From birthday candles to bucket lists, heartfelt hopes to polite requests—Germans have one word for it all: Wunsch. Whether it’s something you dream of or something you simply ask for, it’s a Wunsch.

The noun Wunsch means wish, desire, request, or want, depending on the tone and context. It’s one of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German, and it’s a key part of expressing hopes, needs, and kindness.

It’s a masculine noun, so we say der Wunsch.

Pronunciation

Wunsch is pronounced [voonsh].

• The “W” is pronounced like a soft English “V.”

• The “u” sounds like “oo” in “good,” and

• The “sch” is like “sh” in “shoe.”

It’s a short, round word—soft in tone but rich in feeling.

Example sentences:

• Hast du einen besonderen Wunsch zum Geburtstag?
  Do you have a special birthday wish?

• Ich erfülle dir deinen Wunsch.
  I’ll grant your wish.

Nuance and usage tips

Wunsch works across a wide range of settings:

• Emotional or personal:
  ein geheimer Wunsch – a secret wish
  Wunschdenken – wishful thinking

• Practical or formal:
  auf Wunsch – on request
  Wunschliste – wish list

• Polite expressions:
  Was ist Ihr Wunsch? – “What would you like?”
  Ich hätte einen Wunsch. – “I have a request.”

Its opposite depends on context:

• For unfulfilled hopes: Enttäuschung (feminine, die Enttäuschung) – disappointment

• For desire in general: Ablehnung – rejection

• For fulfilled vs. unfulfilled: Erfüllung – fulfillment (can also contrast with Wunsch in spiritual contexts)

Grammatical case examples:

• Nominative: Der Wunsch war tief in ihm verwurzelt.
  The wish was deeply rooted in him.

• Accusative: Ich habe den Wunsch geäußert.
  I expressed the wish.

• Dative: Mit dem Wunsch kam auch die Angst vor Enttäuschung.
  With the wish came the fear of disappointment.

• Genitive: Wegen des Wunsches zog er in eine andere Stadt.
  Because of the wish, he moved to another city.

Masculine pattern: der, den, dem, des

Word variations and language tidbits

Variation Station:

• wünschen – to wish
  Ich wünsche dir viel Glück. – “I wish you good luck.”

• Wunschliste – wish list

• Wunscherfüllung – wish fulfillment

• Wunschkind – long-desired child (often used in parenting or adoption contexts)

• Wunschkonzert – request concert / metaphor for unrealistic expectations

Cultural note:
In formal or poetic contexts, Wunsch may take on spiritual or existential tones—“Sehnsucht nach Erfüllung” (longing for fulfillment). But it’s also as everyday as “Wünsch dir was!”—“Make a wish!”

📘 Duden entry: https://www.duden.de/rechtschreibung/Wunsch

🎥 Learn Wunsch and the rest of the top 1000 German nouns in our free online video course:
https://deutschable.com/nouns/

Ok, let's go on to more German words of the day! Next in line is how to say "target" in German. And what does the word Dank mean, exactly? And do you know how to say week or effect in German? Didn't think so!