Today’s Spanish word of the day is “desear”.
It’s a verb meaning “to wish”, “to want”, or “to desire”.
While “querer” is more commonly used for everyday wanting, “desear” expresses a stronger kind of longing, or sometimes more formality. Its meaning is often similar to that of English “to wish” or “to yearn for”, and like the English word “desire”, it can sometimes suggest sexual attraction. You’ll also hear it in polite expressions, such as:
- ¿Desea algo más? – Would you like anything else?
The verb “desear” comes from the Spanish noun “deseo”, meaning “desire”, which in turn derives from Latin desidium, meaning “desire”.
“Desear” is a regular verb, so it’s conjugated in the same way as other -ar verbs.
Example sentences
Deseo que tengas un buen día.
I wish you a good day.
Muchos desean fama, pero pocos la manejan bien.
Many desire fame, but few handle it well.
¿Qué deseas para tu futuro?
What do you wish for your future?
Ella deseaba viajar por todo el mundo.
She longed to travel the world.
No deseo discutir contigo.
I don’t want to argue with you.
