French · Everyday Verbs
"to hope" in French: espérer
espérer
To hope in French is espérer. J'espère, nous espérons, j'ai espéré. J'espère que… introduces a wish. L'espoir / l'espérance do not count as the verb.
Weather wish
J'espère qu'il fera beau demain.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce espérer
Say it
es-pay-RAY
/ɛs.pe.ʁe/
Espérer: es-pay-RAY. Espère: es-PAIR. Accent shifts in conjugations. Soft s.
"to hope" in French: quick reference
| French | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| espérer | to hope Infinitive. | Infinitive. |
| j'espère | I hope Present first person. | Present first person. |
| nous espérons | we hope Present plural. | Present plural. |
| j'espère que… | I hope that… Clause opener. | Clause opener. |
How to use espérer in real life
- 1Weather wish
J'espère qu'il fera beau demain.
I hope the weather will be nice tomorrow.
J'espère que.
- 2Job interview
On espère une réponse cette semaine.
We hope for an answer this week.
Espère / espérons family.
- 3Travel delay
J'espère que le train n'est pas annulé.
I hope the train isn't canceled.
Anxiety hope.
Mistakes English speakers make with espérer
Incorrect: J'ai de l'espoir que…
Correct: J'espère que…
Use the verb espérer; l'espoir is a noun.
Incorrect: Je hope demain.
Correct: J'espère demain / j'espère que…
Use espérer forms.
Good to know
J'espère que… is constant in French plans and weather talk. Formal writing may keep the accent carefully (espérer / espère). Don't confuse with attendre (wait/expect).
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Waiting for exam results
ChatPal
Tu stresses ?
Are you stressed?
You
Oui — j'espère que j'ai réussi.
Yes—I hope I passed.
ChatPal
Moi aussi j'espère une bonne note.
I also hope for a good grade.
You
On saura ce soir.
We'll know tonight.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"to hope" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "to hope" in French
How do you say to hope in French?
Espérer.
How do you say I hope?
J'espère.
Do espoir / espérance count?
No — those are nouns.
How do you pronounce j'espère?
zhes-PAIR.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
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