How to Say "they wanted" in Spanish
The Spanish word for “they wanted” is “querían” — A1 level. This is a very common word in everyday Spanish.
Examples
Ellos querían ir al cine todos los sábados.
They wanted to go to the cinema every Saturday.
Cuando éramos niños, solo querían jugar.
When we were children, they only wanted to play.
Ustedes no querían aceptar el trato, ¿verdad?
You all didn't want to accept the deal, right?
The Imperfect Tense's Job
'Querían' is the imperfect tense, which means the wanting was ongoing, repeated, or just describing the state of their minds at that time in the past. It's like 'used to want' or 'were wanting.'
Subject Check
This form always refers to a plural group: 'ellos' (they, masculine), 'ellas' (they, feminine), or 'ustedes' (you all, formal).
Imperfect vs. Preterite
Mistake: “Using 'quisieron' when describing a general desire in the past.”
Correction: Use 'querían' (imperfect) to talk about what they generally desired or intended. 'Quisieron' (preterite) means they suddenly decided to want something or successfully got something done.
Related Translations
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