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Question Words

There are 12 key question words in Spanish. Here are six of them:

¿(A)dónde? - where

¿(A)dónde? - where

  • '¿Dónde?' is used to refer to position and to going towards somewhere.
    • ¿Dónde vamos?
      • Where are we going?
    • ¿Dónde está el restaurante?
      • Where is the restaurant?
  • '¿Adónde?' is only used in the sense of going towards a place, similar to 'where to' in English.
    • ¿Adónde irás la semana que viene?
      • Where are you going next week?
¿Cómo? - how, what

¿Cómo? - how, what

  • '¿Cómo?' is used to ask how something happens as well as to ask about someone's characteristics.
    • ¿Cómo funciona la aspiradora?
      • How does the hoover work?
    • ¿Cómo es su novia?
      • What is your girlfriend like?
¿Cuál(es)? - which

¿Cuál(es)? - which

  • '¿Cuál(es)?' is used to refer to people or objects.
    • ¿Cuál es tu número de teléfono?
      • What is your telephone number?
  • '¿Cuál(es)?' is also used when asking about options between two specific nouns.
    • ¿Cuál es la diferencia entre el primer ministro y el rey?
      • What is the difference between the prime minister and the king?
¿Cuándo? - when

¿Cuándo? - when

  • ¿Cuándo llega el autobus?
    • When does the bus arrive?
  • ¿Cuándo es el examen?
    • When is the exam?
¿Cuánto(os,as)? - how much

¿Cuánto(os,as)? - how much

  • '¿Cuánto?' can be used as a pronoun or an adjective.
  • When 'cuánto' is used as an adjective, it agrees with the gender and person of the noun.
    • ¿Cuánto dinero cuesta la camiseta?
      • How much money does this t-shirt cost?
    • ¿Cuántas personas vienen hoy?
      • How many people are coming today?

Question Words 2

Here are the six other questions words:

¿De quién? - whose

¿De quién? - whose

  • '¿De quién?' is the word 'quién' used with a proposition.
  • When used with a preposition the meaning slightly changes.
    • ¿De quién es el coche rojo?
      • Whose is the red car?
¿De dónde? - where from

¿De dónde? - where from

  • '¿De dónde?' is the word 'dónde' used with a proposition.
    • ¿De dónde eres?
      • Where are you from?
¿Por dónde? - through where

¿Por dónde? - through where

  • '¿Por dónde?' is the word 'dónde' used with a preposition.
    • ¿Por dónde empezamos?
      • Where do we start?
¿Por qué? - why

¿Por qué? - why

  • 'Por qué' is the main way of asking 'why' in Spanish.
    • ¿Por qué han comprado un gato?
      • Why have they bought a cat?
¿Qué? - what

¿Qué? - what

  • When used as a pronoun 'qué' refers to unknown nouns.
    • ¿Qué hay detrás de la puerta?
      • What is there behind the door?
  • When used as an adjective 'qué' can refer to people well as things.
    • ¿Qué significa 'decir'?
      • What does 'decir' mean?
¿Quién? - who

¿Quién? - who

  • 'Quién', 'quiénes' when plural, can only refer to people.
    • ¿Quién es tu profesor?
      • Who is your teacher?
  • 'Quién' can be used with propositions.
    • ¿A quién no conozco?
      • Who don't I know?
Jump to other topics
1

The Basics

2

Current & Future Study & Employment

2.1

School & Subjects

2.2

School & Subjects - Translations (Foundation)

2.3

School & Subjects - Translations (Higher)

2.4

Education Post - 16

2.5

Education Post - 16 - Translations (Foundation)

2.6

Education Post - 16 - Translations (Higher)

3

Identity & Culture

3.1

Me, My Family & Friends

3.2

Me, Family & Friends - Translations (Foundation)

3.3

Me, Family & Friends - Translations (Higher)

3.4

Technology in Everyday Life

3.5

Tech in Everyday Life - Translations (Foundation)

3.6

Tech in Everyday Life - Translations (Higher)

3.7

Free Time Activities

3.8

Free Time Activities - Translations (Foundation)

3.9

Free Time Activities - Translations (Higher)

3.10

Customs & Festivals in Spanish Speaking Countries

3.11

Customs & Festivals - Translations (Foundation)

3.12

Customs & Festivals - Translations (Higher)

4

Areas of Interest

4.1

Home, Town, Neighbourhood & Region

4.2

Home & Region - Translations (Foundation)

4.3

Home & Region - Translations (Higher)

4.4

Social Issues

4.5

Social Issues - Translations (Foundation)

4.6

Social Issues - Translations (Higher)

4.7

Global Issues

4.8

Global Issues - Translations

4.9

Travel & Tourism

4.10

Travel & Tourism - Translations

5

Listening Practice

5.1

Time Expressions - Listening

5.2

Me, My Family & Friends - Listening

5.3

Technology in Everyday Life - Listening

5.4

Free-Time - Listening

5.5

Customs & Festivals - Listening

5.6

Home, Town, Neighbourhood & Region - Listening

5.7

Social Issues - Listening

5.8

Travel & Tourism - Listening

5.9

Education - Listening

5.10

Food & Drink - Listening

5.11

In the Home - Listening

5.12

Colours - Listening

5.13

Clothes & Accesories - Listening

5.14

Measurements - Listening

5.15

Materials - Listening

6

Common Tenses

7

Important Verbs

8

Advanced Tenses

9

Extra Grammar

9.1

Articles

9.2

Negatives

9.3

Nouns

9.4

Asking Questions

9.5

Adjectives

9.6

Adverbs

9.7

Conjunctions

9.8

Pronouns

9.9

By, With, From, Of

9.10

Verbs

9.11

Comparisons

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