Skip to content

ojalá

hopefully

interjection oh-hah-LAH Rare

Origin: from Arabic in sha'a Allah (if God wills it)

Also means

I wish, if only

Usage Note

Ojalá expresses a strong wish and is invariable — it does not conjugate. It typically triggers the subjunctive: ojalá venga (I hope he comes), ojalá hubiera podido (I wish I had been able to). Its Arabic origin makes it one of the most recognizable legacies of Moorish Spain in everyday speech.

Examples

"Ojalá llegue a tiempo el tren."

Natural Translation

Hopefully the train arrives on time.

Explore Spanish by topic