Italian Phrase
Spero di vivere all'estero.
Meaning
The sentence means ‘I hope to live abroad.’ It expresses a personal aspiration about future residence in a foreign country, not a certainty but a hopeful intention.
When to use
Use this phrase when talking about future plans, career moves, study abroad programs, or any situation where you want to convey a hopeful wish to relocate outside Italy.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Sperodivivereall'estero
Spero (present indicative)
‘Spero’ is the first‑person singular present of ‘sperare’ (to hope). It is used to express a personal hope or expectation.
di + infinitive
After verbs of hope, desire, fear, etc., Italian uses the preposition ‘di’ followed by an infinitive (e.g., spero di andare).
vivere (infinitive)
‘Vivere’ is the infinitive form of the verb ‘vivere’ (to live). In this construction it follows ‘di’.
all’estero (prepositional phrase)
‘All’estero’ is a contraction of ‘a’ + ‘l’estero’ meaning ‘abroad’. It works like ‘in the foreign country’ in English.
🗨In Conversation
Hai dei progetti per il futuro?
Do you have any plans for the future?
Spero di vivere all'estero.
I hope to live abroad.
✕Common Mistakes
Spero che vivo all'estero.
After ‘spero’ you need ‘di’ + infinitive, not ‘che’ + present indicative.
Spero di vivere in estero.
The correct preposition is the contracted ‘all’estero’, not ‘in estero’.
Spero di vivere all'estero
Always end the sentence with proper punctuation in written Italian.
↔Alternatives
Mi auguro di vivere all'estero.
I wish to live abroad.
Vorrei vivere all'estero.
I would like to live abroad.
Sogno di vivere all'estero.
I dream of living abroad.
Cultural Tip
In Italian, ‘spero di’ is the standard way to express hope about an action that has not yet happened. The phrase ‘all’estero’ is neutral and can refer to any country outside Italy; you do not need to specify the country unless it’s relevant. In formal writing you might prefer ‘mi auguro di…’, while in casual conversation ‘spero di…’ feels natural and friendly.