Quiero un perro pequeño.

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Breakdown of Quiero un perro pequeño.

• querer: to want
• un: a
• pequeño: small
• el perro: the dog

Questions & Answers about Quiero un perro pequeño.

Why do we use un instead of una in Quiero un perro pequeño?

In Spanish, perro is a masculine noun, so we need the masculine indefinite article un. If you were referring to a female dog (perra), you would use una.

What does Quiero literally mean, and how is it conjugated?

Quiero literally means I want. It comes from the verb querer, which is irregular. In the present tense: • Yo quiero
• Tú quieres
• Él/Ella quiere
• Nosotros queremos
• Vosotros queréis
• Ellos/Ellas quieren

Why do we place pequeño after perro?

In Spanish, most adjectives (like pequeño) usually go after the noun they describe. Perro pequeño is the standard word order for small dog. Some adjectives can come before the noun, but pequeño typically follows it.

Could we say something like Quiero un pequeño perro?

It’s not incorrect Spanish, but it sounds less natural. Placing pequeño before the noun often puts more emphasis on the adjective. In everyday speech, un perro pequeño is more common and flows naturally for most speakers.

Is there another way to express I want a small dog politely?

Yes, you could use Me gustaría un perro pequeño, which translates to I would like a small dog and sounds more polite or softer than Quiero un perro pequeño.