Lesson Transcript

Let's look at the sentence pattern.
This pattern is the structure that most of our examples will follow.
Quiero + [noun phrase] + [adjective].
"I want + [noun phrase] + [adjective]."
Let's look at the first part: Quiero.
Quiero comes from the verb querer, which means "to want." Quiero is the first-person singular form, so it means "I want."
It's used when the speaker is saying what they would like to have or do.
Next comes the noun phrase—this is the thing the speaker wants.
After that, we add an adjective to describe the noun.
Let's see how a line from the dialogue follows this pattern.
Pero yo quiero una pintura diferente.
"But I want a different painting. "
In this sentence:
First is the phrase Pero yo, meaning "But I." This is not part of the pattern.
Quiero means "I want."
Una pintura is the noun phrase—it means "a painting."
Una is the feminine article "a," and pintura is a feminine noun meaning "painting."
Then comes the word diferente, the adjective, meaning "different."
In Spanish, adjectives typically come after the noun they describe, not before it like in English.
So this part quiero una pintura diferente, follows the pattern perfectly: Quiero + [noun phrase] + [adjective].
Now, you can use this structure to express what you want in Spanish!
Let's talk about the difference between quiero and me gustaría.
In Spanish, both quiero and me gustaría can be used to express desires, but they differ in tone and politeness.
Quiero means "I want." It's direct and commonly used in casual situations.
On the other hand, me gustaría means "I would like." It's more polite and softer in tone.
Let's take a look at a pattern with me gustaría:
Me gustaría + [noun phrase] + [adjective].
"I would like + [noun phrase] + [adjective]."
Let's look at the first part, Me gustaría.
Me means "to me," and gustaría comes from the verb gustar, meaning "to be pleasing."
So Me gustaría literally means "It would be pleasing to me," but it translates as "I would like."
After that is the noun phrase; this is what the speaker wants.
Then comes the adjective, which describes the noun.
So the full pattern, Me gustaría + [noun phrase] + [adjective]., is used to express polite desires for something specific and descriptive.
Let's see how a line from the dialogue follows this pattern.
Me gustaría una pintura interesante.
"I would like an interesting painting."
In this sentence:
Me gustaría expresses, "I would like."
Una pintura is the noun phrase, meaning "a painting."
Interesante is the adjective meaning "interesting." It comes after the noun, which is typical in Spanish.
So, Me gustaría una pintura interesante translates to "I would like an interesting painting."
Now let's look at some speaking examples.
Me gustaría un coche japonés.
"I would like a Japanese car."
Can you see how the pattern applies here?
Let's break it down:
Here, Me gustaría means "I would like." It's a polite way to say you want something, and it always comes at the beginning of this pattern.
Un coche is the noun phrase, meaning "a car."
This is what the speaker wants.
Japonés is the adjective, meaning "Japanese." It describes the kind of car and comes after the noun in Spanish.
So, that's how Me gustaría un coche japonés fits the pattern:
Me gustaría + [noun phrase] + [adjective].
Here's another example
Quiero un gato negro.
"I want a black cat."
Quiero un gato negro.
"I want a black cat."
Let's try one more,
Me gustaría una pintura bonita.
"I would like a pretty painting."
Me gustaría una pintura bonita.
"I would like a pretty painting."
Another one.
Quiero una computadora nueva.
"I want a new computer."
Quiero una computadora nueva.
"I want a new computer."
One last example.
Quiero un sombrero nuevo.
"I want a new hat."
Quiero un sombrero nuevo.
"I want a new hat."

Comments

Hide