Querer + noun

Question

Hello, all these examples are in the form QUERER + INFINITIVE.

Would the translations be the same for QUERER + NOUN?

ex. I didn't want the free food. "No quise la comida gratis" or "No quería la comida gratis"?

Thanks.

Marcos

Answer

Hola Marcos
Yes, the interpretation would be the same if we use nouns:

No quise la comida gratis. (I refused/rejected the free food.)
No quería la comida gratis. (I didn't want the free food. -more general meaning of querer)

Saludos
Inma

Answer

I’m a native English language speaker. How can we rule out the below:No quise la comida gratis. (I TRIED the free food.)

Answer

Hola Alejandro
When the sentence is negative, i.e. "No quise..." the extra meaning is to refuse, not to try. The extra meaning of trying is when the verb is affirmative: Quise...
Inma