Sometimes it can be frustrating to understand all the different ways to ask a question in Spanish. Even though it is a beautiful Latin language filled with romantic and detailed expressions, many Spanish-students are often discouraged to learn the language once they find themselves immersed in the comparison tables of \u2018when and how\u2019 to use a specific word. Fear not anymore though, as this guide will help you dissipate every confusion that could arise in regards to Spanish interrogatives, otherwise known as the Spanish Question Words.<\/p>\n
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Oh, Espa\u00f1ol, \u00bfPor qu\u00e9, c\u00f3mo, cu\u00e1ndo y d\u00f3nde te volviste tan dif\u00edcil?<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
First things first, what are Spanish Question Words?<\/h2>\n
When studying Spanish one of the first sections you will learn is called \u2018Interrogative Pronouns’, also referred to as the Question Words or interrogatives. These words are used to form questions in Spanish, and they will be very handy to you if you ever go to a Spanish-speaking country and you need to find your way around. Learning the Spanish interrogatives will also help you obtain a wider grasp of the language you are learning as it will welcome new vocabulary for your day-to-day life.<\/p>\n
Nevertheless, asking questions in Spanish can be very different from the English form, in fact, one of the differences appears right from the beginning of the question when you will often find the inverted question mark that is so famous in the Spanish language. This upside-down question mark is always used and it implies the beginning of the question, thus the intonation of the speaker should change accordingly.<\/p>\n
So, in Spanish, if you wanted to say “How old are you?”<\/strong>, you should ask “\u00bfCu\u00e1ntos a\u00f1os tienes?”<\/strong>. However, the question mark does not always go at the start of the sentence because sometimes there are other relevant words beforehand.<\/p>\n\n- For example, in English you would ask, “Hern\u00e1n, where are you going?”<\/strong> and in Spanish, you would ask, “Hern\u00e1n, \u00bfAd\u00f3nde vas?”<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Another difference is in regards to the English words “Does<\/strong>” and “Do”<\/strong> as they are usually used as auxiliaries when asking questions. However, in Spanish, you won’t be able to find a word that will translate directly to “Does”<\/strong> or “Do”<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n- For example, “Does Carlos eat Venezuelan food?”<\/strong>. In Spanish it would be, “\u00bfCarlos come comida Venezolana?”<\/strong>, which could then be roughly translated to “Carlos eats Venezuelan food?”<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
A great thing about the Spanish language is that there is a relaxed way of using and creating its syntax (which is the arrangement of words in a sentence). So, when asking a question these would be perfectly acceptable as well:<\/p>\n
\n- “\u00bfCome Carlos comida Venezolana?”<\/strong><\/li>\n
- “\u00bfCome comida Venezolana Carlos?”<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
In addition, another difference between the two languages is the accent marks. In Spanish question words must have an accent mark in order to understand that a question is being asked. Always remember to place the first (inverted) question mark, if not you will probably be changing the question that you have asked.<\/p>\n
\n- For example, “\u00bfCarlos come comida Venezolana?”<\/strong>. This is a question, “Does Carlos eat Venezuelan food?”<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
- “Carlos come comida Venezolana”<\/strong>. This is a positive statement, “Carlos eats Venezuelan food<\/strong>“.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Useful tip:<\/strong> Remember that if you would like to emphasize an exclamation point in a question then you could do it like this:<\/p>\n\n- For example, \u00a0“\u00a1\u00bfQu\u00e9 comiste?!”<\/strong> or “\u00bf\u00a1Qu\u00e9 comiste!?”<\/strong> which translates to “What did you eat!?”<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Keep on reading this guide so you can find a complete and relevant list of the essential question words in Spanish.<\/p>\n
Always remember that in Spanish if the subject of the sentence is singular or plural it means that it will also affect subsequent parts of the sentence.<\/p>\n
So, what are the Question Words in Spanish?<\/p>\n
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Spanish question words list<\/h2>\n1. \u00bfQu\u00e9? \/ \u00bfCu\u00e1l? = What?<\/h3>\n
To some people, the use of the Spanish interrogative ‘Qu\u00e9’ can be very intimidating as it has diverse meanings. Do not worry though, as we are now going to have a look at the correct and possible uses of this question word:<\/p>\n
\n- Use ‘Qu\u00e9’ when asking ‘What’ in Spanish if the following word is a noun.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
For example, “\u00bfQu\u00e9 libro est\u00e1s leyendo?”<\/strong> or “What book are you reading?”<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n- Use ‘Qu\u00e9’ when the following word is any form of the verb ‘ser’ (or ‘to be’), especially when you are asking for a further explanation or definition.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
For example, “\u00bfQu\u00e9 direcci\u00f3n debo tomar?”<\/strong> or “What direction should I take?”<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n- However, if you want to have a specific response to this question, then you should ask with the word “\u00bfCu\u00e1l?”<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
For example, “\u00bfCu\u00e1l es tu direcci\u00f3n actual?”<\/strong> or “What is your current address?<\/strong>“.<\/p>\n\n- The word ‘Qu\u00e9’ can also be used as ‘C\u00f3mo’. Let\u2019s say you didn\u2019t hear a word of what someone else told you, if you simply say “\u00bfQu\u00e9?”<\/strong> it could often be interpreted as a rude answer on your behalf. However, if you reply “\u00bfC\u00f3mo?”<\/strong> which also translates as “What?”<\/strong> then you are considered to be more polite.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Other uses of the Spanish question word ‘Qu\u00e9’ in sentences are as following:<\/p>\n
\n- “\u00bfQu\u00e9 haces esta noche?”<\/strong> or “What are you doing tonight?”<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
- “\u00bfQu\u00e9 significa esto?”<\/strong> or “What does this mean?”<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
- “\u00bfQu\u00e9 quieres comer?”<\/strong> or “What would you like to eat?”<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Remember: If you want more specific information then you need to use the word ‘Cu\u00e1l’.<\/p>\n
\n- “\u00bfCu\u00e1l es tu numero de casa?”<\/strong> or “What is your house number?”<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
- “\u00bfCu\u00e1l es tu comida favorita?”<\/strong> or “What is your favourite food?”<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
As you can see from the previous examples, the word ‘Cu\u00e1l’ is often used when asking more personal questions.<\/p>\n
2. \u00bfQui\u00e9n? \/ \u00bfQui\u00e9nes? \/ \u00bfDe qui\u00e9n? \/ \u00bfDe qui\u00e9nes? = Who?<\/h3>\n
‘Who’ in Spanish can be translated as ‘\u00bfQui\u00e9n?’. When you use this question word you have to remember that it must agree with the number of people you are referring to, so, ‘\u00bfQui\u00e9n?’ is for a singular subject while ‘\u00bfQui\u00e9nes?’ is for plural subjects.<\/p>\n
\n- For example, “\u00bfQui\u00e9n es la fot\u00f3grafa?”<\/strong> or “Who is the photographer?”<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
- “\u00bfQui\u00e9nes son los invitados?”<\/strong> or “Who are the invited people?”<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
However, when you want to ask about “Whose thing is this”<\/strong>, then you need to use the “\u00bfDe qui\u00e9n? \/ \u00bfDe qui\u00e9nes?”<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n- For example, “\u00bfDe qui\u00e9n es este l\u00e1piz?”<\/strong> or “Whose pencil is this?”<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
- “\u00bfDe qui\u00e9nes hablas?”<\/strong> or “Who are you talking about?”<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
We are now moving to the Cu-Cu-Cu question words<\/strong> (Cuando, Cual, Cuanto):<\/p>\n3. \u00bfCu\u00e1ndo? = When?<\/h3>\n
When you would like to ask ‘when’ in Spanish you must use the word ‘cu\u00e1ndo’.<\/p>\n
\n- For example, “\u00bfCu\u00e1ndo viene Mara?”<\/strong> or “When is Mara coming?”<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
- “\u00bfCu\u00e1ndo vamos a salir a tomar algo?”<\/strong> or “When will we go out to drink something?”<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Sometimes the word ‘Cu\u00e1ndo’ does not go at the beginning of the sentence, but it is still used as a connector in the question.<\/p>\n
\n- For example, “\u00bfMe puedes llamar cuando llegues?”<\/strong> or “Can you call me when you arrive?”<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
4. \u00bfCu\u00e1l? \/ \u00bfCu\u00e1les? = Which? \/ Which ones?<\/h3>\n
To say ‘which’ in Spanish, for example when you have to choose between two or more things, you often use the word ‘cu\u00e1l’.<\/p>\n
\n- For example, “\u00bfCu\u00e1l color te gusta mas el azul o el amarillo?”<\/strong> or “Which colour do you like the most blue or yellow?”<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
- “\u00bfCu\u00e1l es tu animal favorito el le\u00f3n o el tigre?”<\/strong> or “Which one is your favourite animal the lion or the tiger?”<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Useful tip:<\/strong> Always remember to match the endings of the word \u2018Cu\u00e1l\u2019 with the singular or plural forms of the nouns.<\/p>\n\n- For example, “\u00bfCu\u00e1les zapatos te gustan?”<\/strong> or “Which pair of shoes do you like?”<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
- “\u00bfCu\u00e1l de estos helados has probado?”<\/strong> or “Which one of these ice creams have you tried?”<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\u00a05. \u00bfCu\u00e1nto\/a? \/ \u00bfCu\u00e1ntos\/as? = How much? \/ How many? (Both for feminine and male nouns).<\/h3>\n
In Spanish, we use the word “Cu\u00e1nto\/a” to ask for “how much” and “how many” but it all depends on what you are asking about in order to understand how to use these two forms of the same word. (Note: To be fair, it is more difficult to understand the English words than the Spanish ones).<\/p>\n
Useful tip:<\/strong> Remember “\u00bfCu\u00e1nto?” Is for a singular masculine subject; “\u00bfCu\u00e1nta?” is for a singular female subject, while “\u00bfCu\u00e1ntos?” is used for a plural masculine subject and “\u00bfCu\u00e1ntas?” is used for a plural feminine subject.<\/p>\n\n- For example, “\u00bfCu\u00e1nto cuesta el jugo de naranja?”<\/strong> or “How much (cost) is the orange juice?”<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
- “\u00bfCu\u00e1nta cantidad de leche debo colocar en la torta?”<\/strong> or “How much quantity of milk should I put in the cake?”<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
- “\u00bfCu\u00e1ntos a\u00f1os tiene Lautaro?”<\/strong> or “How many years does Lautaro have?”<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
- “\u00bfCu\u00e1ntas cucharas de az\u00facar quieres en tu t\u00e9?”<\/strong> or “How many spoons of sugar would you like in your cup of tea?”<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
6. \u00bfC\u00f3mo? = How?<\/h3>\n
When you want to ask “How?” in Spanish you use the word “\u00bfC\u00f3mo?”.<\/p>\n
\n- For example, you have probably already learnt the most basic use of this word “\u00bfC\u00f3mo est\u00e1s?”<\/strong> or “How are you?”<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Sometimes, however, ‘C\u00f3mo’ is also translated as ‘What’.<\/p>\n
\n- For example, “\u00bfC\u00f3mo te llamas?”<\/strong> or “What is your name?”<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
When you want to translate “C\u00f3mo” you must be very aware of the context you would like to give it in the English version. This will help you out in determining when to use ‘How’ or ‘What’.<\/p>\n
7. \u00bfD\u00f3nde? = Where?<\/h3>\n
The most important thing to know about the Spanish question word “\u00bfD\u00f3nde?” is that you need to pay a lot of attention to notice the changes of the rest of the sentence. Many students are also afraid of this word, but do not worry as we are now going to go through the proper explanation of how to say ‘Where’ in Spanish and the uses of this Interrogative Pronoun, while also providing you with the possible variants.<\/p>\n
\n- For example, “\u00bfD\u00f3nde est\u00e1 la bicicleta?”<\/strong> or “Where is the bike?”<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
- “\u00bfD\u00f3nde naciste t\u00fa?”<\/strong> Or “Where were you born?”<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Now let\u2019s learn the variant words for “D\u00f3nde”.<\/p>\n
\n- “\u00bfAd\u00f3nde?”<\/strong> = Means “To where?”<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
- For example, “\u00bfAd\u00f3nde quieres enviar este paquete?”<\/strong> or “Where would you like to send this package to?”<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
- “\u00bfAd\u00f3nde fuiste?”<\/strong> or “Where did you go to?”<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Another fairly used variant is “De D\u00f3nde” or “From where”.<\/p>\n
\n- For example, “\u00bfDe d\u00f3nde eres?”<\/strong> or “Where are you from?”<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
- “\u00bfDe d\u00f3nde vienes?”<\/strong> or “Where do you come from?”<\/strong>. The trick here is to pay attention to the rest of the sentence, because “\u00bfDe d\u00f3nde vienes?”<\/strong> could mean where do you originally come from, i.e what country or region, but, it could also mean where was the last place you visited.<\/li>\n
- So, “\u00bfDe d\u00f3nde vienes?”<\/strong> or “Where do you come from?”<\/strong> and the possible answers could be “Vengo de Venezuela”<\/strong> or “I come from Venezuela”<\/strong>, or, “Vengo de comprar comida”<\/strong> or “I come from the shops”<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Useful tip:<\/strong> Always pay attention to the prepositions, once you fully learn them you will start remembering how and when to use them in a question.<\/p>\n8. \u00bfPor qu\u00e9? \/ \u00bfPara qu\u00e9? = Why?<\/h3>\n
Even though there is a slight difference between the meanings of the words “\u00bfPor qu\u00e9? \/ \u00bfPara qu\u00e9?” they are more often than not used to mean to “Why” in Spanish. It can be argued that “\u00bfPor qu\u00e9?” speaks about a cause, while “\u00bfPara qu\u00e9?” is more in terms of purpose and is often translated to “what for”.<\/p>\n
\n- For example, “\u00bfPor qu\u00e9 le pegaste?”<\/strong> or “Why did you hit him\/her?”<\/strong><\/li>\n
- “\u00bfPara qu\u00e9 lo hiciste?”<\/strong> or “What did you do it for? Or Why did you do it?”<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Useful tip:<\/strong> As always in Spanish, you must pay attention to the context as it will often give you some clues and in some cases, it will give you the answers.<\/p>\n\n- For example, “\u00bfPara qu\u00e9 confirmaste si ahora no vas a ir?”<\/strong> or “Why did you confirm if you are not going now?”<\/strong>. Please note that an answer is not expected on this type of question, and, even if there is one possible answer it will start with “Para”.<\/li>\n
- “\u00bfPor qu\u00e9 te cansas tan r\u00e1pido?”<\/strong> or “Why do you get tired so fast?”<\/strong>. Then an answer is expected, “Porque me siento mal”<\/strong> or “Because I feel bad”<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Now we have studied the Spanish interrogatives and you have become an expert it is time to tell you two extra useful tips and tricks for you to have in mind.<\/p>\n
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More ways to form a question in Spanish<\/h2>\n
In Spanish you can also ask questions without using these questions words, all you need to do is raise your intonation at the end of the sentence and that is it!<\/p>\n
\n- For example, “Ella comi\u00f3”<\/strong> or “She ate”<\/strong>. This is a positive statement. If you want to change it to a question all you need to do is say “\u00bfElla comi\u00f3?”<\/strong> Or “Did she eat?”<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
The second trick is to know that in Spanish you can -almost all the time- leave the personal pronoun out. This means the he \/ she \/ you \/ me \/ we \/ us could be left out of the question.<\/p>\n
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