querían

Querían is the third-person plural imperfect indicative form of the Spanish verb querer. In this tense, the verb expresses past desires, intentions, or states that were ongoing or habitual. It can also be used to describe past love or care in contexts where the imperfect conveys a continuing condition rather than a single, completed action.

Conjugation

The infinitive is querer. The imperfect forms are: yo quería, tú querías, él/ella/usted quería, nosotros queríamos, vosotros queríais, ellos/ellas/ustedes querían. Therefore, "querían" corresponds to the third-person plural forms used for ellos, ellas, o ustedes.

Usage

Querían is used to indicate what people wanted in the past, what they used to want, or what they were in the habit of wanting. It also appears in narrative as background information or to set up a past sequence of events. In subordinate clauses, it often expresses intention or desire that existed previously, for example with verbs like "ir," "estudiar," or "viajar." It may also convey a softer, more general wish in reported speech.

Examples

- Ellos querían ir al cine antes de las ocho. (They wanted to go to the cinema before eight.)

- Cuando era joven, ellos querían estudiar medicina. (When they were young, they wanted to study medicine.)

- Dijo que querían ayudar en el proyecto, pero no pudieron hacerlo. (She said they wanted to help with the project, but they couldn’t.)

Etymology and related forms

Querer derives from Latin quaerere, meaning to seek or desire. Querían contrasts with quisieron (the preterite form) which would indicate a completed past action rather than a habitual or ongoing past desire.