Querer in Imperfect

The Imperfect tense describes actions without a clear end. It is used for habits and descriptions. With the verb querer, it describes a state of mind. It is about what you "were wanting" back then. It does not mean you stopped wanting it. It just describes the desire during that time. Think of a movie scene from your childhood. You were sitting on the floor. You queria a specific bicycle for Christmas. The camera stays on that feeling of wanting. That is exactly what the Imperfect tense does. It provides the background for your stories. It also acts as a "politeness filter" in the present. By putting the desire in the past, it sounds less pushy. It is like saying "I was wondering if..." in English. You are not demanding something right now. You are just mentioning a previous thought you had. This subtle shift makes a huge difference in social settings. It is the difference between a boss and a friend.

1. 1Forming the Imperfect of querer is very simple. It is a regular -er verb in this tense. You just need to follow these three steps.
2. 2Take the infinitive form querer.
3. 3Remove the -er ending to find the root quer-.
4. 4Add the specific Imperfect endings for -er verbs.
5. 5For eu (I), add -ia to get queria.
6. 6For tu (you - informal), add -ias to get querias.
7. 7For ele/ela/você (he/she/you), add -ia to get queria.
8. 8For nós (we), add -íamos to get queríamos. (Notice the accent!)
9. 9For eles/elas/vocês (they/you all), add -iam to get queriam.
10. 10You will notice that eu and você look exactly the same. Context will help people know who you mean. If you are ordering food, it is clearly you! Most people in Brazil use você instead of tu. In Portugal, tu is very common among friends. The stress is always on the "i" in the ending. This makes the verb sound very melodic and soft. It is much easier than the Preterite form quis. No weird spelling changes are needed here. Just stick the ending on and you are ready.

You should use queria in four main scenarios. First, use it for politeness. Use it when ordering a café or a cerveja. Use it when asking a favor from a stranger. It makes you sound educated and respectful. Second, use it for past intentions. Maybe you queria go to the beach yesterday. But then you realized you had too much homework. The desire was there, even if the action failed. Third, use it for childhood dreams or long-term desires. "When I was ten, I queria have a horse." This was a state of being for a long time. Fourth, use it to set the scene in a story. "I queria talk to her, but she was busy." It provides the context for the main action. It is perfect for job interviews too. You can say you queria know more about the company. It sounds curious rather than demanding. Use it in a taxi to state your destination politely. It works everywhere from the bank to the beach. It is truly the Swiss Army knife of Portuguese verbs.

Do not use queria for a completed, sudden decision. If you suddenly decided to buy a car yesterday, use quis. The Preterite quis is for a "moment of wanting." It is like a light bulb switching on and off. If you tried to do something and failed, quis is better. For example, eu quis abrir a porta means "I tried to open the door." It implies a specific physical effort in a specific moment. Queria would just mean you had the desire in your head. Do not use it for things that are happening exactly now. If you are currently screaming for help, use the present tense! Also, avoid it if you want to be extremely direct. In a military setting or an emergency, politeness is less important. But for 95% of your daily life, queria is safer. It is better to be too polite than too rude. Think of it like a grammar safety net. If you aren't sure, queria is usually a good bet. Just don't use it for things that were just a quick flash.

The biggest mistake is forgetting the accent on queríamos. Without that little mark, the pronunciation changes completely. It sounds wrong to a native ear. Make sure you emphasize that "í" sound. Another mistake is mixing up queria with quis. Remember: queria is a movie, quis is a photograph. People also forget that eu and você use the same form. Sometimes learners add extra pronouns when they don't need them. Just say queria um café, you don't always need the eu. Some students try to use quereria (the Conditional). While quereria is technically correct for "would like," it sounds too formal. Most Brazilians and Portuguese people just use queria. It is shorter and sounds much more natural. Don't be that person who sounds like a 19th-century poet! Keep it simple with the Imperfect. Also, watch out for the plural queriam. Learners often forget the "m" at the end. It sounds like a small detail, but it matters for grammar. Yes, even native speakers mess this up sometimes when they are tired! But you are a pro, so you will get it right.

Let's compare queria with its close cousins. First, we have quis (Preterite). Quis is for a specific time and a completed wish. Quis often implies that you actually tried to do it. Next, we have gostaria (Conditional). Gostaria means "I would like" and is also polite. However, queria is much more common in daily speech. Gostaria feels slightly more distant or formal. Think of queria as "warm polite" and gostaria as "cold polite." Then there is quero (Present). Quero is direct and factual. Use quero with your best friends or when stating a fact. "I want water because I am dying of thirst." Finally, we have querendo (Gerund). Estava querendo means "I was wanting." This is very common in Brazil. It is even softer than queria. It sounds very casual and relaxed. It is like saying "I was kind of thinking about wanting..." It is a lot of words for a simple idea! Stick to queria for a clean, professional, and friendly sound. It hits the perfect middle ground for a B1 learner.