Question words in Spanish

Learning Spanish interrogative words is fundamental to being able to communicate and ask questions effectively in Spanish. In this lesson, we will cover basic interrogative words like “quién”, “qué”, “cuándo”, “dónde”, “por qué” and “cómo”, and how to use them correctly to ask questions in Spanish. We will also explore some useful expressions for asking more complex questions. Get ready to ask lots of questions and practice your Spanish!

Questions with “dónde” (where)

The interrogative word “dónde” is used in Spanish to ask questions about the place or location of something or someone. For example, “Where is the bathroom?” or “Where are you from?” are common questions that use this interrogative word.

It is important for students to learn the use of “dónde” and other interrogative words in Spanish, as they can help them communicate and understand better in everyday situations, such as asking for directions or asking questions about places.

EnglishSpanish🎧
Where?¿Dónde?
Where is your mother?¿Dónde está tu madre?
Where is the Italian restaurant?¿Dónde está el restaurante italiano?
Where is my cell phone?¿Dónde está mi teléfono celular?

Questions with “cuando” (when)

The interrogative word “cuándo” is used to ask about the moment or time when an action or event occurs or will occur. It is very useful to obtain information about dates, times and deadlines in different situations, such as scheduling a meeting, confirming an appointment, knowing when someone will arrive, among others.

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EnglishSpanish🎧
When?¿Cuándo?
When do you go to school?¿Cuándo vas a la escuela?
When do you train at the gym?¿Cuándo entrenas en el gimnasio?
When is your next summer vacation?¿Cuándo son las próximas vacaciones de verano?

Questions with “por qué” (why)

The interrogative word “por qué” is used to ask questions about the cause or reason for something. For example, “Why didn’t you study?” or “Why are you so happy?”. It is a very useful word for understanding the reasons behind someone’s actions or emotions.

EnglishSpanish🎧
Why?¿Por qué?
Why is the child misbehaving?¿Por qué el niño se porta mal?
Why is my soup cold?¿Por qué está fría mi sopa?
Why can’t I understand English?¿Por qué no logro entender inglés?

Questions with “Cómo” (how)

The interrogative word “cómo” is used to ask questions about the manner or method in which something is done or carried out. For example, “How do you cook rice?” or “How do you get to the center of town?” It can also be used to ask about the state or condition of someone or something, as in “How are you today?” or “How is the weather in your town?”

See also  How to Say 'Hello' in Spanish
EnglishSpanish🎧
How?¿Cómo?
How are you?¿Cómo estás?
How do you plan to fix what you did?¿Cómo piensas arreglar lo que hiciste?
How do I change the tire on my car?¿Cómo puedo cambiar el neumático de mi auto?

Questions with “Quién” (who)

The interrogative word “who” is used to ask for someone’s identity. For example, “¿Quién es él?” or “¿Con quién vas a la playa?” It can also be used to ask about the person responsible for an action, as in “¿Quién chocó el auto?” It is important to remember that the form of the word “Quién” changes depending on gender and number. For example, “¿Quienes son todos ellos?” is used to refer to a group of men or a mix of men and women, while “¿Quienes son ellas?” is used to refer to a group of women.

EnglishSpanish🎧
Who?¿Quién?
Who is hungry?¿Quién tiene hambre?
Who took the car without permission?¿Quién se llevó el auto sin permiso?
Who can lend me a lighter?¿Quién podrá prestarme un encendedor?

Questions with “Cuál” (which)

The interrogative word “cuál” is used to ask for a choice or selection from among several options. For example, “¿Cuál es tu auto favorito?” or “¿Cuál de estos juegos es tu favorito?”. It is also possible to ask for the identity or description of something or someone specific, as in “¿Cuál es el nombre de tu tío?” or “¿Cuál es tu dirección?”. In short, it is used to ask for specific choices or to identify something or someone in particular.

See also  You're Welcome in Spanish
EnglishSpanish🎧
Which?¿Cuál?
Which game do you want to buy?¿Cuál juego quieres comprar?
Which pen can I lend you?¿Cuál bolígrafo te presto?
Which video game console are you going to buy?¿Cuál consola de videojuegos vas a comprar?

Questions with “Qué” (what)

The interrogative word “Qué” is used to ask about a particular thing or object, or to request an explanation or definition. For example, “¿Qué es eso?” or “¿Qué significa esa palabra?” It is a very common word in the Spanish language and is important for asking clear and precise questions.

EnglishSpanish🎧
What?¿Qué?
What is that?¿Qué es eso?
What are you thinking about?¿En qué estás pensando?
What did he tell you?¿Qué te dijo?

Questions without question words

Earlier we saw how to formulate questions using question words, but we also have the possibility of asking questions without such words.

In written form it is easy to see that it is a question, thanks to the question marks, but in a conversation, we will notice that the intonation at the end of the sentence increases, giving a clear sign that a question is being asked.

pay special attention with the following audios on how using the same words some sentences are questions and others are not, the difference is in the intonation given at the end of the sentence.

EnglishSpanish🎧
You know how to prepare a cakeTú sabes cómo preparar un pastel
Do you know how to bake a cake?¿Tú sabes cómo preparar un pastel?
You have a pcTienes un pc
Do you have a pc?¿Tienes un pc?
You can eat 4 pounds of chickenTú puedes comer 4 libras de pollo
Can you eat 4 pounds of chicken?¿Tú puedes comer 4 libras de pollo?

Differences between Spanish and English questioning

In the previous examples you could see some differences between both languages, however, let’s detail what they are.

Question marks

In Spanish, a question mark is used at the beginning of the question and a question mark is also used at the end of the question.

Personal pronouns

In Spanish it is very common to omit personal pronouns from the sentence, since speakers can infer who is being spoken about without the need to use the pronouns in questions and sentences.

Auxiliary verbs

In Spanish we do not use auxiliary verbs, the important thing is the intonation of the sentence and this way we realize that we are being asked a question.

Final considerations of the lesson

In the lesson we were able to learn how to use question words and also how to ask questions without those words. Through the audios you will be able to notice the difference between a question and an affirmative sentence.
It is very important that you repeat the audios as many times as you need to understand the difference.

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