How to Say "wanting" in Spanish
The Spanish word for “wanting” is “queriendo” — A1 level. This is a very common word in everyday Spanish.
Examples
Estuve queriendo llamarte todo el día.
I was wanting (or trying) to call you all day.
Ella se fue de la fiesta, queriendo evitar a su exnovio.
She left the party, wanting to avoid her ex-boyfriend.
Los niños están queriendo un helado después de la cena.
The children are wanting an ice cream after dinner.
The '-ing' Form
The word 'queriendo' is the gerund, which is like the '-ing' form in English (wanting, loving). It always ends in '-ndo' in Spanish.
Continuous Actions
You use 'queriendo' with the verb 'estar' (like 'estoy queriendo') to talk about an action that is happening right now, or was happening at a specific time.
Expressing Intent
You can use 'queriendo' on its own to explain why someone did something: 'Salió corriendo, queriendo alcanzar el autobús' (He left running, wanting to catch the bus).
Overuse in Simple Requests
Mistake: “Estoy queriendo un café.”
Correction: Quiero un café. (Use the simple present tense for immediate wants, not the continuous form.)
Related Translations
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