Which one should you use?
Eu quero is a direct expression of desire, whereas Eu gostaria is a more formal and indirect way to say "I would like".
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Brazilian Portuguese, Tô com vontade de is a popular choice for casual conversations, translating to "I feel like". In European Portuguese, Eu gostava is commonly used in formal situations.
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb "querer" is conjugated in the first-person singular present indicative as quero. Because this verb ending already indicates the first-person singular, the subject pronoun Eu is often omitted, leaving just Quero. If you want to express a desire involving another person (e.g., "I want you to go"), you must use the conjunction que followed by the subjunctive mood, such as in Eu quero que…
Did you know?
- The verb querer has a double meaning that can express both 'wanting' and 'loving'. In some regional dialects and older literature, Quero-te can mean 'I love you'.
- In Portuguese, the word quero can also be used in the expression quero ver, which is often used sarcastically to mean 'we shall see' or 'I doubt it'.
- The word eu shares a common ancestor with the English word 'ego', making them linguistic cousins.
Examples in context
- Eu quero o TomI want Tom.This sentence shows how to use Eu quero with a person.Tatoeba #6774395 by Ricardo14, translation #2235741 by CK
- Eu quero o meu.I want mine.This sentence shows how to use Eu quero to express ownership of an object.Tatoeba #2453390 by alexmarcelo, translation #2247445 by CK
- Eu quero te ver.I want to see you.This sentence shows how to use Eu quero followed by an infinitive verb.Tatoeba #7291917 by carlosalberto, translation #257078 by CK
- Eu quero ir ao cinema.I want to go to the movies.
- Tô com vontade de comer uma pizza.I feel like eating pizza.
- 1401 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Mariana and Lucas are deciding what to eat for dinner.
- MarianaEu quero comer pizza hoje.I want to eat pizza today.
- LucasEu também! Qual sabor você prefere?Me too! Which flavor do you prefer?
- MarianaEu quero a de mussarela.I want the mozzarella one.
- LucasPerfeito, eu peço agora.Perfect, I'll order it now.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries eu, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
