Quiero alcanzar mis metas de estudio este año.

I want to reach my study goals this year.

Breakdown of Quiero alcanzar mis metas de estudio este año.

• este: this
• yo: I
• de: of
• el año: the year
• querer: to want
• mis: my
• la meta: the goal
• el estudio: the study
• alcanzar: to reach

Questions & Answers about Quiero alcanzar mis metas de estudio este año.

Why is it quiero alcanzar and not just alcanzaré?

Both are correct but they don’t mean the same thing.

• Quiero alcanzar mis metas de estudio este año.

  • Literally: I want to reach my study goals this year.
  • Focuses on your desire/intention right now.

• Alcanzaré mis metas de estudio este año.

  • Literally: I will reach my study goals this year.
  • Sounds more like a prediction or a confident statement about the future.

So quiero + infinitive = “I want to …”, while the future tense (-é) talks about what will happen. In your sentence, the focus is on wanting, so quiero alcanzar is natural.

Can I say Yo quiero alcanzar… or is quiero alcanzar… better?

You can say Yo quiero alcanzar mis metas de estudio este año, but usually yo is not necessary.

• Spanish normally drops subject pronouns because the verb ending (-o in quiero) already shows the subject is yo.
• You add yo mainly for:
  • Emphasis: Yo quiero (maybe others don’t).
  • Contrast: Yo quiero alcanzar mis metas, pero ella no quiere.

In a neutral sentence like this, Quiero alcanzar… is more natural and common.

What’s the difference between alcanzar, lograr, and cumplir when talking about goals?

All three can be used with metas/objetivos, but they have slightly different nuances:

• Alcanzar metas

  • Literally “to reach goals,” like reaching something you were aiming at.
  • Very common in both everyday and professional language.

• Lograr metas / lograr objetivos

  • “To achieve goals.”
  • Emphasizes success after effort.
  • Also very common and sounds a bit more “achievement-focused.”

• Cumplir metas / cumplir objetivos

  • Literally “to fulfill goals.”
  • Suggests meeting goals you set or were given, like fulfilling a plan or obligation.

In this sentence, you could say:

• Quiero alcanzar mis metas de estudio este año.
• Quiero lograr mis metas de estudio este año.
• Quiero cumplir mis metas de estudio este año.

All are correct; alcanzar and lograr are especially typical.

What exactly does metas de estudio mean? Is it “study goals” or “goals of study”?

Metas de estudio is best understood as “study goals” or “goals related to my studies.”

• meta = goal, aim, target
• de estudio = “of study / related to studying”

Spanish often uses noun + de + noun instead of an adjective:

• plan de estudio(s) = study plan
• horas de estudio = study hours
• metas de estudio = study goals

So it’s not “goals of a subject called study,” but “goals connected to studying.”

Why is it de estudio and not para estudiar?

Both are possible, but they feel a bit different:

• metas de estudio

  • More compact and noun-like: “study goals.”
  • Sounds natural and common in Spanish.

• metas para estudiar

  • Literally “goals for studying.”
  • Focuses more on the purpose (“goals in order to study”), and can sound slightly more specific or situational.

Your original sentence:

• Quiero alcanzar mis metas de estudio este año.
  is the most natural, general way to say “I want to reach my study goals this year.”

Why do we use mis instead of las with metas here?

mis shows possession (my), while las is just “the.”

• mis metas de estudio = my study goals
• las metas de estudio = the study goals (in general, or ones already known from context)

In English you pretty much have to say “my study goals,” and in Spanish it’s the same here: mis metas tells us they’re your goals, not someone else’s or general goals.

How does gender and number agreement work in mis metas de estudio?

Let’s break it down:

• metas
  
  • meta (singular, feminine) → metas (plural, feminine)
• mis
  
  • Possessive for yo with plural nouns:
    
    • mi meta (my goal – singular)
    • mis metas (my goals – plural)
• de estudio
  
  • estudio is a singular masculine noun used here in a fixed phrase; it doesn’t change because it’s part of the “de + noun” structure.

So:

• mi meta de estudio = my study goal (one)
• mis metas de estudio = my study goals (several)

mis agrees in number with metas (plural), and metas keeps its own feminine gender; estudio doesn’t need to agree with it grammatically in this structure.

Could I say objetivos instead of metas? Is there any difference?

Yes, you can say objetivos:

• Quiero alcanzar mis objetivos de estudio este año.

Nuance:

• meta
  
  • Common word for goal/aim, often personal or long-term, like life goals, study goals, fitness goals.
• objetivo
  
  • Often a bit more specific or measurable, frequently used in academic or professional contexts (learning objectives, business objectives).

In everyday speech, metas and objetivos overlap a lot. In a study context, both sound perfectly natural.

Why do we use the present tense quiero instead of something like quisiera or me gustaría?

They each express a slightly different attitude:

• Quiero alcanzar mis metas…

  • Direct, clear: I want to reach my goals.
  • Neutral, straightforward.

• Quisiera alcanzar mis metas…

  • More polite/softer, like “I would like to reach my goals.”
  • Often sounds more formal or tentative.

• Me gustaría alcanzar mis metas…

  • Also “I would like to reach my goals,” gentle, less direct.

In a personal statement about your own goals, Quiero… is very normal and doesn’t sound rude. It shows strong, direct intention.

Can the word order change, like Este año quiero alcanzar mis metas de estudio?

Yes. Both are correct:

• Quiero alcanzar mis metas de estudio este año.
• Este año quiero alcanzar mis metas de estudio.

The meaning is the same. Changing the order can slightly change what is emphasized:

• Starting with Este año highlights the time frame (“This year (in particular) I want to…”).
• Starting with Quiero focuses first on your desire.

Word order in Spanish is fairly flexible, especially with time expressions like este año.

Do I need a preposition before este año, like en este año?

No preposition is needed here; este año works on its own:

• Quiero alcanzar mis metas de estudio este año.

You might use en este año in some contexts, but it’s:

• Less common in simple sentences like this.
• More likely in contrasts or emphasis, e.g.,
  En este año hemos avanzado mucho. = This year we have made a lot of progress.

For your sentence, este año by itself is the most natural option.

Is this sentence formal, informal, or neutral? Would it work in professional contexts?

The sentence is neutral and works in both informal and many formal contexts:

• You can say it to friends or family.
• You can also use it in a school, university, or professional development context, for example:
  • In a motivation letter.
  • In a meeting with a tutor or supervisor talking about your academic goals.

If you wanted to sound slightly more formal or polished, you might choose lograr or cumplir instead of alcanzar, but Quiero alcanzar mis metas de estudio este año is already perfectly acceptable.