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Portuguese Phrase

Queria que limpassem meu quarto.

/ˈke.ɾi.a ki ˈlĩ.pɐ̃j̃ ˈmeu ˈkwaɾ.tu/
Meaning"I wanted them to clean my room."
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Meaning

The speaker is expressing a past wish for someone else (they) to clean their room. The construction 'queria que + subjuntivo' is typical for polite or retrospective requests in Portuguese.

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When to use

Use this sentence when you are talking about a request you had in the past, or when you want to sound especially courteous in the present by using the conditional 'queria' instead of the direct 'quero'. It is also useful in storytelling to describe a past situation.

✦Grammar Breakdown

Queriaquelimpassemmeuquarto

1

Queria (imperfeito de querer)

Used to express a past desire or a polite request; it softens the request compared to the present 'quero'.

2

que (conjunção)

Introduces a subordinate clause that requires the subjunctive mood.

3

limpassem (pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo)

Third‑person plural form of 'limpar' used after a verb of desire in the past.

4

meu (possessivo)

Possessive adjective agreeing in gender and number with the noun it modifies.

5

quarto (substantivo)

Means 'room', commonly referring to a bedroom.

🗨In Conversation

A

Você já terminou de limpar o seu quarto?

Have you already finished cleaning your room?

Ainda não, mas eu queria que limpassem meu quarto antes da visita.

Not yet, but I wanted them to clean my room before the visit.

B

✕Common Mistakes

  • Queria que limpam meu quarto.

    After 'queria que' you must use the subjunctive, not the indicative.

  • Queria que limpasse meu quarto.

    Use the plural form 'limpassem' when referring to more than one person; 'limpasse' is singular.

  • Queria que limpassem o meu quarto.

    The article 'o' is optional; omitting it sounds more natural in everyday Brazilian Portuguese.

↔Alternatives

  • Quero que limpem meu quarto.

    I want them to clean my room.

  • Gostaria que limpassem meu quarto.

    I would like them to clean my room.

  • Preciso que limpem meu quarto.

    I need them to clean my room.

  • Poderia limpar meu quarto?

    Could you clean my room?

pt

Cultural Tip

In Brazil, using 'queria que' softens a request and is considered more polite than the direct 'quero que'. The subjunctive mood is very common after verbs of desire, doubt, or emotion. Remember that 'limpassem' is plural; if you are speaking about a single person, use 'limpasse'. In Portugal the same structure is used, though speakers may prefer 'Queria que limpassem o meu quarto' with the article 'o'.