Spanish vocabulary · Beginner
How to Say Wanted in Spanish: Quería
Quería · verb · keh-REE-ah
Wanted in Spanish is most commonly quería (imperfect of querer) for expressing past desires, or buscado when referring to a fugitive.
Quería is keh-REE-ah, with stress on the second syllable REE.
Ella quería ir al cine pero llovía demasiado.
She wanted to go to the movies but it was raining too much.
Wanted in Spanish: Quick Reference
Below are the most common Spanish words for wanted, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.
| Spanish | English | Pronunciation | Region / Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| quería | wanted | keh-REE-ah | Default, widely understood |
| buscado | wanted | as in a wanted person | |
| quiso | wanted | preterite tense |
How Native Speakers Use Quería
Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.
Past desire (imperfect)
Yo quería hablar contigo ayer.
I wanted to talk to you yesterday.
Imperfect tense for ongoing or background desires.
Completed action (preterite)
Él quiso abrir la puerta pero estaba cerrada con llave.
He wanted (tried) to open the door but it was locked.
Quiso in preterite implies an attempted action.
Wanted person
El criminal es buscado por la policía en tres países.
The criminal is wanted by the police in three countries.
Buscado means wanted in the sense of sought after.
Avoid These Mistakes When Using Quería
Confusing quería and quiso
Incorrect: Quiso ser médico de niño. (meaning a long-held desire)
Correct: Quería ser médico de niño.
Quería (imperfect) expresses an ongoing past desire, while quiso (preterite) implies a specific attempt or decision.
Using deseado for wanted posters
Incorrect: Es deseado por la policía.
Correct: Es buscado por la policía.
Deseado means desired in a positive sense, not wanted by authorities.
Lock in Wanted Vocabulary with the Parrot Method
Why word lists alone don't stick
Memorizing a translation feels productive, but most learners forget 70% of what they studied within 48 hours. Vocabulary needs spaced repetition AND real-world exposure to transfer to long-term memory.
See Quería used by native speakers
Parrot's short-form videos feature native speakers using quería in real situations. Context-based exposure beats flashcards, you hear Ella quería ir al cine pero llovía demasiado. while watching someone live the moment, connecting meaning, sound, and rhythm at once.
Save, review, repeat, stay consistent
Tap any word to save it. Parrot's spaced-repetition system surfaces it right before you'd forget, no manual flashcard creation. The watch, parrot back, save, review cycle turns recognition into fluency at 2.7x the speed of traditional study.
Common Questions About Wanted in Spanish
- How do you say wanted in Spanish?
- For expressing a past desire, use quería (imperfect tense of querer), and for a wanted fugitive, use buscado.
- What is the difference between quería and quiso?
- Quería (imperfect) describes an ongoing desire or wish in the past, whereas quiso (preterite) indicates a specific moment when someone wanted or tried to do something.
- How do you say I wanted to in Spanish?
- Quería followed by an infinitive is the most natural way, such as quería comer (I wanted to eat) or quería salir (I wanted to go out).