What is the present subjunctive of querer in Spanish?

The present subjunctive of querer is: quiera, quieras, quiera, queramos, queráis, quieran. Boot-shaped e → ie stem change in four forms (yo, tú, él, ellos); unchanged in nosotros and vosotros (queramos, queráis).

Why does querer's stem revert in nosotros and vosotros?

The e → ie stem change only happens when the e is stressed. In nosotros and vosotros, the stress falls on the ending (que-RA-mos, que-RÁIS), so the e stays unchanged. This boot pattern applies to all e → ie verbs.

When does querer appear as the dependent verb in subjunctive contexts?

Querer is often the trigger verb (quiero que + subjunctive), but when querer itself is the dependent verb, it appears after secondary triggers: dudo que quiera, espero que quieras, me alegro de que quieran. The mood works the same way as for any other verb.

Are the subjunctive forms of querer and the conditional similar?

No. Querer in the conditional is querría / quisiera (would want), used in polite requests. The present subjunctive is quiera / quieras / quiera. The forms look slightly different and serve different functions.

How can I learn subjunctive querer naturally?

Subjunctive querer appears in wishes about wishes, doubts about desires, and emotional reactions to what others want. Parrot's short-form videos surface these contexts in real conversation, so quiera / quieras / queramos become automatic with exposure.

Spanish grammar · Intermediate

Subjunctive of Querer: All Forms with Examples

Written by Sofia Ramirez, Lead Spanish Curriculum Editor · Reviewed May 2026

Querer's present subjunctive: quiera, quieras, quiera, queramos, queráis, quieran. Stem changes e → ie in the four boot forms; nosotros and vosotros revert to the unstressed quer- stem. Standard -er subjunctive endings.

Espero que quieras venir.

I hope you want to come.

What it is

Querer's present subjunctive: quiera, quieras, quiera, queramos, queráis, quieran. The e → ie stem change happens in the four boot-shaped forms (yo, tú, él, ellos); the nosotros and vosotros forms keep the original e (queramos, queráis). Uses standard -er subjunctive endings.

In Espero que quieras venir (I hope you want to come), quieras is the tú subjunctive of querer. The hope trigger forces the mood shift.

How to spot it

Look for quier- in yo/tú/él/ellos and quer- in nosotros/vosotros, with -a endings.

Quiero que quieras lo mismo. — I want you to want the same thing.
Dudo que quieran ayudar. — I doubt they want to help.
Ojalá quiera venir. — I hope she wants to come.

Subjunctive querer is slightly unusual because querer itself is so often the trigger verb (quiero que + subjunctive). When querer is the dependent verb, it usually appears after impersonal or doubt triggers.

Subjunctive of Querer Quick Reference

Present subjunctive of querer, all six forms

Person	Form	Translation
yo	quiera	(that) I want
tú	quieras	(that) you want
él/ella/Ud.	quiera	(that) he, she, you (formal) want
nosotros	queramos	(that) we want
vosotros	queráis	(that) you all want (Spain)
ellos/Uds.	quieran	(that) they, you all want

Common Subjunctive of Querer Examples in Spanish

Subjunctive querer appears whenever someone wishes, doubts, or comments on what someone else wants. It's less common than other subjunctive forms because querer is usually the trigger verb, but it appears regularly after secondary triggers.

Wishes About Desires

Espero que quieras quedarte.: I hope you want to stay.
Quiero que quieras estar conmigo.: I want you to want to be with me.
Deseo que quieran formar parte del equipo.: I wish they'd want to join the team.
Quiere que quieras escucharlo.: She wants you to want to listen to him.
Esperan que queramos colaborar.: They hope we want to collaborate.

These wishes-about-wishes constructions are common in romantic, family, and collaborative contexts.

Doubt (dudar que, no creer que)

Dudo que quiera ayudar.: I doubt he wants to help.
No creo que quieran venir.: I don't think they want to come.
Es posible que queramos cambiar de plan.: It's possible we'll want to change plans.
Puede que quiera más tiempo.: She might want more time.
Quizás quieras intentarlo de nuevo.: Maybe you'll want to try again.

Doubt about what someone wants takes the subjunctive of querer.

Emotion About Desires

Me alegro de que quieras participar.: I'm glad you want to participate.
Siento que no quieran colaborar.: I'm sorry they don't want to collaborate.
Me sorprende que quiera irse.: It surprises me she wants to leave.
Le encanta que quieras aprender.: She loves that you want to learn.
Lamento que no queramos lo mismo.: I regret that we don't want the same thing.

Emotional reactions to what others want take the subjunctive of querer.

Impersonal Triggers

Es importante que quieras estar aquí.: It's important you want to be here.
Es necesario que quiera cambiar.: It's necessary she wants to change.
Es bueno que queramos progresar.: It's good we want to progress.
Es triste que no quieran hablar.: It's sad they don't want to talk.
Es raro que no quieras café.: It's odd that you don't want coffee.

Impersonal expressions about wanting and willingness trigger the subjunctive of querer.

How to Form the Subjunctive of Querer

Boot Pattern: E → IE

Querer follows the e → ie stem change in the four boot-shaped forms (yo, tú, él, ellos): quiera, quieras, quiera, quieran. The nosotros and vosotros forms revert to the unstressed e stem: queramos, queráis.

querer → quier- (boot) / quer- (nosotros, vosotros).

Boot shape: e → ie inside; original e outside.

Same boot pattern as the present indicative.

Regular -er Endings, -a Vowels

Querer uses standard -er subjunctive endings (-a, -as, -a, -amos, -áis, -an). The vowel switch (subjunctive uses opposite vowel of infinitive) applies normally.

quiera, quieras, quiera, queramos, queráis, quieran.

Regular subjunctive endings.

-er infinitive → -a subjunctive endings.

Same Yo and Él/Ella Forms

Like all subjunctive conjugations, yo and él/ella forms are identical: quiera. Add subject pronouns to disambiguate when needed.

Espero que (yo) quiera. Espero que (él) quiera.

Pronouns help when context isn't clear.

yo and él/ella always share the form.

Same Triggers as All Subjunctives

Subjunctive querer responds to all W.E.I.R.D.O. triggers. Common with doubt (dudo que quiera), emotion (me alegro de que quieras), and impersonal expressions (es bueno que queramos).

Dudo que. Me alegro de que. Es importante que.

Same triggers as all verbs.

Trigger + que = subjunctive.

Common Mistakes with Subjunctive of Querer

Incorrect: Espero que quieres venir. — I hope you want to come. (wrong, indicative after esperar que)

Correct: Espero que quieras venir. — I hope you want to come.

After esperar que, the dependent verb must be in the subjunctive. Quieres is the indicative; quieras is the tú subjunctive form.

Incorrect: Es bueno que queremos colaborar. — It's good we want to collaborate. (wrong, indicative nosotros)

Correct: Es bueno que queramos colaborar. — It's good we want to collaborate.

After es bueno que (an impersonal trigger), the nosotros form must be subjunctive (queramos), not indicative (queremos). The vowel switch is mandatory.

Incorrect: Sé que quiera ayudar. — I know he wants to help. (wrong, fact assertion takes indicative)

Correct: Sé que quiere ayudar. — I know he wants to help.

Saber que asserts a fact and takes the indicative (quiere), not the subjunctive (quiera). Only triggers expressing doubt, wish, or opinion force the subjunctive.

Subjunctive of Querer FAQs

What is the present subjunctive of querer in Spanish?: The present subjunctive of querer is: quiera, quieras, quiera, queramos, queráis, quieran. Boot-shaped e → ie stem change in four forms (yo, tú, él, ellos); unchanged in nosotros and vosotros (queramos, queráis).
Why does querer's stem revert in nosotros and vosotros?: The e → ie stem change only happens when the e is stressed. In nosotros and vosotros, the stress falls on the ending (que-RA-mos, que-RÁIS), so the e stays unchanged. This boot pattern applies to all e → ie verbs.
When does querer appear as the dependent verb in subjunctive contexts?: Querer is often the trigger verb (quiero que + subjunctive), but when querer itself is the dependent verb, it appears after secondary triggers: dudo que quiera, espero que quieras, me alegro de que quieran. The mood works the same way as for any other verb.
Are the subjunctive forms of querer and the conditional similar?: No. Querer in the conditional is querría / quisiera (would want), used in polite requests. The present subjunctive is quiera / quieras / quiera. The forms look slightly different and serve different functions.
How can I learn subjunctive querer naturally?: Subjunctive querer appears in wishes about wishes, doubts about desires, and emotional reactions to what others want. Parrot's short-form videos surface these contexts in real conversation, so quiera / quieras / queramos become automatic with exposure.