I was wondering if, I was thinking, I was hoping

 I was wondering if, I was thinking, I was hoping 비슷비슷해 보여서 자칫 다 같은 뉘앙스라고 착각하기 쉬운데요. 네이티브들이 평상시 입에 달고 사는 표현인데 막상 우리는 사용하기 어렵습니다. 

오늘은 이 표현들을 구분해보겠습니다.

I was wondering if, I was thinking, I was hoping

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자칫 다 같은 뉘앙스라고 착각하기 쉬운 I was wondering if, I was thinking, I was hoping

I was wondering if ~
I was thinking ~
I was hoping ~

be supposed to : (원래) ~하기로 되어있어 / ~해야 해 

<상대가 쓸데 없는 말만 하는 것 같을 때>
A: I’m sorry, but how is this supposed to help me?

B: I’m getting there.

A: 미안한데 나한테 도움되는 얘기 맞아?
B: 이제 얘기할거니 조금만 더 들어봐.

1. I was wondering if ~ : 혹 ~한지 해서 물어봐

 “뭔가를 정중히 요청할 때 I was wondering if ~ 쓰세요.”
-macmillan 사전: a polite way of asking someone for something such as information or their opinion, or asking them to do something

1)가능 여부를 물어보며 부드럽게 요청
I was wondering if you could help me with something. 
혹 뭐 좀 도와줄 수 있나 해서 (물어봐)
    
Hi, I was wondering if you could help me.
   

 <일정을 잡거나 조정할 때도 I was wondering if ~>
Something’s come up at work, and I was wondering if I could reschedule.
        
I was just wondering if you were free for lunch today.
   

Can you help me? 를 좀 더 정중하게

→I was wondering if you could help me.
   

It’s not easy for me to ask this, but I was wondering if you could put in a good word with my boss.
이런 부탁은 쉽지 않지만 제 상관에게 좋게 말씀 좀 해주실 수 있나 해서요.
   

Can I reschedule? 를 좀 더 정중하게
 → I was wondering if I could reschedule.
        
 <상대의 견해 (take)를 물어볼 때>
 I was wondering if I could get your take on the balance between collaboration and competition.
    
2) 상대의 의견을 물어볼 때
I was wondering if you’d like to join me for lunch.
        
I was wondering if you’d like to have coffee.

We’re offering a 10% discount across the board, and I was wondering if you’d be interested.
*across the board(전반에 걸쳐) ==> on all our products.
    
I was wondering if you’d be interested.
        
<참여할 의향이 있는지 물어볼 때도>

I was wondering if either one of you guys would be interested in doing some work for the Big Brother program.
What do you say, George?
    
2. I was thinking ~ : ~란 생각이 들었어, ~하면 어떨까 했지
개인적인 생각을 공유하거나 제안할 때 사용
   

<이거 먹고 영화 보러 가면 어떨까 했지>
So, I was thinking after this, we could go to a movie.
    
Do you have plans tonight? I was thinking (maybe) we could catch up over a drink

*catch up (뒤처진 일을 따라 잡듯) 밀린 일/대화 등을 하다
*over a drink 술 한잔 하면서
*over lunch 점심 먹으면서
*over dinner 저녁 먹으면서
    
I was thinking that maybe we could do all this over lunch.
I was thinking we could have pizza for dinner.
    
A: I was thinking I could make us all some dinner.
B: Yeah, why don’t you stay for a beer at least?
C: Sure, why not?
    
I was thinking we could do this instead.
I was thinking maybe we could do this instead.
    
<다른 방법을 시도해보는 게 어떨까 했어>

I was thinking maybe we could try another way.
    
쇼핑 중 가격 흥정을 할 때 어떤 걸 써야 될까요?
I was wondering if you could give me a discount.

– 단순히 할인해줄 수 있는지 가능 여부를 물어보는 것에 초점
    
<뭔가를 빌릴 때도>
I was wondering if I could borrow your jet.
   

<뭔가 실수에 대한 보상의 느낌으로 사용 가능> – 환불 대신에 할인좀 해주시면 어떨까 하네요.
Well, I was thinking maybe you could give me a discount instead.
 바람/희망사항인 hoping을 써도 돼요.

 I was hoping ~ :(바람/희망사항) ~하면 좋을 것 같아서
-롱맨 사전: used to say that you hope something will happen, especially because you are depending on it.
    
I was wondering if I could schedule a sit-down with you.
I’m sitting. What do you need?
Well, I was hoping we could talk privately.
    
I was hoping we could talk in private.
I was hoping we could talk. (내 바람/희망사항) 얘기좀 하면 좋을 것 같아서.
I know it’s late, but I was hoping we could talk.
    
A: I think we could all use a break.
B: I was hoping you’d say that.
     Let’s go get some coffee.
     

<네가 그 말 하길 바랐어>
I love laser-T.
We gotta go sometime, man.
I was hoping you’d say that. (안 그래도 내심) 네가 그 말을 해줬으면 했는데.
   

<마음에 든 상대가 데이트 신청하자>
Sure. I was hoping you’d ask.
    
<부하직원이 앞으로 열심히 하겠다고 하자>
I was hoping to hear that.

 

★기억해 둘 문장
도와줄 수 있는지 가능여부를 물어보는
I was wondering if you could hep me.

피자를 먹으면 어떨까 하는 내 개인적인 생각을 공유, 나아가 제안
I was thinking we could have pizza for dinner.

(바람/희망사항) 내심 네가 그 말을 해줬으면 했는데.
I was hoping you’d say that.