# All Slavic languages: to look forward to



## mateo19

Hello everyone,

I would like to know how to say, "to look forward to something / doing something".  I've learned how to say it in Slovak, but I can't figure out how to say it in Ukrainian and this frustrates me as I have the need to say this in Ukrainian.  So I thought that while we were at it, we could compare all the Slavic languages! 

Slovak: tešiť sa na
Teším sa na tvoj list. - I'm looking forward to (receiving) your letter.
Tešíme sa na maminu návštevu. - We're looking forward to mom's visit.
(If this is wrong or not translated correctly, please correct me!)

As for the Ukrainian, I am clueless.  I thought I saw somewhere that it can be "чекати", "to wait for", but this seems so basic.  In English we distinguish between "I'm waiting for your arrival" and "I'm looking forward to your arrival".  The first one is stating simple fact, the second has emotion / excitement in it.  In English we can use the verb "to wait" but much differently.  We negate it to render the positive idea.
"I cannot wait for your visit!" - "I am looking forward to your visit!"

I thank you in advance and highly appreciate your input and opinions.


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## Kanes

Bulgarian: гледaм към - I'm looking toward

еx: гледам към идването ви - I'm looking toward your coming


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## Azori

mateo19 said:


> In English we can use the verb "to wait" but much differently.  We negate it to render the positive idea.
> "I cannot wait for your visit!" - "I am looking forward to your visit!"


This is also used in Slovak: Neviem sa dočkať tvojej návštevy.
 or more naturally:
 Neviem sa dočkať kedy prídeš. (dočkať sa - to wait/live to see)


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## slavic_one

Radujem se tvojoj posjeti.
Jedva čekam da se vidimo.


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## TriglavNationalPark

Slovenian:

*Veselim se *tvojega pisma. = I'm looking forward to your letter.
*Veselim se* tvojega obiska. = I'm looking forward to your visit.

*Komaj čakam*, da se vidiva. = I can hardly wait to see you (lit.: "...for us [grammatical dual] to see each other").
*Komaj čakam*, da prideš. = I can hardly wait for you to come.


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## mateo19

Very cool, indeed.  Thank you for all the answers so far!
Slavic One, I like that verb, "radujem se", Slovak also has it: radovať sa, but it means "to rejoice", "to delight".
I also see the common root in the Slovenian version, in Slovak "veselý" means "merry", "joyful".

Say, does anyone know the Ukrainian version?  Sadly, I have not posted it for my health and wish to know it, for it is important for a letter I am writing.  Natalia will be on vacation until the end of this month.  Are there any other Ukrainians on WordReference?
Дуже дякую!


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## ectuohy

I'm not a native UA speaker, but maybe being a native AmE speaker helps here:

1) Generally (for set phrases and when no emotion is implied) just use чекати (на)


I look forward to your reply (say, in a cover letter)
Чекаю на [Вашу] відповідь.

I'm looking forward to the weekend. (said to an acquaintance at work)
Чекаю на вікенд.


2) When it expresses a feeling, Ukrainians use "with impatience"

(To a significant other)
 I'm looking forward to your reply. Miss you...
 З нетерпінням чекаю на відповідь. Скучаю... (I know this word has already been covered, just giving an example  )

Hope this helps, and i'd be happy to hear what the справжні українці think!

Emmet


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## mateo19

Добридень, Emmet, і вітаю Вас на WordReference!

Мені здається, що Ви маєте рацію - "справжні" Українці, мабуть, згодні з Вами.
Я шукав на Google і часто було фраза "я не можу чекати, щоб..."

I should switch to English, I think, for the benefit of the other "foreros".  I think that your point #2 is very well made because just yesterday I received an e-mail from the coordinator of the Peace Corps language program in Ukraine.  She used that very expression:

З нетерпінням чекаємо на зустріч з Вами в Україні! =
We are "impatiently" waiting to meet you in Ukraine = looking forward to meeting you you.
French does the same thing, "avec impatience", even though there are other expressions to convey that idea (envie, hâte).

Thank you very much for your reply, Emmet, and I hope that you'll stop by the forums often!
Всього Вам найкращого!


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## ectuohy

Thanks for the warm welcome, Mateo!


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## Latinoamericana

This is how we would say it in Croatia:

Veselim se tvojem pismu. I'm looking forward to (receiving) your letter.
Veslimo se maminom/majčinom posjetu. We're looking forward to mom's visit.


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## phosphore

Serbian:

*očekivati sa nestrpljenjem* - _to look forward to_, literally _to wait impatiently_
(_veseliti se_ would be understood but I don't think it would really be used here) 

Sa nestrpljenjem očekujem tvoje pismo/očekujemo majčinu posetu.


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## Darina

Bulgarian:

to wait - чакам
to look forward - чакам с нетърпение




Kanes said:


> Bulgarian: гледaм към - I'm looking toward
> 
> еx: гледам към идването ви - I'm looking toward your coming


 
forward toward


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## mateo19

Thanks for all the answers! 

I wonder if anyone can add the Czech, Polish or Russian?  Either it is me (perhaps they find my posts annoying), or they totally neglect this forum since now they have their own.  I'm going to work on a solution for this with the moderators.  But all in due time.


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## Azori

Czech: těšit se na - to look forward to

Těším se na tvůj dopis. - I'm looking forward to your letter.
Těšíme se na máminu návštěvu. - We're looking forward to mom's visit.


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## bibax

> We are "impatiently" waiting to meet you in Ukraine = looking forward to meeting you you.
> French does the same thing, "avec impatience", even though there are other expressions to convey that idea (envie, hâte).


IMHO "to wait impatiently" is an universal construction understandable in any language.

Czech: čekat na (očekávat) koho/co netrpělivě (s netrpělivostí)

Těšíme se na váš dopis. = Netrpělivě čekáme na váš dopis. (it sounds rather official)

Russian:  с нетерпением ждать

С нетерпением жду вашего ответа.


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## Englishlove

phosphore said:


> Serbian:
> 
> *očekivati sa nestrpljenjem* - _to look forward to_, literally _to wait impatiently_
> (_veseliti se_ would be understood but I don't think it would really be used here)
> 
> Sa nestrpljenjem očekujem tvoje pismo/očekujemo majčinu posetu.



Hi, Phosphore! 

What do you think about "Jedva cekam da... te vidim"?

PS: I study Serbian and Croatian. Thank you!


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## phosphore

It is perfectly correct and very common, but it is rather informal. To a friend one would practically never say "s nestrpljenjem očekujem da te vidim" and would say "jedva čekam da te vidim", but for a formal letter the former is much more appropriate than the latter.


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## Sane Helle

phosphore said:


> It is perfectly correct and very common, but it is rather informal. To a friend one would practically never say "s nestrpljenjem očekujem da te vidim" and would say "jedva čekam da te vidim", but for a formal letter the former is much more appropriate than the latter.


And what about _*radovati se*_ ? Is it in use in Serbia with the meaning "to look forward to"?


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## phosphore

You could say "radujem se tvojoj poseti" but that means "I am delighted to be seeing you".


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## ilocas2

I just want to add that there is *nemoct se dočkat* (can't wait) besides *těšit se* (look forward) in Czech.

Těšíme se, až přijedeme do Bibione. - We look forward to arriving in Bibione.

Nemůžeme se dočkat, až přijedeme do Bibione. - We can't wait to arriving in Bibione.


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## swintok

This is a really old thread and far too late for your letter, mateo19, but since ilocas2 renewed it, I might as well throw in my two cents.

In Ukrainian there are a number of ways of saying "look forward to" depending on formality, occasion, context, etc.  "I can't wait for your visit" or "I can't wait for you to arrive" could be:

Я не можу дочекатися твого приїзду.
Я не можу дочекатися, поки ти приїдеш (поки ти повернешся)
Нетерпеливо чекаю твого повернення (твого приїзду)
З нетерпінням чекаю тебе (твого приїзду / поки ти приїдеш у гості)
і.т.д.


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## marco_2

In Polish:
*Nie mogę się doczekać twojego przyjazdu. *_(I'm looking forward to your arrival)_
Some people say informally: *Cieszę się na twój przyjazd. *(Personally, I don't like this expression).
*Oczekuję z niecierpliwością twojego przyjazdu. *_(very formally)_


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## Lubella

swintok said:


> This is a really old thread and far too late for your letter, mateo19, but since ilocas2 renewed it, I might as well throw in my two cents.
> 
> In Ukrainian there are a number of ways of saying "look forward to" depending on formality, occasion, context, etc.  "I can't wait for your visit" or "I can't wait for you to arrive" could be:
> 
> Я не можу дочекатися твого приїзду.
> Я не можу дочекатися, поки ти приїдеш (поки ти повернешся)
> Нетерпеливо чекаю твого повернення (твого приїзду)
> З нетерпінням чекаю тебе (твого приїзду / поки ти приїдеш у гості)
> і.т.д.


 
Я не можу дочекатися твого приїзду. OK
Я не можу дочекатися, *КОЛИ* ти приїдеш (*КОЛИ* ти повернешся)
З *НЕТЕРПІННЯМ* чекаю твого повернення (твого приїзду)
З нетерпінням чекаю тебе (твого приїзду / *КОЛИ* ти приїдеш у гості)

чекати = очікувати  to look forward to something


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## oveka

I am looking forward to your visit!= Я тішуся твоїми відвідинами/Мене тішать твої відвідини.
I cannot wait for your visit! = Я не можу чекати на твій візит!
I'm waiting for your arrival = Я чекаю на твій приїзд.
I'm looking forward to your arrival = Я тішуся твоїм приїздом/Мене тішить твій приїзд.
Очікувати = ждати _і то не завжди (not always).

Коли відвідини зараз або часті, то ... (when is frequent or activity then ...)_
*Я втішаюся твоїми відвідинами.*


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