Learn Portuguese (Portugal): Oxalá o pequeno-almoço esteja incluído na tarifa. - I hope the breakfast is included in the rate.

The word oxalá expresses a strong hope or desire. In Portuguese, whenever you express a hope, wish, or uncertainty, it triggers the subjunctive mood. That is why the normal present tense está becomes the present subjunctive esteja.

Could I use quem me dera instead of oxalá for this sentence?

Yes, but you would have to change the verb tense. Oxalá is used here with the present subjunctive (esteja) to express a realistic hope. Quem me dera que usually requires the imperfect subjunctive to express wishful thinking, so it would become: Quem me dera que o pequeno-almoço estivesse incluído ("I wish breakfast were included").

Why do we use a form of estar (esteja) here instead of ser (seja) for "is included"?

We use estar because we are talking about a state or condition. In Portuguese, combining estar with a past participle (like incluído) describes a resulting state. If you used ser, it would sound more like a passive action happening in that exact moment.

Does oxalá translate directly to a specific English verb?

Not exactly. Oxalá is an invariable word of Arabic origin (from "inshallah", meaning "God willing"). It translates best to "hopefully", "let's hope", or "if only". It does not conjugate like a verb, which makes it quite easy to use once you know to pair it with the subjunctive.