Querer Expressions

Querer - to want, to love
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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!

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Spanish expressions with querer

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