"¿Quiero o me gustaría?"
Que es la diferencia entre:
"Quiero comprar flores para mi esposa" y "Me gustaría comprar flores para mi esposa"
In English "I want to buy flowers for my wife" and "I would like to buy flowers for my wife"
seem, to me, to be interchangeable. In general, I'd like to know if there is a difference in how/when one would use "querer" and the conditional form of gustar.
3 Answers
When talking to a waiter or salesperson "me gustaría" is nicer.
Here's a short flashcard set I made recently.
The conditional, as in English, conveys a slightly more formal tone, or at least a slightly less demanding tone, when making a request or a statement of intent/preference.
e.g., I want to buy some flowers vs. I would like to buy some flowers.
As for the verb choice, they tend to be interchangeable. Things you want tend also to be things you like.
I should add, however, that if you were to take the gustar sentence out of the conditional, you are simply stating that you like to buy flowers. Again, same as in English.
