The Word “Expect”: Meaning, Usage, and Translations Across 30 Languages
The word “expect” is commonly used in English to convey the anticipation or belief that something will happen in the future. It implies a sense of waiting for an event or outcome based on reasoning, prior knowledge, or belief. It is used in a wide variety of contexts, from casual conversations to formal discussions. Understanding its various meanings and how it is applied across different languages can enhance communication and help express future anticipation more effectively.
Meaning of “Expect”:
- To Anticipate or Look Forward to Something Happening: The most common use of “expect” is when someone anticipates that an event will occur or that something will take place. It can be a hopeful or neutral anticipation.
- Example: “I expect to hear from her soon.”
- To Believe Something is Likely or Probable: “Expect” can also be used when you believe something is very likely to happen, either based on experience, evidence, or reasoning.
- Example: “She expects a promotion after all her hard work.”
- To Require or Demand as a Standard: It can be used to describe something that is expected as a standard or requirement.
- Example: “The teacher expects students to submit their work on time.”
- To Be Pregnant (In Informal Usage): “Expect” can be informally used to indicate that someone is pregnant.
- Example: “She’s expecting a baby in a few months.”
- To Wait for Someone or Something: It can be used to express waiting for a person or an event to arrive or happen.
- Example: “We’re expecting guests for dinner tonight.”
Common Uses of “Expect” in Sentences:
- In Casual Contexts:
- “I expect good things to come from this project.”
- “They’re expecting rain tomorrow.”
- In Professional Settings:
- “I expect the report to be ready by the end of the day.”
- “The manager expects all team members to attend the meeting.”
- In Social Contexts:
- “Do you expect me to go with you to the party?”
- “He didn’t expect to get the job offer so soon.”
- In Emotional or Personal Contexts:
- “She expects to get married next year.”
- “I expect that you’ll understand why this is important.”
Translations of “Expect” in 30 Languages
| Language | Translation | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| Spanish | Esperar | “Espero recibir noticias pronto.” |
| French | S’attendre à | “Je m’attends à un changement bientôt.” |
| German | Erwarten | “Ich erwarte einen Anruf von ihm.” |
| Italian | Aspettare | “Mi aspetto una risposta positiva.” |
| Portuguese | Esperar | “Eu espero que ela chegue logo.” |
| Dutch | Verwachten | “Ik verwacht dat het morgen regent.” |
| Russian | Ожидать (Ozhidat’) | “Я ожидаю от тебя больше усилий.” |
| Chinese (Simplified) | 期待 (Qīdài) | “我期待这个项目的成功。” |
| Japanese | 期待する (Kitai suru) | “私はこの試合を期待しています。” |
| Korean | 기대하다 (Gidaehada) | “내일 비가 올 것이라고 기대하고 있습니다.” |
| Hindi | उम्मीद करना (Ummed Karna) | “मैं उसे जल्द ही मिलने की उम्मीद करता हूँ।” |
| Bengali | আশা করা (Asha Kora) | “আমি তার কাছ থেকে একটি উত্তরের আশা করি।” |
| Turkish | Beklemek | “Bundan iyi bir sonuç bekliyorum.” |
| Greek | Αναμένω (Anaméno) | “Αναμένω μια θετική απάντηση.” |
| Hebrew | לצפות (LeTzapot) | “אני מצפה לשמוע ממך בקרוב.” |
| Swedish | Förvänta sig | “Jag förväntar mig en bättre prestation.” |
| Norwegian | Forvente | “Vi forventer regn i morgen.” |
| Danish | Forvente | “Vi forventer at få flere detaljer snart.” |
| Finnish | Odottaa | “Odotan innolla projektin tuloksia.” |
| Polish | Oczekiwać | “Oczekuję, że zakończysz pracę na czas.” |
| Czech | Očekávat | “Očekávám vaši odpověď co nejdříve.” |
| Hungarian | Várni | “Várom a válaszodat.” |
| Romanian | Aștepta | “Aștept să primesc răspunsul tău.” |
| Thai | คาดหวัง (Kadhwang) | “เราคาดหวังว่าจะมีฝนในช่วงบ่าย.” |
| Vietnamese | Mong đợi | “Tôi mong đợi thông tin từ bạn.” |
| Indonesian | Mengharapkan | “Saya mengharapkan kabar baik darinya.” |
| Malay | Mengharap | “Saya berharap akan ada perubahan.” |
| Swahili | Kutarajia | “Tunatarajia kupata majibu kutoka kwao.” |
| Filipino | Maghintay | “Inaasahan ko ang iyong sagot.” |
| Arabic | يتوقع (Yatawaqqā) | “أتوقع أن يصل قريباً.” |
| Tamil | எதிர்பார்க்க (Ethirpaarka) | “நான் அவளிடம் இருந்து பதில் எதிர்பார்க்கின்றேன்.” |
| Telugu | ఆశించు (Aashinchu) | “నేను ఈ కార్యక్రమంలో మంచి ఫలితాలను ఆశిస్తున్నాను.” |
| Punjabi | ਉਮੀਦ ਕਰਨਾ (Umid Karna) | “ਮੈਂ ਉਸ ਤੋਂ ਚੰਗੀ ਜਵਾਬ ਦੀ ਉਮੀਦ ਕਰਦਾ ਹਾਂ।” |
| Arabic (Modern Standard) | يتوقع (Yatawaqqā) | “أنت تتوقع النجاح في هذا المشروع.” |
| Malayalam | പ്രതീക്ഷിക്കുക (Pratheekshikkuka) | “ഞാൻ ദയവായി നിങ്ങളുടെ പ്രതികരണത്തിന് പ്രതീക്ഷിക്കുന്നു.” |
Additional Examples:
- Spanish:
- “Espero verte pronto en la fiesta.”
- “No espero que llueva este fin de semana.”
- French:
- “Je m’attends à un appel de sa part cette après-midi.”
- “Elle s’attend à ce qu’il lui fasse une surprise.”
- German:
- “Ich erwarte, dass die Ergebnisse pünktlich eintreffen.”
- “Erwartest du, dass das Meeting länger dauert?”
- Japanese:
- “私は来週の旅行をとても期待しています。”
- “明日、大事な会議があるので、きっと忙しいだろうと期待しています。”
- Arabic:
- “أنت تتوقع حدوث مفاجأة في الحفلة؟”
- “أنت تتوقع أن يكون الطقس جميلاً اليوم.”
The word “expect” plays a significant role in communication, indicating anticipation or belief about future events or actions. It is used widely in various contexts, from casual expectations about personal plans to professional anticipations regarding work tasks and achievements. The nuances in meaning can change depending on context, and understanding these variations helps enhance both understanding and communication across different languages and cultures. Whether in personal, professional, or social settings, “expect” is a versatile word that expresses anticipation in many ways.
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