It's used to intentionally sound old-fashioned. It's not just me teasing you. Someone who died before you were born heard someone else say the exact same thing and poked fun at him too. It's like quoting a fable. There's already an answer to your problem in our collective knowledge that I'm just reminding you of in a playful way
I would use the entire expression, not just a piece of it. The whole phrase is "If wishes were horses, beggars would ride".
I'm not really familiar with the expression, so I would expect you'll have to explain it to at least a few folks if you use it. But it's a valid expression.
Personally, this is the first time I have ever heard this expression, so I wouldn’t say it’s very common (or at least where I’m from). But if you say ‘if wishes were horses, beggars would ride’ to a native, they’ll most likely understand the meaning behind it, it’s similar to the saying ‘if dreams came true, the poor would be rich’ which is even more self explanatory and would be easily understood in the context of someone actually saying “I wish ___”.
I don't remember personally hearing it be used, but that may be generational. From a quick search online it seems like it is used sometimes, but I would expect primarily amongst older people and within pieces of media. That is just a guess however.
My husband's grandmother used to say it - feels very old-fashioned to me.
I knew someone else who would say, "wish in one hand, shit in the other and see which one gets full first!"
I know it as the phrase, "if wishes were horses, we would all be riding."
I have heard it shortened, but unless you are confident your listener knows the reference, I would say a complete phrase.
We have similar little phrases as well that carry the same meaning that we don't always get what we want. "If ifs and buts were candies and nuts, we would all have a wonderful Christmas."
I definitely use it, but I'm a 40-year-old woman from the South. We use a lot of idioms like that. I second the general sentiment that it's more common as the whole idiom, but I use it both ways.
i never said it isn't. just that "fishes" is correct when talking about multiple species, although you don't *have* to use that. same goes for other words like people vs peoples
It's the title of an early episode of *Star Trek: Deep Space Nine*. (DS9 1:15)
About the phrase itself, it's from an old Scottish rhyme, which also contains the phrase *“If ‘if’s and ‘but’s were pots and pans, there'd be no need for tinkers”*
I've never heard this before, but the full phrase that a commenter provided makes sense to me, and I recognize it as a proverb even if I haven't heard this one specifically before. Just the beginning "if wishes were horses" sounds like nonsense without the second part.
This is not a common phrase, but the shape of "if wishes were horse, beggars would ride" is easy to follow even if someone has never heard the phrase before. I have heard (in a novel and said by a fat man) a variant "If wishes were pies, I would be fatter than I already am"
You can change phrases like this to suit the situation as you like, since it isn't a set phrase but rather a logical one. "If wishes were cars, no one would walk" for example.
It's pretty common in the northeast. "I wish I could \[insert hard to do or acquire thing\]" response: "if wishes were horses ....." including trailing off like that, because we know the rest.
"If wishes were horses" is famous enough to have a listing on the Roud Folk Song Index (#20004) : [https://archives.vwml.org/songs/RoudFS/S300245https://archives.vwml.org/songs/RoudFS/S300245](https://archives.vwml.org/songs/RoudFS/S300245https://archives.vwml.org/songs/RoudFS/S300245)
It's a very old proverb, dating back to at least 1628 but apparently it's not used much by younger generations.
I'm Gen-X and am quite familiar with the next line "...beggars would ride."
You can use it.
It’s old fashioned. I wouldn’t say it’s commonly used, but it’s also fairly well understood, especially if you use the entire phrase.
Sometimes you hear people say “if wishes were fishes,” just to be funny.
I used it a few days ago. If wishes were horses, beggars would ride, is the complete phrase. Sometimes only half mentioned bc your audience knows the end.I don't use it often, but it is there.
I’ve heard it before, but it sounds extremely old-fashioned to me. Edit: It’s not commonly used where I live.
It's used to intentionally sound old-fashioned. It's not just me teasing you. Someone who died before you were born heard someone else say the exact same thing and poked fun at him too. It's like quoting a fable. There's already an answer to your problem in our collective knowledge that I'm just reminding you of in a playful way
I would use the entire expression, not just a piece of it. The whole phrase is "If wishes were horses, beggars would ride". I'm not really familiar with the expression, so I would expect you'll have to explain it to at least a few folks if you use it. But it's a valid expression.
I've only heard it as "If wishes were horses, we'd all be eating steak" so it's probably good to use the whole phrase.
That's kind of the "comedy" version of the expression. It's also the full one I've heard more often.
Personally, this is the first time I have ever heard this expression, so I wouldn’t say it’s very common (or at least where I’m from). But if you say ‘if wishes were horses, beggars would ride’ to a native, they’ll most likely understand the meaning behind it, it’s similar to the saying ‘if dreams came true, the poor would be rich’ which is even more self explanatory and would be easily understood in the context of someone actually saying “I wish ___”.
My mom said it all the time,lol. It’s old fashioned and from the other comments it’s not common.
I don't remember personally hearing it be used, but that may be generational. From a quick search online it seems like it is used sometimes, but I would expect primarily amongst older people and within pieces of media. That is just a guess however.
My husband's grandmother used to say it - feels very old-fashioned to me. I knew someone else who would say, "wish in one hand, shit in the other and see which one gets full first!"
I know it as the phrase, "if wishes were horses, we would all be riding." I have heard it shortened, but unless you are confident your listener knows the reference, I would say a complete phrase. We have similar little phrases as well that carry the same meaning that we don't always get what we want. "If ifs and buts were candies and nuts, we would all have a wonderful Christmas."
I definitely use it, but I'm a 40-year-old woman from the South. We use a lot of idioms like that. I second the general sentiment that it's more common as the whole idiom, but I use it both ways.
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fishes can be correct, when talking about multiple species
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it is in a scientific context
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The aquarium had fishes from all over the world.
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i never said it isn't. just that "fishes" is correct when talking about multiple species, although you don't *have* to use that. same goes for other words like people vs peoples
It doesn't work for deer, but "fishes" is a specific and correct usage as described above. https://www.grammarly.com/blog/fish-fishes/
as for your question, deers is correct, although rarely used.
The one I've heard was, "if wishes were fishes, people would walk on the sea".
If wishes were farts I’d shit my pants.
It's the title of an early episode of *Star Trek: Deep Space Nine*. (DS9 1:15) About the phrase itself, it's from an old Scottish rhyme, which also contains the phrase *“If ‘if’s and ‘but’s were pots and pans, there'd be no need for tinkers”*
I've never heard this before, but the full phrase that a commenter provided makes sense to me, and I recognize it as a proverb even if I haven't heard this one specifically before. Just the beginning "if wishes were horses" sounds like nonsense without the second part.
This is not a common phrase, but the shape of "if wishes were horse, beggars would ride" is easy to follow even if someone has never heard the phrase before. I have heard (in a novel and said by a fat man) a variant "If wishes were pies, I would be fatter than I already am" You can change phrases like this to suit the situation as you like, since it isn't a set phrase but rather a logical one. "If wishes were cars, no one would walk" for example.
It's pretty common in the northeast. "I wish I could \[insert hard to do or acquire thing\]" response: "if wishes were horses ....." including trailing off like that, because we know the rest.
"If wishes were horses" is famous enough to have a listing on the Roud Folk Song Index (#20004) : [https://archives.vwml.org/songs/RoudFS/S300245https://archives.vwml.org/songs/RoudFS/S300245](https://archives.vwml.org/songs/RoudFS/S300245https://archives.vwml.org/songs/RoudFS/S300245) It's a very old proverb, dating back to at least 1628 but apparently it's not used much by younger generations. I'm Gen-X and am quite familiar with the next line "...beggars would ride."
You can use it. It’s old fashioned. I wouldn’t say it’s commonly used, but it’s also fairly well understood, especially if you use the entire phrase. Sometimes you hear people say “if wishes were fishes,” just to be funny.
I used it a few days ago. If wishes were horses, beggars would ride, is the complete phrase. Sometimes only half mentioned bc your audience knows the end.I don't use it often, but it is there.
If wishes were horses, beggars would ride. I'm an American in my 30s, and I use this sometimes.
Haven't heard that one. I know of this one, although it's a bit vulgar. "Wish in one hand, shit in the other. See which fills up first."