espérer

to hope

verb ehs-pay-REH Common

Usage Note

Espérer follows the pattern of verbs ending in -érer, where the accent shifts to grave in certain conjugations (j'espère but nous espérons). Unlike souhaiter (to wish), espérer conveys realistic hope rather than a wish for something unlikely. The noun l'espoir (m) means hope as a feeling, while l'espérance is more formal or religious.

Examples

"J'espère qu'il va bien."

Natural Translation

I hope he is doing well.

Literal Translation

I hope that-he goes well

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