Quick answer
Querer asks for or wants something. Gostar says you like it.
A reliable test is to identify the job of the word before translating from English.
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What each word does
querer
to want
Use querer for desire, intention, requests, and choosing what you would like.
gostar
to like
Use gostar for preferences, enjoyment, and liking people, places, activities, or things.
How to choose
- querer: Choose querer if the sentence points to desire, intention, requests, and choosing what you would like.
- gostar: Choose gostar if the sentence points to preferences, enjoyment, and liking people, places, activities, or things.
Examples
Quero agua, por favor.
I want water, please.
Eu gosto de samba.
I like samba.
Common trap
Gostar normally takes de before the thing liked: gosto de cafe.
Practice it in context
Pick one sentence from your real life and write it twice: once with querer, then once with gostar. If both versions feel possible, name the meaning shift.
Learn Brazilian Portuguese step by step
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