Querer Expressions

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Wanting Spanish expressions

Querer literally means "to want" and "to love." It’s also found in a number of Spanish expressions. Learn how to be madly in love, dote on someone, be looking for trouble, and more with this list of expressions with querer.

Querer translations

• to like
• to love
• to want

 In the pretérito, querer has two additional meanings – learn more.

Proverb with querer

Querer es poder.

Where there’s a will, there’s a way.

Expressions with querer

querer + infinitive			to want to + verb
querer a alguien			to love
querer a alguien con locura			to be madly in love with someone
querer a alguien como a la niña de sus ojos			to dote on someone
querer bien a alguien			to want the best for someone; to be fond of / care about s.o.
querer decir			to mean
querer mal a alguien	(familiar)		to have it in for someone, wish someone ill
querer pelear			to be looking for trouble
querer … por algo			to want (amount) for something, to sell something for (…)
querer que + subjunctive			to want (something to happen, be done)
cosas del querer			affairs of the heart
hacerse querer por alguien			to endear oneself to someone
niña de mi querer			apple of my eye, my dear child
las penas del querer			pangs of love
sin querer			unintentionally
tener querer a			to be fond of
como quiera que			however, in whatever manner
como Ud. quiera			as you wish
cuando quiera que			whenever
donde quiera que			wherever
¡Está como quiera!	(familiar)		S/he's hot! S/he's got it made!
La etiqueta quiere que…			Etiquette requires that…
hacer lo que quiere			to do what one wants / as one likes/pleases
¡Lo que quieras!			Have it your way!
Me quiere, no me quiere			S/he loves me, s/he loves me not
No quiso escuchar razones			S/he wouldn't listen to reason
¡Por lo que más quieras!	(begging)		For all that is sacred!
	(scolding)		For Heaven's/goodness sake!
¿Qué más quieres?			What else/more do you want?
¡Qué más quisiera yo!			If only I could! What more could I wish for?
¿Qué querían?	(clerk or waiter)		Can I help you? What can I do for you?
¿Qué querrán esta vez?			I wonder what they want this time
¿Qué quieres decir con eso?			What do you mean by that?
¡Qué quieres que (le) haga!			What can you do?
¿Qué quieres que te diga/haga?			What do you want/expect me to say/do?
queriendo			on purpose, deliberately
¿Querrías hacerme un favor?			Would you mind doing me a favor?
Quien bien te quiere te hará llorar			Sometimes you have to be cruel to be kind
quiera o no			whether s/he likes it or not
quieras que no	(familiar)		believe it or not, whether we/you like it or not
¿Quieres casarte conmigo?			Will you marry me?
¿Quieres decirme …?			Would you mind telling me …?
¿Quieres por esposo a…?			Do you take … to be your lawfully wedded husband/wife?
¿Quieres que me crea que…?			Are you asking me to / Do you expect me to believe that…?
Será … y todo lo que tú quieras, pero …			S/he may be … and all that, but …
sin querer			unintentionally
Su teoría quiere que …			His/her theory has it that …
¿Te quieres callar?			Will you be quiet?
Te quiero			I love you
La tradición quiere que …			Tradition has it that …
¡Ya quisiera yo estar en su lugar!			I'd change places with him/her any day!

 More about querer

• Using querer
• Querer conjugation tables
• Querer conjugation test
• Stem-changing verbs
• Spanish love language

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