Spanish · Food & Drink
"I'd like…" in Spanish: quisiera…
quisiera…
I'd like… is quisiera… (kee-SYEH-rah). It is a polite imperfect-subjunctive form of querer, used like a soft "I would like." Finish the line with food or drink: Quisiera un café. Quiero is fine too, but quisiera sounds gentler with strangers.
Ordering food
Quisiera la sopa del día.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce quisiera…
Say it
kee-SYEH-rah
/kiˈsje.ɾa/
kee-SYEH-rah. Stress SYEH. The qu sounds like k. Keep quisiera smooth, not "quizzy-air-uh."
"I'd like…" in Spanish: quick reference
| Spanish | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| quisiera… | I'd like… Polite starter for orders. | Polite starter for orders. |
| quisiera el menú | I'd like the menu Soft ask at the table. | Soft ask at the table. |
| quisiera pagar | I'd like to pay Polite billing signal. | Polite billing signal. |
| quería… | I'd like… (also common) Imperfect form also used politely in speech. | Imperfect form also used politely in speech. |
How to use quisiera… in real life
- 1Ordering food
Quisiera la sopa del día.
I'd like the soup of the day.
Full polite order with quisiera.
- 2Drinks
Quisiera un jugo de naranja.
I'd like an orange juice.
Drink order using quisiera.
- 3At a bakery
Quisiera dos panes, por favor.
I'd like two bread rolls, please.
Counter talk with quisiera.
Mistakes English speakers make with quisiera…
Incorrect: Quisiera yo soy querer mal.
Correct: Quisiera un café.
Follow quisiera with the thing you want, not a literal translation of "I would like to be."
Incorrect: Quiero… (thinking quisiera is rude).
Correct: Quisiera…
Quiero is not rude, but quisiera is softer with servers you just met.
Good to know
Good to knowServers across Latin America hear both quiero and quisiera all day. Quisiera adds courtesy without sounding stiff. You do not need vosotros forms here; keep usted or tú based on the room, and start the order with quisiera.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Polite ordering at a café
ChatPal
¿Qué quisieras probar?
What would you like to try?
You
Quisiera un café con leche.
I'd like a coffee with milk.
ChatPal
¿Quisieras algo dulce también?
Would you like something sweet too?
You
No, solo eso.
No, just that.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"I'd like…" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "I'd like…" in Spanish
Is quisiera formal?
It is polite, not stiff. Quisiera works in cafés and restaurants with any server.
Can I just say quiero?
Yes. Quiero un café is normal. Quisiera simply softens the same ask.
How do I pronounce quisiera?
kee-SYEH-rah with stress on SYEH. Qu sounds like k.
Does quisiera change for women?
No. Quisiera stays the same. Gender shows up in the noun you order, not in quisiera.
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