I wish I knew what I wanted vs Wish I knew what I want

Both phrases are correct, but they are used in different contexts. 'I wish I knew what I wanted' is used when talking about a past desire or regret, while 'Wish I knew what I want' is used when expressing a current wish or desire. The choice between the two depends on the timeframe of the desire being expressed.

Last updated: March 12, 2024 • 3655 views

I wish I knew what I wanted

This phrase is correct and commonly used when expressing a desire or regret about something in the past.

This phrase is used to express a wish or desire about something that the speaker wanted in the past but did not know at that time.

Examples:

I wish I knew what I wanted when I was younger.
She wishes she knew what she wanted in life before making decisions.
They wish they knew what they wanted in a career earlier.

Show examples from the web [+]

“I wish I knew what I wanted to be when I grew up,” my 43-year old colleague said over lunch. She has worked in several fields and was now thinking of leaving ...
Site search, Web search. I wish I knew what i wanted to do with my life ... I wish I knew what i wanted to do with my life. I know, most people ...
Jan 30, 2015 ... Do you find yourself saying, “I wish I knew what I wanted to do,” “I thought this would be so different,” “I'm not learning anymore,” or “This job ...
Jan 28, 2015 ... Stop getting jobs, build a career! Do you find yourself saying, “I wish I knew what I wanted to do,” “I thought this would be so different,” “I'm not ...

Alternatives:

I wish I had known what I wanted
I wish I knew what I desired
I wish I knew what I was looking for

Wish I knew what I want

This phrase is correct and commonly used when expressing a current wish or desire.

This phrase is used to express a wish or desire about something that the speaker wants at the present moment.

Examples:

Wish I knew what I want for my birthday.
He wishes he knew what he wants to do with his life.
She wishes she knew what she wants in a relationship.

Show examples from the web [+]

I wish I knew what I want to be when I grow up. “I wish I knew what I wanted to be when I grew up,” my 43-year old colleague said over lunch. She has worked in ...
I wish I knew what I want. And I wish I could talk about my feelings and everything . I have a lot to say but I'm so scared AND I DONT KNOW WHY UGH. backward ...
⭐️Tiara⭐ retweeted. megs cole❁ @megsleigh23 · Feb 16. I wish I knew what I want. 0 replies 1 retweet 1 favorite. Reply. Retweet 1. Retweeted 1. Favorite 1
Love how big it is...just wish I knew what I want because waking around in circles sucks. Lol. Was this review …? Useful 1; Funny 1; Cool 1. Page 1 of 1 ...

Alternatives:

I wish I knew what I want
I wish I knew what I desire
I wish I knew what I am looking for

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I wish I knew what I wanted vs Wish I knew what I want