Talking about a wish

[undeddy]

I found out a couple of words describing this notion of a 'wish' (besides the verb 'want'):

- long for
- desire
- crave
- wish for

In what situatons do you use these words? Perhaps, you can extend this list...

Thanks beforehand.

[PROESL]

I found out a couple of words describing this notion of a 'wish' (besides the verb 'want'):

- long for
- desire
- crave
- wish for

In what situatons do you use these words? Perhaps, you can extend this list...

Thanks beforehand.

If you have an idea, or even a rough idea, of what they mean, I would suggest writing example sentences that we can comment on. That's an easier approach. Providing examples is mental energy. It's like writing a mini-text. Give us some examples, and then we'll have something to work from and expand on. In other words, try it, and then we'll help you.

[undeddy]

'What are we going to buy as a present for Andrew's birthday?' - 'I think he longs for a new computer.'
Long for, I guess, means that you really have been looking forward to do or get smth. It should be quiet a synonym to desire. Wish for, as I think, is a more formal version of a strong demand like 'The new president wishes for the best for his nation.'
However, I'm not sure about crave, how strong (in reflecting a wish) this word is, perhaps like this: 'We all crave the war to stop' (not really sure if it's possible to use crave in the way I did).
So,...

[PROESL]

'What are we going to buy as a present for Andrew's birthday?' - 'I think he longs for a new computer.'
Long for, I guess, means that you really have been looking forward to do or get smth. It should be quiet a synonym to desire. Wish for, as I think, is a more formal version of a strong demand like 'The new president wishes for the best for his nation.'
However, I'm not sure about crave, how strong (in reflecting a wish) this word is, perhaps like this: 'We all crave the war to stop' (not really sure if it's possible to use crave in the way I did).
So,...

First, I should say that the idea here is create sentences in English that sound like natural, typical, and likely language. So while your sentences may be correct, I still might think it's best to change them or make some suggestions.

'What are we going to buy as a present for Andrew's birthday?' - 'I think he longs for a new computer.'

I would simply say something like "I think he really wants a new computer".

There's really not any emotional attachment to a computer, so I think "long for" is a bit too strong when we talk about a computer.

Here's a typical way to use "long for". He's been away at school in England for six months now, and I'm certain he longs to be back home with his family, friends, and fiancee. By now, he's probably craving home-cooked Russian food.

The word "crave" is often associated with food.

The people of XXXX country are longing for the war to come to an end so that they can get on with their lives in a normal way.

Long for, I guess, means that you really have been looking forward to doing or getting smth. It should be quiet a synonym to desire. Wish for, as I think, is a more formal version of a strong demand like 'The new president wishes for the best for his nation.'

Yes, "wish for" sounds more formal, and you are correct about "long for". If someone "longs for something", then this indicates a very strong desire for something. That's a good sentence. You could say "The new president wishes the best for his nation and all the nations of the world".

However, I'm not sure about crave, how strong (in reflecting a wish) this word is, perhaps like this: 'We all crave the war to stop' (not really sure if it's possible to use crave in the way I did).

I would take a look here:

crave: Definition, Synonyms from Answers.com

American Heritage Dictionary
Cambridge ESL Dictionary
Longman ESL Dictionary
Longman ESL Dictionary Pictures
Heinle's ESL Dictionary\
Macmillan ESL Dictionary

You could try to find some good examples here if the dictionaries don't have enough.

"craving for" - Google Search

"craving" - Google Search

Sometimes we can see that a brand name tends to monopolize a word. That seems to be the case with "crave".

"crave" - Google Search