Breakdown of Я хотел бы поставить вазу на стол.
стол
table / desk
я
I
хотеть
to want
на
on, at / by (transport) / to (a place) / to (in answer to)
Questions & Answers about Я хотел бы поставить вазу на стол.
Why do we use поставить here instead of another word for "to put", like положить?
In Russian, the verb you use for "to put" depends on the object's orientation. Ставить (imperfective) / поставить (perfective) means "to stand" something up. Since a vase has a base and is meant to stand upright, we use поставить. If you were laying something flat, like a magazine, you would use положить.
Why is it на стол (Accusative case) instead of на столе (Prepositional case)?
Because the verb поставить expresses motion or direction—you are moving the vase onto the table. Verbs of positioning take в or на plus the Accusative case. If the action was already finished and the vase was just resting there, you would use a verb of state with the Prepositional case: Ваза стоит на столе (The vase is standing on the table).
Why is "vase" written as вазу instead of ваза?
Ваза is a feminine noun ending in -а. Because it is the direct object of the action (the thing being put), it must be in the Accusative case, where the -а ending changes to -у.
Why is the verb хотел in the past tense if the translation says "I would like"?