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Thread: Querer frente a Amar

 
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    Cool Querer frente a Amar

    Mi esposa y yo fuimos a una librería de descuento. Compramos algunos libros de español para niños. Un libro se titula "Te quiero, papá." Que, por supuesto, se traduce en "I Love You, Daddy."

    I learned Querer as "to want" but obviously, it can also carry the meaning "to love." I learned Amar as "to love." When would one choose one verb over the other? Is it geographical?


    Mark

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    Senior Member Julio Jaubert's Avatar
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    Default Re: Querer frente a Amar

    At least in Mexico, amar is a stronger word than querer. You only use "amar" for sons, daughters, wife, girl/boyfriend, etc.

    Watch out! As a man, never use "amar" to describe what you feel about other man; maybe "querer" but only in an indirect way. "Macho" matters

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    Default Re: Querer frente a Amar

    The expression " te quiero " had originaly more a sense of" I want you ,I desire you "and by extension a sense of possession .The real I love you should be " te amo ".But the fact is that the first one has become a widespread manner of speach to say I love you,and the second one might nowadays be considered exessively high-sounding .

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    Default Re: Querer frente a Amar

    Strangely enough , if you are not homosexual ,you should use the word “amar “when you refer to a friend of the same *** ,since the love for a friend is not tainted by desire or lust. On the contrary “querer “implies desire, a longing to possess . At the risk of sounding bombastic I shall say that friendship is the purest love of all .

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    Default Re: Querer frente a Amar

    I should have said gender in order to avoid the stars, shame on me.

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    Senior Member exxcéntrica's Avatar
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    Default Re: Querer frente a Amar

    Quote Originally Posted by Julio Jaubert
    At least in Mexico, amar is a stronger word than querer. You only use "amar" for sons, daughters, wife, girl/boyfriend,
    NOt in Spain. Mind you, if you said that in public to a son/daughter, you might get accused of se* offence.
    Last edited by exxcéntrica; 02-17-2009 at 06:13 AM.

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    Senior Member exxcéntrica's Avatar
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    Default Re: Querer frente a Amar

    Quote Originally Posted by Sergi
    The expression " te quiero " had originaly more a sense of" I want you ,I desire you "and by extension a sense of possession .The real I love you should be " te amo ".But the fact is that the first one has become a widespread manner of speach to say I love you,and the second one might nowadays be considered exessively high-sounding .
    Sergi, where did it have that meaning? Te quiero means and has always meant in Spain : I love you.

    The "real" I love you?? Strange way to post that.

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    Senior Member exxcéntrica's Avatar
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    Default Re: Querer frente a Amar

    Quote Originally Posted by Sergi
    Strangely enough , if you are not homosexual ,you should use the word “amar “when you refer to a friend of the same *** ,since the love for a friend is not tainted by desire or lust. On the contrary “querer “implies desire, a longing to possess . At the risk of sounding bombastic I shall say that friendship is the purest love of all .
    Well, dear Marcus, I strongly advice you against this recommendation. If you said to a man in public or in private "te amo", no doubt he will think you are proposing "that".

    I really have no clue what sergi is talking about.

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    Default Re: Querer frente a Amar

    Wow! This thread got interesting fast. Clearly there is some geographical influences. My Spanish teacher (from Spain) taught to use amar only for spouses, lovers, etc. but when I travel in Mexico I find it is used often for other family members (especially parents and children).

    The use of querer for to love dates back so far in Spanish linguistic history that placing parameters on it such as desire have little or no meaning for the word today. I do. however, like sergi's sentiment on friendship.

    A also agree with Julio, macho definitely matters in Mexico. I traveled in Mexido off and on for almost a year before someone explained that I should use "me cae bien" and not "me gusta" for people (uless you want to infer a sexual desire for the person). Needless to say I was embarrased. No one laughed at me (I guess because they understood Spanish was my second language) but I remember being infuriated at my wife (a Mexican national) who should have corrected me long before that.

    In any case Marcuslee accept querer as meaning both I want and I love and listen to Spanish speaking natives for clues on how they use context to get the correct message across.

    Joel
    "El verdadero objectivo de la vida no es el destino final, si no disfrutar el camino."

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    Senior Member mvictoria's Avatar
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    Default Re: Querer frente a Amar

    Apparently it's a latinamerican thing, Julio.

    In Argentina we also use "te amo" for sons and daughters.
    However, there is a social marker - upper class people will never use "te amo" for people other than spouses / girlfriend or boyfriend, just like it happens in Spain.

    They use "te quiero mucho" instead.

    It's like "malla - Traje de baño" - or "rojo / colorado" (the latter being more "accepted" within upper classes).

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