Casualadverb
magari
I wish, maybe, perhaps, if only
Formal Equivalent
forse, volesse il cielo, eventualmente
Examples in Context
"Vuoi venire in vacanza con noi? — Magari!"
"Do you want to come on holiday with us? — I wish!"
"Magari domani passa a trovarci."
"Maybe he'll come visit us tomorrow."
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Cultural Note
One of the hardest Italian words to translate because it changes meaning by context. As an exclamation ('Magari!'), it means 'I wish!' or 'If only!' As an adverb, it means 'maybe' or 'perhaps.' Italians love this word — mastering it is a sign of real fluency.
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