appropriate forms.
What you’ll learn
Express dissatisfaction and regret with appropriate forms.
បង្ហាញបំណងបច្ចុប្បន្ន និងការស្ដាយអតីតកាល។
Meaning and use
Wish + past form often expresses a desired change to the present. Wish + past perfect expresses regret about the past. Wish + would can express a desired change in behaviour or circumstances, often with annoyance. Use hope for a future outcome you regard as a real possibility.
Wish + past form បង្ហាញបំណងឱ្យបច្ចុប្បន្នខុសពីការពិត។ Wish + past perfect បង្ហាញសោកស្ដាយអតីតកាល។ Hope ប្រើសម្រាប់អនាគតដែលអាចកើតមាន។
Grammar patterns
| Pattern | Example or form |
|---|---|
| Present wish | I wish I knew. |
| Past regret | I wish I had checked. |
Examples
-
I wish I had more free time.
ខ្ញុំប្រាថ្នាថាមានពេលទំនេរច្រើនជាងនេះ។
-
She wishes she could swim.
នាងប្រាថ្នាថាអាចហែលទឹកបាន។
-
I wish I had saved the file.
ខ្ញុំស្ដាយដែលមិនបានរក្សាទុកឯកសារ។
-
I wish the neighbours would turn the music down.
ខ្ញុំចង់ឱ្យអ្នកជិតខាងបន្ថយសំឡេងតន្ត្រី។
Everyday conversation
Dara: Do you regret missing the class?
Maly: Yes, I wish I had set an alarm.
Common mistakes
| Instead of | Use | Why |
|---|---|---|
| I wish I know the answer. | I wish I knew the answer. | Use a past form for a wish about the present. |
| I wish I studied yesterday. (regret about a missed action) | I wish I had studied yesterday. | A past regret uses past perfect. |
Practice
Try these questions before opening the answers. Write or say each answer.
សាកល្បងឆ្លើយសំណួរទាំងនេះជាមុនសិន មុននឹងបើកមើលចម្លើយ។ អ្នកអាចសរសេរ ឬនិយាយចម្លើយរបស់អ្នក។
- Complete a present wish: I wish I ___ (be) taller. Use formal hypothetical be.
- Complete a past regret: I wish I ___ (bring) my umbrella.
- Choose for a real future possibility: I (hope / wish) you pass tomorrow.
Answers and explanations
Show answers / បង្ហាញចម្លើយ
-
were
Were is used for hypothetical be in formal style.
-
had brought
The missed past action takes past perfect.
-
hope
Hope fits an outcome that remains possible.
Quick recap
- Present wish: I wish I knew.
- Past regret: I wish I had checked.