Queria saber sobre "queria"
Phrasebooks and earworms and travel guides all give "queria" for i would like/want.

My knowledge of grammar tells me "quero" expresses a current want, and "queria" - literally I wanted.

Is this just a polite thing? Or is that people are using it to express 'I would like/want' "quereria" but through habit using it wrong?

"Queria um café" - I wanted a coffee?

I have been using conditional gostar, "gostaria" for I would like, is that me being too literal with my translation? Should I use that only for expressing things that would please me, and use queria/quereria for requests?

Obrigado pelas respostas

Question

Queria saber sobre "queria"
Phrasebooks and earworms and travel guides all give "queria" for i would like/want.

My knowledge of grammar tells me "quero" expresses a current want, and "queria" - literally I wanted.

Is this just a polite thing? Or is that people are using it to express 'I would like/want' "quereria" but through habit using it wrong?

"Queria um café" - I wanted a coffee?

I have been using conditional gostar, "gostaria" for I would like, is that me being too literal with my translation? Should I use that only for expressing things that would please me, and use queria/quereria for requests?

Obrigado pelas respostas

Answer

That's exactly the point. This is just a polite way of saying. Yes, you also can use it for requests. It's up to you!

You can go to a restaurant, for example, and ordering a coffee by saying: "Eu quero um café!" or "Eu queria um café" or even "Eu gostaria de um café!" . Three ways of saying the same thing but the last ones are more polite.

Answer

usually, when you are being served by someone, its polite to use the verbs in the past simply because the verb in present tense sound as an order, very imperative.

For example: Eu quero um café. It sounds very imperative. An order. When you say "Eu gostaria de um café" it is nicer to the ears and dont sound like you are "bossing".

Answer

I'd usually use "queria um café" as a wish. If I am talkng to a friend, I would use it as "I wish a coffee". I'd never use it as a request, in which case I'd use "eu gostaria de um café" (I'd like a coffee). Therefore, in my opinion, your translation is not literal. But you have to consider that the use of polite expressions depend a lot of the social environment. So, many people might say "eu queria um café" or even the imperative "me traz um café" ("bring me some coffee") but in either way followed by a "por favor", as otherwise it would be unpolite.

Answer

I do not know why we say ' queria' usually verbs with 'ia' at end it is to talk about The past.
Exemple: I didn't know= eu não sabia,  I think 'eu queria' it is a polite way to say ' I would like'.

Answer

Yes Michael, "queria" is the same as "Please, I want". And "quero" is like "I want". Both are gramatically correct, but "queria" is more polite. You use when you are asking for something to someone.