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SPANISH VERB

querer decir

to mean

  • Irregular -er verb
  • Gerund: queriendo decir
  • Past participle: querido decir

Conjugation

Tap any form to hear it. The part that changes is in colour.

Present

Presente · now, habits and facts

  1. yo I mean
  2. tú you mean
  3. usted, él, ella he/she means
  4. nosotros we mean
  5. vosotros Spain you all mean
  6. ustedes, ellos, ellas they mean

Past

Pretérito indefinido · finished actions

  1. yo I meant
  2. tú you meant
  3. usted, él, ella he/she meant
  4. nosotros we meant
  5. vosotros Spain you all meant
  6. ustedes, ellos, ellas they meant

Imperfect

Pretérito imperfecto · “used to” and “was …ing”

  1. yo I used to mean
  2. tú you used to mean
  3. usted, él, ella he/she used to mean
  4. nosotros we used to mean
  5. vosotros Spain you all used to mean
  6. ustedes, ellos, ellas they used to mean

Future

Futuro · plans and promises; in speech, “voy a hablar” is just as common

  1. yo I will mean
  2. tú you will mean
  3. usted, él, ella he/she will mean
  4. nosotros we will mean
  5. vosotros Spain you all will mean
  6. ustedes, ellos, ellas they will mean

Conditional

Condicional · “would”

  1. yo I would mean
  2. tú you would mean
  3. usted, él, ella he/she would mean
  4. nosotros we would mean
  5. vosotros Spain you all would mean
  6. ustedes, ellos, ellas they would mean

Present subjunctive

Presente de subjuntivo · wishes, doubts, “que …”

  1. yo (that) I mean
  2. tú (that) you mean
  3. usted, él, ella (that) he/she mean
  4. nosotros (that) we mean
  5. vosotros Spain (that) you all mean
  6. ustedes, ellos, ellas (that) they mean

Past subjunctive

Imperfecto de subjuntivo · “if I were”, “si …”

  1. yo (if) I meant
  2. tú (if) you meant
  3. usted, él, ella (if) he/she meant
  4. nosotros (if) we meant
  5. vosotros Spain (if) you all meant
  6. ustedes, ellos, ellas (if) they meant

How to use querer decir

One sentence for each tense, the way people say it.

  1. Present

    En Sevilla, mi arma quiere decir mi alma.

    In Seville, mi arma means mi alma, my soul.

  2. Past

    Dijo que no, pero quiso decir que sí.

    She said no, but she meant yes.

  3. Imperfect

    Cuando decías casa, querías decir Sevilla, ¿no?

    When you said home, you meant Seville, didn't you?

  4. Future

    Cuando diga que no tengo hambre, querrá decir que sí.

    When I say I'm not hungry, it'll mean I am.

  5. Conditional

    Eso querría decir que aprobaste, ¿verdad?

    That would mean you passed, right?

  6. Present subjunctive

    No creo que quiera decir nada malo con eso.

    I don't think he means anything bad by that.

  7. Past subjunctive

    No pensé que quisiera decir eso de verdad.

    I didn't think he really meant that.

Good to know

  • "¿Qué quiere decir esto?" is "what does this mean?"; "quiero decir" is "I mean", to correct yourself. "Significar" is the other way to say it.

Where you hear querer decir

The lessons that teach a form of it, and how they say it.

Spanish · Fluency Level 3

  • En México, ahorita quiere decir muchas cosas. In Mexico, right now means many things.
  • Mi madre dijo haz lo que quieras, y quería decir vuelve. My mother said do what you like, and she meant come back.
  • Cuando diga que no tengo hambre, querrá decir que sí. When I say I'm not hungry, it'll mean I am.
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Explain Your Plans

Fluency Level 3 · Cuando decías casa, hablabas de Sevilla.

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A Few Words of Thanks

Fluency Level 3 · Quiere decir gracias.

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Choose What Suits You

Fluency Level 3 · Tú querías decir: quédate. · Quería decir: lo que te haga feliz.

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The Same Language, Different Meanings

Fluency Level 3 · En Sevilla, mi arma quiere decir mi alma.

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Verbs like this one

The same pattern, on other verbs: irregular -er verb.