I am confused a little bit about the meaning difference between these two phrases:
I wish I was there.
I wish I had been there.
Could you explain about it?
Answer
In English, when you wish for something that is impossible to achieve, you normally backshift the tense of a verb to indicate that it is unachievable - for example, present simple goes to past simple. See here for more information about backshifting, which is also used in reported speech.
I am there -> I wish I was there
I was there -> I wish I had been there.
So, the first sentence means that you want to be there now, and the second sentence means that you want (now) to have been there at some time in the past.
Strictly speaking, be is a slight exception to the rule: you should use the subjunctive were, but it is perfectly acceptable to use the past simple was.
I wish I were there.
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