# Query Syntax

The `q` parameter accepts a boolean query. Terms without a field prefix are matched against the review title, text, and item title. A space between terms means **AND**.

## Operators

| Syntax | Example | Matches |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Implicit AND | `noise cancelling` | Reviews with both terms |
| `OR` | `laptop OR notebook` | Either term |
| `NOT` or `-` | `hotel NOT hostel`, `hotel -hostel` | First term without the second |
| `( )` | `(laptop OR notebook) battery` | Grouping |
| `"..."` | `"battery life"` | Exact phrase |
| `"..."~N` | `"battery drain"~3` | Terms within N words of each other |
| `*` | `charg*` | Prefix wildcard |
| `$` | `gold$` | Exact term, no stemming. Supported for English, Spanish, Arabic, Russian, and French. |
| `field:value` | `rating:>=4` | Field filter - see [Filters](reviews-api-filters) |

## Examples

Positive reviews of a product, in English:

```
"acme blender" rating:>=4 language:english
```

Complaints about a topic on one site:

```
item.site:tripadvisor.com "room service" rating:<3
```

## Rules

- Quotes and parentheses must be balanced, or the request fails.
- At most **10** proximity (`~N`) operators per query.
- Leading wildcards (`*word`) are removed automatically - they are too expensive to run.
- Operators `AND`, `OR`, `NOT` must be uppercase.