I fancy

Meanings

1. 1phrasefixed phraseinformalBritish

   used to say you would like to have something or do something

   Grammar: Followed by a noun or an -ing form: I fancy a break / I fancy going out. It is not used with 'to' + verb.

   Patterns

   • I fancy something
   • I fancy doing something

   I fancy a cold drink after that long walk.

   Do you fancy seeing a film tonight?

   I fancy a quick nap before dinner.

2. 2phrasefixed phraseinformalBritish

   used to say you feel attracted to someone

   Grammar: Takes a person as the object: I fancy him. It is not usually used in formal writing.

   Patterns

   • I fancy someone

   I fancy the new guy at work, but I haven't spoken to him yet.

   She told me she fancied someone in her class.

3. 3phrasefixed phraseBritishold-fashioned

   used to say you have a feeling or belief that something is true

   Grammar: Often followed by a clause: I fancy (that) it's going to rain. This use is more literary or old-fashioned.

   Patterns

   • I fancy (that) + clause

   I fancy it will rain before the afternoon is over.

   I fancy she's already left, because her coat is gone.

Common combinations

fancy a drink

We're stopping at the pub — do you fancy a drink?

fancy a bite

I fancy a bite before the show starts.

fancy going out

I fancy going out for dinner tonight.

fancy the idea

I fancy the idea of a weekend by the sea.

Synonyms and how they differ

feel like

This is the usual American and neutral alternative; 'I feel like a coffee' means the same as 'I fancy a coffee' but works in both British and American English.

want

Stronger and more direct than 'fancy'; 'I want a coffee' can sound blunt, while 'I fancy a coffee' is softer and more casual.

would like

More polite and formal; use it in restaurants or when writing, but it does not take an -ing form the way 'fancy' does.

Word family

fancy verb

To like the idea of something or feel attracted to someone.

fancy adjective

Decorative or complicated, as in 'a fancy dress'.

fanciful adjective

Imagined rather than real; not based on facts.

Commonly confused: I fancy or fancy?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “I fancy”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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