You wish

Meaning

The idiom "you wish" is used to express that something desired by the speaker has already been achieved or is likely to be achieved soon, often with a hint of disbelief or disappointment.

Usage

• "I can't believe I just won the lottery! You wish!"
• "You would be amazed at what I've accomplished in my career. You wish!"
• "I never thought I'd find true love, but here I am with the perfect partner. You wish!"
• "I'm so proud of myself for completing that marathon. It was a huge accomplishment. You wish!"
• "After years of struggling to make ends meet, my family finally bought their own home. You wish!"

Roots and History

The idiom "you wish" is believed to have originated in the early 20th century as a way to express disbelief or disappointment in someone's achievements. It was used to imply that the speaker wished they had achieved something similar themselves, but had not been able to do so. Over time, the idiom has evolved to be used more broadly and with less of a negative connotation, often as a way to express admiration or envy for someone's accomplishments.

Synonyms in English

• "That's fantastic!"
• "Wow, that's amazing!"
• "I can't believe it! That's incredible!"
• "That's really impressive!"
• "You're doing great!"

Synonyms in other languages

• French: "Joli, bonjour!" (Saying "hello" with joy)
• Spanish: "¡Qué bueno!" or "¡Muy bien!" (Exclaiming "very good" or "good")
• Italian: "Bravo, fantastico!" (Congratulating someone on a great achievement)
• German: "Wow, das ist superfantastisch!" (Exclaiming "superfantastic")
• Dutch: "Totale moeffie!" (Saying "total nonsense" in a playful way)

Similar Idioms

• your guess is as good as mine

• you know better than that

• yoke around one’s neck