The Present Tense of Querer is used to express desires, wants, and wishes in the present moment. For example, Quiero aprender español. (I want to learn Spanish.)

Querer is a stem-changing verb, meaning the vowel in the stem changes from e to ie in all forms except nosotros and vosotros.

Conjugations

Conjugations of Querer (to want) in the Present Tense tense (Castilian Spanish):

Querer generally means “to want” or “to love”, but has several different meanings in the Present Tense, some of which might surprise you.

To want: This is the most common meaning, expressing a desire for something. For example, Quiero un helado. (I want an ice cream.)

To love: It can also mean “to love” in a romantic sense. For example, Te quiero mucho. (I love you a lot.)

To wish: It can express a wish or preference. For example, Quiero que vengas conmigo. (I wish you would come with me.)

Colloquial usage: In some contexts, it can be used in a more casual or slang way. For example, ¿Quieres pelea? (Do you want a fight?) meaning “Are you looking for trouble?”

Idiomatic expressions: There are also idiomatic expressions using querer. For example, No quiero ni verlo. (I don’t even want to see him.) meaning “I really dislike him.”

Examples

Examples of Querer in the Present Tense

¿Quieres ir al cine esta noche? (Do you want to go to the movies tonight?)

No, quiero quedarme en casa y ver una película. (No, I want to stay home and watch a movie.)

Mis amigos quieren ir a bailar, pero yo prefiero quedarme en casa. (My friends want to go dancing, but I prefer to stay home.)

¿Por qué quieres aprender español? (Why do you want to learn Spanish?)

Queremos viajar a América Latina el próximo año. (We want to travel to Latin America next year.)

Ella quiere ser doctora cuando sea grande. (She wants to be a doctor when she grows up.)

¿Quieren ustedes pedir una pizza para cenar? (Do you all want to order a pizza for dinner?)

No quiero llegar tarde a la reunión. (I don’t want to be late for the meeting.)

¿Queréis ir al parque a jugar un partido de fútbol? (Do you all want to go to the park to play a soccer game?)

Mis padres quieren que estudie una carrera universitaria. (My parents want me to study a university degree.)

¿Quieres que te ayude con la tarea? (Do you want me to help you with the homework?)

No queremos perdernos el concierto de esta noche. (We don’t want to miss the concert tonight.)

Ella quiere mudarse a una ciudad más grande. (She wants to move to a bigger city.)

¿Quieren ustedes salir a cenar esta noche? (Do you all want to go out for dinner tonight?)

Yo quiero aprender a tocar la guitarra. (I want to learn to play the guitar.)

Conjugations with English Translations

Conjugations of Querer (to want) in the Present Tense tense (Castilian Spanish) with English Translations:

This post covers Castilian Spanish. For Latin American Spanish, click here

Synonyms

The Present tense is also known as the Simple Present, Present Simple, Present Tense, or Present Indicative in English, and as Presente de Indicativo, Presente Simple, Tiempo Presente, or Indicativo Presente in Spanish.