desearía
deh-seh-ah-REE-ah
Quick Reference
📝 In Action
Yo desearía hablar con el gerente, por favor.
B1I would like to speak with the manager, please.
Ella desearía viajar por todo el mundo si tuviera el dinero.
B2She would wish to travel all over the world if she had the money.
¿Qué desearía tomar, señorita? ¿Café o té?
B1What would you like to drink, miss? Coffee or tea?
💡 Grammar Points
The Conditional Tense
This verb form, ending in -ría, is used to talk about things that 'would' happen or that you 'would' do, often based on a condition.
Polite Requests
Using 'desearía' instead of 'quiero' (I want) makes your request much softer and more polite, similar to saying 'I would like' in English.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Mixing up 'I want' and 'I would like'
Mistake: "Using 'Yo deseo' (I want) in a restaurant."
Correction: Use 'Yo desearía' (I would like) or 'Quisiera' (I would want) for polite service requests.
⭐ Usage Tips
Formal Situations
If you are in a formal setting (e.g., a business meeting, a doctor's office, or speaking to a superior), 'desearía' is always the safer and more respectful choice.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: desearía
Question 1 of 2
Which English phrase best captures the polite and hypothetical nature of 'Desearía un vaso de agua'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between 'desearía' and 'quisiera'?
'Desearía' (I would wish/like) and 'quisiera' (I would want/wish) are both polite ways to express a desire. 'Quisiera' (from 'querer') is generally considered slightly more common and often even more polite when ordering food or making simple requests.
Does 'desearía' only apply to 'yo' (I)?
No. 'Desearía' is also the correct form for 'él' (he), 'ella' (she), and 'usted' (you, formal). The context or a pronoun must tell you who is doing the wishing.