Querer Conjugation in Spanish

Introduction

“Querer” is a versatile Spanish verb that means “to want” or “to love”. Examples: “Quiero comer chocolate” (I want to eat chocolate) and “Te quiero” (I love you).

Verbs similar to “querer” include: “ansiar” (to long for), “desear” (to want/wish), “apetecer” (to feel like).

Indicative Tenses of Querer

Simple Present Tense

The simple present tense is used for actions that take place regularly or are currently happening.

Examples:

• Quiero aprender español.
• ¿Quieres ir al cine?
• María quiere un café.

Imperfect Tense

The imperfect tense describes past actions that were ongoing or habitual.

Examples:

• De niño, quería ser astronauta.
• Siempre querías jugar con tus amigos.
• Queríamos viajar por el mundo.

Past Simple Tense

The past simple tense is used for actions that were completed in the past.

Examples:

• Ayer quise ayudarte.
• ¿Por qué no quisiste venir?
• Ellos quisieron ver la película.

Future Tense

The future tense describes actions that will happen.

Examples:

• Mañana querré hablar contigo.
• ¿Querrás probar algo nuevo?
• Ellos querrán una respuesta pronto.

Conditional Tense

The conditional tense is used to express actions that would happen given certain conditions.

Examples:

• Yo querría ir, pero no puedo.
• ¿Querrías unirte a nosotros?
• Ellos querrían saber la verdad.

Querer in the Indicative Present

The Indicative Present of querer is used to discuss situations, events, or ideas that are occurring now or shortly. It’s also utilized for talking about general truths and facts. For example, “quiero un cachorro,” which translates to “I want a puppy.”

In Spanish, the Indicative Present is known as “El Presente.”

Examples in Spanish:

1. Yo quiero viajar a España.
2. ¿Tú quieres un café?
3. Ellos quieren construir una casa nueva.

Querer in the Indicative Preterite

The Indicative Preterite for “querer” is used to describe actions that were completed in the past, typically at a specific moment. For instance, “quise un cachorro” translates to “I wanted a puppy.”

In Spanish, this tense is known as “El Pretérito Indefinido.”

Examples:

1. Yo quise ir al cine ayer.
2. Ellos quisieron comprar una casa.
3. Nosotros quisimos ayudar a nuestros amigos.

Querer in the Imperfect Tense

The Imperfect Indicative form of “querer” is utilized to refer to habitual or repeated actions in the past and to describe what someone used to want or desire in previous times. For example, “quería un cachorro,” which translates to “I used to want a puppy.”

In Spanish, the Imperfect Indicative is called “El Pretérito Imperfecto.”

Examples:

• Yo quería ser astronauta cuando era niño. (I used to want to be an astronaut when I was a child.)
• Ella querías viajar por el mundo. (She used to want to travel around the world.)
• Nosotros queríamos tener un jardín grande. (We used to want to have a big garden.)

Querer in the Present Progressive Indicative

The Present Progressive Indicative of “querer” is utilized to describe actions that are currently ongoing or happening continuously. For instance, “estoy queriendo un cachorro,” translates to “I am wanting a puppy.”

In Spanish, the Present Progressive Indicative is known as “El Presente Progresivo.”

Querer in the Indicative Near Future

The Indicative Near Future of “querer” is used to discuss actions that are planned or expected to occur in the near future. For instance, “voy a querer un cachorro,” which translates to “I am going to want a puppy.”

In Spanish, this form is referred to as “El Futuro Próximo.”

Examples in Spanish:

1. Mañana, yo voy a querer ir al cine.
2. ¿Tú vas a querer comer pizza esta noche?
3. Ellos van a querer cambiar de casa el próximo año.

Future Tense of “Querer” in the Indicative Mood

The Future Tense of “querer” is used to describe actions or events that will take place in the future. For instance, “querré un cachorro” translates to “I will want a puppy.”

In Spanish, the Future Tense is known as “El Futuro Simple.”

Examples in Spanish:

1. Mañana querré ir a la playa.
2. ¿Tú querrás cenar con nosotros esta noche?
3. Ellos querrán hablar contigo sobre el proyecto.

Querer in the Conditional Tense

The Conditional Tense of “querer” is utilized to discuss things that might potentially occur in the future, as well as to express hypotheses and probabilities. For instance, “querría un cachorro,” which translates to “I would want a puppy.”

In Spanish, the Conditional Tense is referred to as “El Condicional Simple.”

Conjugation Table

Example Sentences

1. Yo querría un coche nuevo si tuviera el dinero.
2. ¿Tú querrías viajar conmigo el próximo verano?
3. Ellos querrían ver la película esta noche si no tuvieran otros planes.

Usage of Querer in the Present Perfect Tense

The Present Perfect Tense of “querer” in Spanish is utilized to discuss actions or states that commenced in the near past and continue into the present or were concluded recently. For instance, “he querido un cachorro,” translates to “I have wanted a puppy.”

This tense in Spanish is referred to as “El Pretérito Perfecto.”

Examples:

• Yo he querido viajar a España.
• Ellos han querido aprender a bailar salsa.
• ¿Has querido ver la nueva película?

Querer in the Indicative Past Perfect

The Indicative Past Perfect of querer is utilized to describe actions that occurred prior to another past action. For instance, “había querido un cachorro,” meaning “I had wanted a puppy.”

In Spanish, this tense is referred to as “El Pretérito Pluscuamperfecto.”

Examples:

1. Yo había querido comprar un coche nuevo antes de mudarme a la ciudad.
2. Tú habías querido visitar París durante años.
3. Ellos habían querido aprender a nadar antes del verano.

Querer in the Future Perfect Tense

The Future Perfect tense of “querer” is used to describe actions that will have been completed at some point in the future. For instance, “habré querido un cachorro” translates to “I will have wanted a puppy.”

In Spanish, the Future Perfect is referred to as “El Futuro Perfecto.”

Querer in the Indicative Conditional Perfect

The Indicative Conditional Perfect of querer is used to describe actions that would have occurred in the past under different circumstances or due to certain conditions not being met. For example, “habría querido un cachorro”, meaning “I would have wanted a puppy”.

In Spanish, the Indicative Conditional Perfect is known as “El Condicional Perfecto”.

Examples:

1. Si hubiera tenido dinero, habría querido comprar una casa.
2. Ella habría querido asistir a la fiesta, pero tenía otro compromiso.
3. Ellos habrían querido ayudar, pero no pudieron.

Querer in the Subjunctive Present

The Subjunctive Present in Spanish is used to convey uncertainty or emotions such as wishes, desires, and hopes. This grammatical mood differs from the indicative mood due to the uncertain or undefined nature of the events discussed. For instance, “quiera” translates to “I want.”

In Spanish, the Subjunctive Present is referred to as “El Presente de Subjuntivo.”

Examples:

1. Espero que él quiera venir a la fiesta.
2. Es posible que nosotros queramos viajar este verano.
3. Dudo que ellos quieran participar en el proyecto.

Querer in the Imperfect Subjunctive

The Imperfect Subjunctive is used to talk about hypothetical or uncertain events in the past or to express emotions or opinions about past occurrences. For example, “quisiera” means “I wanted.”

In Spanish, the Imperfect Subjunctive is known as “El Imperfecto Subjuntivo.”

Examples:

1. Si yo quisiera aprender más, estudiaría más horas cada día.
2. ¿Tú quisieras viajar a otro país este año?
3. Ellos esperaban que él quisiera asistir a la reunión.

Querer in the Subjunctive Future

The Subjunctive Future is used for discussing hypothetical situations and actions/events that might take place in the future. An example is “quisiere,” which means “I will want.”

In Spanish, the Subjunctive Future is referred to as “El Futuro de Subjuntivo.”

Examples in Spanish:

1. Si yo quisiere pedir un favor, ¿me ayudarías?
2. No estoy seguro de qué haría si tú quisieres cambiar de trabajo.
3. Si ellos quisieren vender la casa, necesitarán avisar con tiempo.

Querer in the Subjunctive Present Perfect

The Subjunctive Present Perfect tense is employed to talk about past events that are still relevant in the present and to describe actions that will have occurred by a specific future time. For instance, “haya querido,” translating to “I have wanted.”

In Spanish, the Subjunctive Present Perfect is referred to as “El Pretérito Perfecto de Subjuntivo.”

Examples in Spanish:

1. No creo que Juan haya querido hacerte daño.
2. Me alegra que tú hayas querido acompañarme.
3. Es posible que nosotros hayamos querido demasiadas cosas.

Querer in the Subjunctive Past Perfect

The Subjunctive Past Perfect is utilized to describe hypothetical scenarios or actions/events that took place before other actions/events in the past. For example, “hubiera querido,” which translates to “I had wanted.”

In Spanish, the Subjunctive Past Perfect is referred to as “El Pretérito Pluscuamperfecto de Subjuntivo.”

Three examples:

1. Si hubiera querido, habría viajado a Europa.
2. No habrías tenido problemas si hubieras querido estudiar.
3. Ella hubiera querido estar aquí si hubiera sido posible.

Querer in the Future Perfect Subjunctive

The Future Perfect Subjunctive denotes actions that will have taken place under hypothetical future conditions. For example, “hubiere querido” translates to “I will have wanted”.

In Spanish, this conjugation is called “El Futuro Perfecto de Subjuntivo”.

Examples:

• Si hubiere querido, habría ido contigo. (If I will have wanted, I would have gone with you.)
• Si tú hubieres querido, habrías ganado el premio. (If you will have wanted, you would have won the prize.)
• Si ellos hubieren querido, nos habrían ayudado. (If they will have wanted, they would have helped us.)

Command Forms of Querer

Querer in the Imperative Affirmative

The Imperative Affirmative is used to give direct orders and commands, instructing someone to do something. For instance, “quiera” translates to “want!” in formal command.

In Spanish, this is termed as “El Imperativo Afirmativo”.

Example sentences:

1. Tú: “Quiere lo mejor para ti mismo.” - Want the best for yourself.
2. Nosotros: “Queramos estar siempre juntos.” - Let’s want to stay together always.
3. Ustedes: “Quieran un mundo mejor.” - Want a better world.

”Querer” in the Negative Imperative Form

The Imperative Negative is useful for issuing commands or instructions about what not to do. For example, “no quiera” means “don’t want” in a formal context. In Spanish, this form is called “El Imperativo Negativo”.

Example sentences and usage

• No quieras correr antes de caminar. - Don’t want to run before you can walk.
• No queramos olvidarlo tan pronto. - Let’s not want to forget it so soon.
• No queráis cambiar de opinión. - Don’t want to change your mind.