Will you help me with a Spanish language question?

Question

I can't figure out the difference between

me gustaria
yo quiero
quisiera

I know they all mean "I want" or "I would like", but what is the difference with these three? Can you please use English examples of each so that I can be sure of the difference? Thanks!

Answer 1

Those 3 mean about the same thing and there's one more in this group too: "querría". The main difference among them is the level of formality/politeness. In order from least formal to most formal:

QUIERO: "I want". This is the present tense of "querer". Very direct and to the point. Fine for casual talk among friends but may sound too demanding or curt in some situations.

ME GUSTARÍA: "I would like". More formal and polite than "quiero". Use to express something you'd like to have or do. Usually followed by another verb, rather than a noun. Ex:
Me gustaría comprar un libro. = I would like to buy a book.
Quiero un libro. = I want a book.

QUERRÍA: (Do not confuse this with "quería" which is the imperfect past tense of "querer". Just one little "r" makes a big difference!) This is the conditional of "querer" which technically means "I would want". But it's also used as "I would like" as a polite way of asking for something.

QUISIERA: This is the past subjunctive of "querer" but, just like "querría", it's also used as "I would like" as a polite way of asking for something. This one is the most formal and polite of all of them. Best one to use to request something when you want to demonstrate the most respect and formality. A very non-agressive way of asking for something.

Examples (In a restaurant):
Quiero más agua. = I want more water. (Sounds abrupt and a little rude.)
Querría más agua por favor. = I would like more water please. (A nice polite way of asking for more water. There's nothing wrong with asking in this way.)
Quisiera más agua por favor. = I would like more water please. An even more formal way of asking for more water. More examples of good times to use this one:
Quisiera pedirle un favor. = I would like to ask you a favor.
Quisiera su ayuda con este problema. = I would like your help with this problem.

Answer 2

i understand extremely Spanish and those days heard some diverse people speakin Italian in the front of me (it grow to be being translated to English for me) and at the same time as there have been some similarities, there have been quite a number of diffrences, I really couldn' understad a note of it even regardless of the reality that I knew that there have been words that looked like Spanish words (regardless of the indisputable fact that that ought to were the ranslation extremely than the language itself). i imagine that is way less stressful to p.c.. one up in case you understand the different yet i imagine you ought to do properly with an Italian phrasebook

Answer 3

Me gustaria and quisiera both mean "I would like." "Me gustaria" is a bit more formal. Quisiera is more colloquial.

Yo quiero is "I want." That is fine to use, but just be careful with it. Like when you are ordering at a restaurant, you don't generally say "I want a burrito." You would say "I would like a burrito." So use the same discretion in spanish :-)

Answer 4

There are slight differences among those phrases.

If you're asking something you'd like in a polite way, say "Quisiera... por favor" (I would like... please).

If there's something you'd like to do or to have (but you're not asking a favor, just expressing yourself) say "Me gustaría..."

If there's something you want, say "quiero..." (This works if you're asking someone to do something or to give you something, and also to express yourself).

For more Spanish topics, check:
http://spanishexperts.blogspot.com

Answer 5

Me gustaría = I would like

I would like to travel = Me gustaría viajar.

Yo quiero = I want

I want to be an astronaut = Quiero ser astronauta.

Quisiera = I would want

If I would want to learn Swahili I would have to ....
Si quisiera aprender Swahili tendría que ....

Answer 6

Me gustaria/quisiera= I would like
Yo quiero= I want
It's the same as in english

I would like to go to the movies-Me gustaria/quisiera ir al cine
I want to go to the movies-Quiero ir al cine

Answer 7

me gustaría = I would like
yo quiero = I want
quisiera = I would want, or "If I wanted" for the conditional

Answer 8

me gustaria/quisiera: I would like
yo quiero: I want