لَيْتwish in Arabic

Example sentences

• فليت شعري أنت ماذا عرفت؟ وما علمك،

  I wish to know what you have understood? And what is your knowledge,

  لَيْتَ — I wish. This is the wishing particle 'would that', which expresses a wish for something unattainable and, like its emphatic cousins, forces its following noun into the accusative. It sets a longing, regretful tone, 'if only I knew'.

  From: When Recitation Breeds Pride →