# Magari



## phragolina

Hello everybody!
I have a question for you..can anybody help me? What's the english for the italian expression "magari!"


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## leenico

"*if only*"


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## Julliette

Hi phragolina!

Non credo che ci sia una traduzione esatta della parola. Probabilmente potresti usare "I hope" o "Let's hope" o qualcosa di simile. Ma aspettiamo un'altra risposta, perche non ne sono certa al 100%.


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## silvietta

Julliette said:
			
		

> Hi phragolina!
> 
> Non credo che ci sia una traduzione esatta della parola. Probabilmente potresti usare "I hope" o "Let's hope" o qualcosa di simile. Ma aspettiamo un'altra risposta, perche non ne sono certa al 100%.


 
Hi,
it depends on the context. This word has in italian many different meanings.
"it might _even_ come to nothing" 
"I'll see you tomorrow _perhaps/maybe_"
"_Even if_ I have to read it hundred times, I'll understand it!"
"_If only_", "_and how!_"
Bye


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## elroy

phragolina said:
			
		

> Hello everybody!
> I have a question for you..can anybody help me? What's the english for the italian expression "magari!"


 
If you provide us with a specific sentence we can help you come up with an adequate English translation. 

As was shown by Silvietta, there are multiple English translations that could work, depending on context.


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## erick

phragolina said:
			
		

> "magari vincere 1,000000.00 di euro alla lotteria!"


I think that would be, "if I were to win 1m euro in the lottery!"


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## Silvia B

Isn't it "I wish (I could).."?

Bye bye


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## marydar

It can be translated also 

"It would be fantastic..."

Mary


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## Willi

Hi 
How would you translate "magari" (emphatic) in English?
Thanks


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## lsp

It varies a lot by situation. One common way is "I wish!" or "You wish!" but you would really need to be specific to get the right answer.


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## Willi

E.g. "Ho comprato un bilglietto della lotteria"
"Hai vinto qualcosa?"
"Magari!"


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## lsp

Willi said:
			
		

> E.g. "Ho comprato un bilglietto della lotteria"
> "Hai vinto qualcosa?"
> "Magari!"


"I wish!" in this specific situation.


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## shamblesuk

Or the slightly sarcastic, 'Yeah, right!'


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## Willi

Thank you both. Isn't there an idiomatic expression?


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## radiation woman

You can also translate it as "If only!" in this context.


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## Red Frog

radiation woman said:
			
		

> You can also translate it as "If only!" in this context.


 
"If only!" was what I had in mind too, it must be a UK thing.


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## lsp

Willi said:
			
		

> Thank you both. Isn't there an idiomatic expression?


Ce ne sono tante, ecco il problema.


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## fabry2811

Rispolvero un vecchio thread...

Confermate anche l'espressione: *you bet*!!!

Se si, in che contesto si potrebbe usare?


Grazie!


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## brian

No, "you bet" vuol dire "assolutamente!" il che è proprio l'opposto di "magari!" a meno che non si usi con un tono molto sarcastico.


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## fabry2811

Ciao Brian,

ti riporto ciò che leggo su un dizionario:

A:Ti piacerebbe andare in America? 
B:Magari!

A:Would you like to go to America?
B:You bet!

Come si spiega sta traduzione?!

Grazie!


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## onlyrealfake

*S*i spiega bene invece.. 
A:"*V*orresti andare in *A*merica?"
B:"*C*i puoi scommettere"   (((dato che you bet vuol dire "ci puoi scommettere" e non "magari")))
*T*orna tutto.. 
*L*a storia cambia se al posto di dire "*V*orresti andare in *A*merica" dici "*V*ai in *A*merica?"
*A* quel punto li se si dice "you bet" vuol dire che è sicuro che b va in *A*merica, invece se b dice "*I* wish" vuol dire che è sicuro il contrario.. e che sarebbe un suo desiderio andarci... 
*I*nfatti la "sicurezza" della frase del tuo dizionario riguarda il desiderio, non il fatto stesso di andarci..


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## neuromatico

Per quanto riguarda "You bet!", sono d'accordo e voglio aggiungere che di solito è detto a voce alta con entusiasmo e qualche volta orgoglio.

Confermo anche che "You bet!" potrebbe dire la speranza di farlo, il sogno, come l'esempio sopra, e in questo senso può avere lo stesso significato di "Magari!".


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## SoCalMezzo

In the last decade or so, on TV shows and movies for young people, a popular expression has been "As if!", which has the same tone as "You wish!", "Yeah, right!" and "I wish!", depending on context.  
"As if" is sarcastic and disdainful, meaning "You wish!"...for example, in response to someone "beneath you" asking you go out.  
It also works for "Yeah, right!", in response to someone saying "So, are you going out with him?".  
In response to "Did you win the lottery?" it has the meaning of "Yeah, right, as if something that good would happen to *me*!", or more simply "I wish!".
So, "As if!" it does seem to cover various meanings of "Magari!" pretty well, but it was very trendy...and it seems that Magari has been around a very long time and is used much more pervasively...isn't that true?


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## onlyrealfake

*I*nfatti!!! Stavo giusto cercando questo *threa*d perch*é* io ho sempre detto AS IF! (lo lessi in un videogame)... *M*i sembrerebbe la piu associabile a "magari!" ... Ma allora.. quale è la piu giusta da usare???
Io direi "*I* wish!" ma ditemi voi from US o UK


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## neuromatico

A parer mio e come SoCalMezzo ha già detto lo usiamo sopratutto in modo sarcastico.

Ad esempio:
That guy asked me out on a date. As if! (Neanche per sogno! Detesto quel tipo.)


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## SoCalMezzo

neuromatico said:


> A parer mio e come SoCalMezzo ha già detto lo usiamo sopratutto in modo sarcastico.
> 
> Ad esempio:
> That guy asked me out on a date. As if! (Neanche per sogno! Detesto quel tipo.)



Definitely, "As if!" is sarcastic...the only difference is how offensive you intend to be.  In the case of saying it to someone who has asked you out, it can be very mean, almost cruel.  The implied rest of the sentence is "As if I would ever consider going out with *you*!"  I think it does correspond well to "Neanche per sogno!", but I don't know how "cruel" that expression can be...I hadn't thought of it as being very negative.


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## neuromatico

True. 
Always sarcastic, it's one of those expressions that can run the gamut from wistfulness to cruel derision. Mine was only an example. 
Also, don't you think it tends to be used principally by young women/girls?


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## SoCalMezzo

neuromatico said:


> True.
> Always sarcastic, it's one of those expressions that can run the gamut from wistfulness to cruel derision. Mine was only an example.
> Also, don't you think it tends to be used principally by young women/girls?



Definitely, the stereotype "user", at least in the media, is a young girl/woman, who tends to be a little "shallow".  The cornerstone shining example of this is the movie "Clueless".  However, among friends, anyone might use the expression, in a very mild way, to talk about some issue or event.


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## onlyrealfake

Ok, got it!  
Riassumendo, in definitiva: 
-"As if!!" corrisponde a -> "Neanche per sogno!!"/"Scordatelo!" 
-"I wish!" -> "Magari" (inteso come desiderio irrealizzabile).
Grazie a tutti, era una di quelle cose che mi tormentavano da quando ho iniziato a studiare inglese


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## miriamdesignerny

What does this mean?

Magari io al lavoro. Ti devi divertire tu che vai al mare...


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## onlyrealfake

*W*ell... without a context I can just guess that before that sentence in red there was another one saying: "divertiti!"
*T*his "divertiti!" would explain "magari io al lavoro" 
I mean..it is hard to explain in written italian.. since this "magari io al lavoro" is from the spoken language... In written italian (so.. in correct italian ) would be:
A: DIVERTITI!!!!
B: MAGARI IO (mi divertissi) a lavoro!!! 
B: ti devi divertire tu che vai al mare!!

*O*therwise.. if there wasn't any "divertiti" before the sentence in red.. that sentence doesn't make any sense.. it would sound something like:
"As if me working!"


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## Angel.Aura

miriamdesignerny said:


> What does this mean?
> 
> Magari io al lavoro. Ti devi divertire tu che vai al mare...


Hi Miriam,

As onlyrealfake pointed out, the sentence seems to lack something.
Plase provide the text before that sentence in order to let us understand and help out.
( context and background )

Thank you.


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## miriamdesignerny

Thank you onlyrealfake... is true... the conversation was in that order:
A: DIVERTITI!!!!
 B:MAGARI IO a lavoro!!! 
B:ti devi divertire tu che vai al mare!!

What does it mean then???


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## onlyrealfake

Allright then.. Now it means: 
A: Have fun!!
B: As if I could have fun working!! (between us) You are the one who can have fun, since you're going to the seaside!! 

...It's a bit hard to traslate since this "Sei te che ti devi divertire"/"Ti devi divertire tu che..." haven't actually an exact traslation in english. 

Another way to say that is "Divertiti tu piuttosto, che vai al mare!!"


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## miriamdesignerny

OK I undestand now, thank you for your help! 
Now explain to me what is the meaning of:
Divertiti tu piuttosto, che vai al mare!!


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## sinopoli

Grazie a tuttie chi hanno "posted". Tanto utile.

Magari, for me, is one of the most expressive Italian words, as stated above, it can mean so much.

If only there were a word a little similar in French ... (magari)

Sinopoli​


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## Shiloh96

Ma sono solo io che uso "magari" in questo tipo di situazione (qui sotto)? Esempio:

Si doveva telefonare da tempo a una persona, ma non lo si è ancora fatto.
-Dovrei telefonare a Tizio...
-Eh, magari!

Nel senso sarcastico di "sarebbe pure ora!".


Come verrebbe tradotto, in questo caso?


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## Teerex51

_It's about time (you did)._


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## GavinW

Shiloh96 said:


> Ma sono solo io che uso "magari" in questo tipo di situazione ...?



Direi di no!
Apart from Teerex's suggestion, there are plenty of other options, I think; eg:
That might not be a bad idea.
You can say that again.


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## Shiloh96

Grazie mille a entrambi!


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## mjg15b

One of my favorite Italian words is “Magari” as it has no true equivalent in English. Is the word generally sarcastic, or can it be used with wonder?


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## Paulfromitaly

mjg15b said:


> Is the word generally sarcastic, or can it be used with wonder?


It obviously depends on the context..


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## Pietruzzo

It can be sarcastic but usually it means "That'd be great / it would be great if...". I don't think it can express wonder.


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