Functional Skill: Describing Hopes, Dreams, and Ambitions (B1)

This B1 functional skill involves using appropriate language structures and vocabulary to talk about personal aspirations for the future, including hopes, wishes, dreams, and concrete ambitions.

Scope:

Combines future tenses, conditional moods, specific verbs, and vocabulary related to goals and desires.

1. Expressing Hopes:

• hopen dat... (to hope that...): Followed by a subordinate clause, often in the present or future tense.
• Example: Ik hoop dat ik slaag voor het examen. (I hope that I pass the exam.)
• Example: Ik hoop dat het mooi weer wordt. (I hope that the weather will be nice.)
• hopen op... (to hope for...): Followed by a noun.
• Example: Ik hoop op een positief antwoord. (I hope for a positive answer.)
• hopelijk (hopefully): Adverb used to express hope.
• Example: Hopelijk gaat alles goed. (Hopefully everything goes well.)

1. Expressing Dreams and Wishes:

• dromen van/over... (to dream of/about...):
• Example: Ik droom van een reis naar Japan. (I dream of a trip to Japan.)
• Example: Zij droomt ervan om piloot te worden. (She dreams of becoming a pilot.) - Note er + van + om te infinitive.
• Using zouden (Conditional): Often used for wishes about the present or future (see line 4).
• Example: Ik zou graag beter Nederlands willen spreken. (I would like to speak better Dutch.)
• Example: Ik zou willen dat ik meer tijd had. (I wish that I had more time.) - Using zouden willen dat + past tense for wishes contrary to present fact.
• wensen (to wish): Can be used, but often more formal or for specific contexts (like wishing someone well).
• Example: Ik wens je veel succes. (I wish you lots of success.)

1. Expressing Ambitions and Intentions:

• van plan zijn om... te + infinitive (to plan to...):
• Example: Ik ben van plan om volgend jaar te verhuizen. (I plan to move next year.)
• willen (to want to): Expresses desire or intention.
• Example: Ik wil later arts worden. (I want to become a doctor later.)
• gaan + infinitive (going to): Expresses near future intention (see line 3).
• Example: Ik ga solliciteren naar die baan. (I am going to apply for that job.)
• Nouns: de ambitie (ambition), het doel (goal), de droom (dream), de wens (wish), de hoop (hope), het plan (plan).
• Example: Mijn ambitie is om directeur te worden. (My ambition is to become director.)
• Example: Mijn doel is om dit jaar B1 te halen. (My goal is to achieve B1 this year.)

Skills Developed (B1):

• Talking about personal goals and future plans.
• Expressing wishes and hopes for the future.
• Understanding when others talk about their aspirations.

Learning Focus:

• Learning key verbs: hopen, dromen, wensen, willen, van plan zijn.
• Using future forms (zullen, present tense) and conditional (zouden) appropriately.
• Practicing structures with dat-clauses and (om) te + infinitive.
• Acquiring relevant nouns (ambitie, doel, droom, wens, hoop, plan).
• Combining these elements to create meaningful sentences about future desires.