quiero/quieres/quiere/queremos/quieren
Querer Present Tense
Use 'querer' to say what someone wants. It's an irregular verb where the 'e' changes to 'ie' in most forms (I, you, he/she, they).
How It Works
The verb querer means 'to want' and is one of the most common verbs in Spanish. It's an irregular verb in the present tense, specifically a stem-changing verb (e→ie).
This means the e in the stem (quer-) changes to ie for most subjects. The 'nosotros/nosotras' (we) and 'vosotros/vosotras' (you all, Spain) forms are the exceptions and keep the original 'e'.
Here are the conjugations:
- yo quiero - I want
- tú quieres - you (informal) want
- él/ella/usted quiere - he/she/you (formal) want
- nosotros/as queremos - we want (no stem change)
- vosotros/as queréis - you all (informal, Spain) want (no stem change)
- ellos/ellas/ustedes quieren - they/you all want
You can use 'querer' in two main ways:
1. querer + noun: To say you want a thing.
Example: Quiero un café. (I want a coffee.)
2. querer + infinitive: To say you want to do an action.
Example: Quiero comer. (I want to eat.)
Examples (5)
- Yo quiero un vaso de agua.
I want a glass of water.
Word by Word: I want a glass of water.
- ¿Tú quieres ir al parque?
Do you want to go to the park?
Word by Word: You want to go to the park?
Here, 'querer' is followed by an infinitive verb ('ir') to express wanting to do an action.
- Mi hermano quiere una bicicleta nueva.
My brother wants a new bicycle.
Word by Word: My brother wants a bicycle new.
- Nosotros queremos aprender español.
We want to learn Spanish.
Word by Word: We want to learn Spanish.
Notice that the 'nosotros' form, 'queremos', does not have the 'e' to 'ie' stem change.
- Ellos no quieren salir esta noche.
They don't want to go out tonight.
Word by Word: They not want to go out this night.
Common Mistakes
Forgetting the e→ie stem change.
Yo quero un café.Yo quiero un café.'Querer' is a stem-changing verb. The 'e' becomes 'ie' for 'yo', 'tú', 'él/ella/usted', and 'ellos/ellas/ustedes'. The 'nosotros' and 'vosotros' forms are the only exceptions.
Conjugating the verb that follows 'querer'.
Ella quiere come pizza.Ella quiere comer pizza.When you use 'querer' to say you want to do an action, the second verb must be in its infinitive form (the basic '-ar', '-er', or '-ir' form).
How It Connects
Learn This First
To learn the present tense of 'querer', you first need to understand subject pronouns to know who the verb refers to. Additionally, familiarity with regular -er verb endings provides the structural foundation for these conjugations.
Related Patterns
- e→ieStem-Changing Verbs E→IE
'Querer' is a primary example of this type of stem-changing verb, where the vowel in the stem changes in most present tense forms.
Level 1 - puedo/puedes/puede/podemos/puedenPoder Present Tense
'Poder' (to be able to/can) is another common irregular verb, often used with 'querer' to talk about what you want to do versus what you can do. It also has a stem change (o→ue).
Level 1 - tengo/tienes/tiene/tenemos/tienenTener Present Tense
Like 'querer', 'tener' (to have) is another fundamental and irregular verb in the present tense that is essential for beginners to master.
Foundations - yo/tú/él/ella/ustedSubject Pronouns (Singular)
Understanding subject pronouns is essential for choosing the correct conjugation of 'querer' (e.g., 'yo quiero', 'tú quieres').
Foundations
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Words in This Pattern
Practice quiero/quieres/quiere/queremos/quieren in Bubblegum
Poppy, your AI tutor, writes Spanish lessons at your level. Tap any grammar point in a lesson to see its full explanation.
