The verb querer [key-RER] is one of the most common and important verbs in Spanish. It comes from Latin quaerere, meaning "to seek." In modern usage, querer has two main meanings:
- To want — Expressing desires, needs, or intentions.
- To love — Expressing affection, especially in a somewhat mild or familiar way. (For stronger love, amar is used.)
Because querer is irregular, its stem changes depending on the tense or form. The most common stem changes are quer- (regular), quier- (in most present tense forms), and quis- (in past preterite and subjunctive forms).
Conjugation Patterns
Here are the full conjugations in key tenses, using example subjects:
| Pronoun | Meaning | Present (yo quiero) | Preterite (yo quise) | Imperfect (yo quería) | Future (yo querré) | Conditional (yo querría) | Present Subjunctive (yo quiera) | Imperfect Subjunctive (yo quisiera) | Present Participle (queriendo) | Past Participle (querido) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| yo | I | quiero | quise | quería | querré | querría | quiera | quisiera | — | — |
| tú | you (sing.) | quieres | quisiste | querías | querrás | querrías | quieras | quisieras | — | — |
| él/ella | he/she | quiere | quiso | quería | querrá | querría | quiera | quisiera | — | — |
| nosotros | we | queremos | quisimos | queríamos | querremos | querríamos | queramos | quisiéramos | — | — |
| ellos/ellas | they | quieren | quisieron | querían | querrán | querrían | quieran | quisieran | — | — |
- Note: The present participle queriendo means "wanting." The past participle querido means "wanted" or "beloved" and is used with haber to form perfect tenses, e.g., he querido ("I have wanted/loved").
Usage
. To Want, Desire, or Need
Most commonly, querer means "to want." It can be followed by a noun, an infinitive, or a clause introduced by que.
| Spanish Example | English Example |
|---|---|
| Quiero un café. | I want a coffee. |
| ¿Quieres ir al cine? | Do you want to go to the movies? |
| Quieren que estudiemos más. | They want us to study more. |
Use querer + infinitive to express wanting to do something, as in quiero comer ("I want to eat").
. To Love or Care for Someone
In addition to "want," querer can mean "to love" in a more informal or familial way (like "to care for" or "to be fond of"). It’s common in family and friendly relationships, but not usually for romantic love (where amar or enamorar is stronger).
| Spanish Example | English Example |
|---|---|
| Quiero mucho a mi abuela. | I love my grandmother very much. |
| Te quiero, amigo. | I love you, friend. |
| Los niños quieren a su perro. | The children love their dog. |
Usually the indirect object pronoun (me, te, le, nos, os, les) is included: te quiero, le quiero, etc.
. Polite Requests and Softening Statements
Querer can make requests more polite, especially in the conditional or past subjunctive form.
| Spanish Example | English Example |
|---|---|
| ¿Quisiera un poco de agua? | I would like some water. |
| Querríamos reservar una mesa. | We would like to reserve a table. |
| Quisiera hablar con usted. | I would like to speak with you. |
Here, quisiera and querríamos make the request sound more courteous.
Common Phrases
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| ¿Qué quieres? | What do you want? |
| Quiero decir algo. | I want to say something. |
| Te quiero mucho. | I love you very much. |
| No quiero problemas. | I don’t want any trouble. |
| Quiero irme ya. | I want to leave now. |
Tips and Notes
- The present tense is used for immediate wants or general intentions.
- The preterite (quise, quisiste, etc.) usually means "tried to" or "attempted to" in a past context.
- The imperfect (quería, querías) is more about past desires, politeness, or background situations.
- The subjunctive is used when querer expresses influence or desire over someone else's actions (Quiero que vengas).
- Use querer + infinitive to say you want to do something.
- Use querer + noun when expressing wanting something concrete.
- To express loving someone, include the appropriate pronoun (te quiero, les quiero).
Summary
- Querer = "to want" + "to love (affectionate)."
- Irregular stems: quier- (present), quis- (preterite/subjunctive past).
- Use for desires, intentions, affection, and polite requests.
- Remember: querer + infinitive = want to do something.
- Use indirect object pronouns for "love" meaning: te quiero, le quiero, etc.
- Context determines whether it means "want" or "love."
Flashcards (1 of 14)
- English Example: I want a coffee.
Last updated: Wed Jun 18, 2025
