Which one should you use?
quiero agua is a direct statement of want, whereas quisiera agua translates to "I would like water," making it sound less demanding. To be more specific about the action of drinking, you can use Me gustaría tomar agua, por favor.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
quiero agua and Quiero agua, por favor are considered informal or direct. For a more polite and less demanding tone, use quisiera agua (I would like water). Another formal option is Me gustaría tomar agua, por favor (I would like to drink water, please).
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, you can say Me pones un vaso de agua, por favor? (Can you give me a glass of water, please?) or Me puedes traer agua, por favor? (Can you bring me water, please?). In Mexico, a common way to ask is Me das agua, por favor? (Can you give me water, please?).
How does it change in a sentence?
The word quiero is the first-person singular present indicative form of the verb querer, which means "to want".
How do you pronounce it?
/kjeɾo aɡwa/
Did you know?
- While quiero means 'I want', the verb querer is also the most common way to say 'to love' in many Spanish speaking countries. Depending on the context, te quiero can mean 'I love you'.
- The word agua is feminine, but it is used with the masculine article el instead of la when it is singular. This prevents the 'a' sounds from blending together, which is called cacophony.
- In Spain, if you want water at a bar or cafe, you might use the verb poner in the phrase Me pones un vaso de agua?, which literally means 'Will you put a glass of water for me?'
Examples in context
- Quiero agua.I want water.This sentence is useful for practicing the phrase quiero agua.Tatoeba #584596 by darinmex, translation #5085314 by CarpeLanam
- Si tengo calor, quiero agua.If I am hot, I want water.
- No quiero refresco, quiero agua.I don't want soda, I want water.
Example conversation
María and Javier are hiking on a hot day.
- MaríaJavier, quiero agua por favor.Javier, I want water please.
- JavierClaro, María, aquí tienes mi botella.Of course, María, here is my bottle.
- MaríaMuchas gracias, estaba muy seca.Thank you very much, I was very dry.
- JavierDe nada, bebe con cuidado.You're welcome, drink carefully.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
