Breakdown of Ojalá el hechizo me hiciera invisible.
hacer
to do / to make
me
to me / me (direct object)
ojalá
hopefully / I hope
el hechizo
spell
invisible
invisible
Questions & Answers about Ojalá el hechizo me hiciera invisible.
How do we form the imperfect subjunctive hiciera from hacer?
To form the imperfect subjunctive, always start with the ellos/ellas form of the simple past (preterite) tense. For hacer, that irregular form is hicieron. You drop the -ron to get your stem (hicie-), and then add the imperfect subjunctive endings. For el hechizo (it), the ending is -ra, giving us hiciera.
Why use the past subjunctive (hiciera) here if the translation is about wishing for something right now?
When you use ojalá with the imperfect (past) subjunctive, it expresses a hypothetical or unlikely wish about the present. It translates best as "If only the spell made me invisible!" (implying you know it probably won't). If you used the present subjunctive (ojalá el hechizo me haga invisible), it would mean you have a realistic, genuine hope that it actually will.
Is ojalá a verb meaning "to wish"?
No, ojalá is an invariable word (it never changes form) that comes from Arabic meaning "God willing." While we often translate it as "I wish," "if only," or "hopefully," it functions more like an expression that automatically triggers the subjunctive mood for the action that follows it.
Why does hiciera mean "made" here instead of "did"?
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