Querría vs quisiera... More or less the same?
Here we go again. I've learned a long time a go that "quisiera" can mean the same thing as "querría." They both mean "I would like..."
Quisiera/querría un vaso de agua por favor. - I would like a glass of water please.
I learned "querría" first, and then I stumbled upon "quisiera" a few months later. I asked my friends at my former Spanish class why "quisiera" would be used instead of "querría," and they came to the conclusion that most gringos (including me) can't roll their r's, and "quería" means something else completely. So to say "I would like" clearly and correctly, they would say "(Yo) quisiera."
I'm not sure that's the reason, but I suspect another reason: there are regional preferences for "querría" and "quisiera." If this is true, in which places is it better to say "quisiera," and in which places is it better to say "querría?" If Spanish is your first language, would you say "querría" or "quisiera"? Why would you say it?
Si he cometido algún error, por favor no duden en corregirme.
Thanks everyone 
6 Answers
Si hay que elegir entre querría y quisiera, quisiera sería la palabra adecuada. Sin embargo, en mi país la gente suele decir: "Me regala un vaso de/con agua, por favor".
Ahora bien, si estás en un restaurante es usual que al mesero le digas algo así como:
a. "Quisiera un vaso con agua".
En este caso insinúas que quieres agua, pero aunque no la pides explícitamente la otra persona interpretará la solicitud implícita.
b. "¿Me podría traer un vaso con agua, por favor?". En este caso pides agua de forma indirecta y cortés.
c. "¿Me traería un vaso con agua, por favor?". En este caso pides directa y explícitamente el agua, aunque de forma sutil.
d. "Me trae un vaso con agua, por favor". En este caso emites una orden directa y explícita, pero con cortesía.
e. "Tráigame un vaso con agua". Si eres tan poco gentil para pedir las cosas a la primera, hasta podrían responderte: "Se lo va a traer su abuela".
Es decir, hay formas de emplear tanto el condicional simple como el pretérito imperfecto del subjuntivo para transmitir la misma idea o intención (no el mismo mensaje), pero no siempre puedes sustituir una palabra por otra (en este caso una "forma verbal" por otra) en la misma oración o -si lo hicieras- sonaría raro.
Hi GW for your example with querer I agree that quisiera and querría can be used interchangeably especially to express a wish/asking for something.
We don't say it like that in English but I guess it would be the difference between I would like and I might like. If anything the quisiera might be slightly more polite if that's possible lol. I guess a similar structure is possible in English, such as 'I wonder if you would pass me that box please.' vs 'I wonder if you might pass me that box please.', although it might sound a bit old fashioned.
This equality of the subj and the conditional happens with some other verbs too, but I don't believe it is commonly used for all verbs. From what I've learn I'd say that the most common verbs used in this way would be poder ‘to be able’, deber ‘to have to’, saber ‘to know’, querer ‘to want’ and the auxiliary haber.
Hola GuitarWarrior,
In any foreign language, the sought after meaning is always the most important factor. Such is the case with Quisiera/querría.
Querría is a verb tense from the conditional.The conditional tells what would happen (if…), or what was going to happen (if…). Dijo que lo haría. He said that you would do it {if}. Dije que lo querría. I said that I would want it {if}. Volaría. I would fly {if}. The {if} can be stated or implied. All of the {if} above have been implied. Let’s take a look at the {if} when its stated. Whenever the conditional (if) is stated…then it has to be supported by the imperfect subjunctive clause. Dijo que lo haría si tuviera tiempo. He said that he would do it if he had time. Dije que lo querría si me gustara. I said that I would want it if I liked it. Volaría si tuviera alas. I would fly if I had wings (but I don’t) thus imperfect subjunctive.
Quisiera is an imperfect subjunctive conjugation from the verb querer. It’s used when someones desire or want in the past was based on something indefinite, imagined, uncertain, or in doubt. As you are probably aware of, an imperfect is not time specific. It could be something that started in the past but continues to the present. Quiero una cola. I want a coke. (present tense) Quisiera una cola. I wanted/was wanting a coke…but, Quisiera implies that there is uncertainty… I’m not sure (if you have one) or (if they exist) or (if you will even bring one to me should I ask you too) etc. (all the above, and more…this kind of doubt, uncertainty, etc… could be imagined) that is why the imperfect subjunctive is used. Hope this helps.
Querría is a conditional that can be supported by the imperfect subjunctive. Quisiera is the imperfect subjunctive defining ambiguity, uncertainty, etc...already. Viejito
I would like a glass of water please - Quisiera un vaso de agua por favor o Me gustaria un vaso de agua por favor.
I want a glass of water. - Quiero un vaso de agua.
Just like things said in English, there are more ways than one to say them. Examples: Sit down. - Would you like to sit down? - Have a seat., etc.
This one was hard for me do understand as well. I had to really dig deep into the recesses of my brain to comprehend why "quisiera un vaso de agua" would be an acceptable form of making a request. Previously I would have simply said, "me gustaría un vaso de agua."
We have to ask ourselves, "what is the implied other half of the sentence?" For example, in English, a photo can be properly labeled as either "James and I" or "James and me". In both cases, neither are complete sentences. This would be confusing to an English learner unless they were given the implied half of the sentence. What is implied in the first one is, "This is James and I" and in the second case is, "this is a photo of James and me." You see, it's what is implied is what makes an incomplete sentence grammatically correct.
In the case of "quisiera un vaso de agua," this sentence uses the past imperfect subjunctive. In English this would be "I was wanting a glass of water". Since the one half is past imperfect subjunctive, the other half of the sentence must be the conditional. The verb "ser" in conditional is "sería". If we imagined the implied half of "quisiera un vaso de agua" with the verb "ser (using the conditional)" an acceptable sentence could be, "quisiera un vaso de agua si usted sería tan amable" "I was wanting a glass of water if you would be so kind" or using another verb (haber), "quisiera un vaso de agua si hubiera" "I was wanting a glass of water if there were any" would be acceptable.
I hope the examples and explanations have helped.
Hi Guitar Warrior this a good question and to be sincere I have not seen someone to say "querría" .The most common is to say "quisiera" (it is in subjuntive,by the way) .Forexample when you have not traveled to any fantastic place yet and someone ask you :If you had a lot of money where would you like to go?And you say :quisiera ir a ....(the place where you would like to go to),but you can also say :Me gustaría ir a..... As you may say "gustaría " and "querría" they both have the same tense(they`re both in conditional),but "gustaría" is very common. Don´t worry about "querría" .I someome use it ,so say:Hey ,I use it and that person explain to you.
