Expressing Wishes & Regrets
Use quisiera and me gustaría for polite wishes; ojalá + imperfect subjunctive for wishes about the present (Ojalá tuviera más tiempo); ojalá + pluperfect subjunctive for past regrets. Build a vocabulary of wish and regret expressions.
A lesson of Spanish B1 — Intermediate, in Conditionals & Hypotheticals, about 10 minutes.
By the end of this lesson, you will be able to express wishes, preferences, and regrets using quisiera, me gustaría, ojalá, and related structures.
The Art of Expressing Wishes in Spanish
Spanish has several elegant ways to express desire, preference, and regret — ranging from polite requests to deep longing. Mastering these expressions will make your Spanish sound far more natural and nuanced.
Quisiera — The Polite "I Would Like"
Quisiera is the imperfect subjunctive of querer, but it functions as a stand-alone polite expression meaning "I would like." It is softer and more formal than quiero (I want).
| Pronoun | Quisiera form |
|---|---|
| yo | quisiera |
| tú | quisieras |
| él/ella | quisiera |
| nosotros | quisiéramos |
| Uds. | quisieran |
Quisiera una mesa para dos personas, por favor. — I would like a table for two, please. Quisiera hablar con el director. — I would like to speak with the director. Quisiera que me llamaras mañana. — I would like you to call me tomorrow. (+ subjunctive for different subject)
Me Gustaría — "I Would Like / I'd Love To"
Me gustaría is the conditional of gustar and is equally polite. It expresses preference or a wish for something:
Me gustaría visitar Argentina algún día. — I would like to visit Argentina someday. Nos gustaría reservar una habitación doble. — We would like to reserve a double room. ¿Te gustaría venir con nosotros? — Would you like to come with us?
Quisiera vs. Me gustaría
| Expression | Typical use |
|---|---|
| Quisiera + noun/infinitive |