The use of querer

Question

¿Quieres que decirte el significado?, ¿Quieres que ayudarte? ¿Quieres que vaya a la farmacia?

Por favor dígame si todas las frases arriba están correcto. Por qué se usa infinitivo en primera y segunda frases y qué se usa subjuntivo en tercera?.

Agradeciendole de antemano.

It would be better: "Por favor, díganme si todas las frases de arriba son correctas. ¿Por qué se usa el infinitivo en la primera y segunda frses y el subjuntivo en la tercera? :) - Cordobesa, May 21, 2012

Answer 1

Las frases correctas serían:

¿Quieres que te diga el significado?

¿Quieres que te ayude?

¿Quieres que vaya a la farmacia?

Las tres, con el presente de subjuntivo.

Answer 2

Hey Pravin, your first two sentences are incorrect.

If there is no change of subject you use the infinitive but you don't need the que:

Quiero decirte. I want to tell you. Both the verbs to want and to tell apply to the one person hence the infinitive in the second one.

If you are using verbs of desire/request etc and there is a change of subject and two clauses in the sentence, usually separated by que you need the subjunctive.

¿Qué quieres que (yo) te diga? What do you want me to tell you? has two subjects and two clauses separated by que hence the subjunctive.

You don't use the indicative or the infinitive because you're not saying that you are telling them something but instead you are just asking them what they'd like you to be telling them.

Your third sentence is correct 'Quieres que (yo) vaya a la farmacia? because you have two subjects - the person you're asking 'do they want' and 'you' to go. There are two clauses separated by que and your governing verb is one of desire/request etc.

I hope that helps.