Quisiera preguntar algo...

Question

When you use "quisiera" to say "I would like" to do something, what mood/tense is "quisiera"?

Looking at the conjugation of querer, it shows it as "Imperfect Subjunctive".

I can understand the Subjunctive because it is something that you would like to do versus something that you want to do (correct me if I'm wrong there, too), but why the Imperfect?

How can something that you would like to do in the future be expressed in a past tense?

Good question Tom! I use that word often myself and have wondered that too. - EL_MAG0, Jul 8, 2011

Answer 1

lazarus: This is an exception, and there are historical reasons for it, since the ending -ra wasn't originally a subjunctive tense, but an indicative one (in Latin).

This conditional/courtesy usage is only possible with the -ra endings (never with -se), and only for "querer", "deber" and "poder". The result is exactly the same as "querría", "podría" and "debería", in conditional, as you correctly guess the first time.

Take a peak at what lazarus said in another thread about this.

Also, apparently Paralee discusses this in lesson 3.11

Answer 2

Good question. This was explained to me as a very 'soft' way of saying 'I want' - ie 'I might want \ I would like' in situations where you trying to be very polite \ courteous to the other party.

I read the same thing. - territurtle, Jul 8, 2011