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Lesson 4: Spanish Question Words – Los Pronombres Interrogativos

 

🎯 Goal

Understand how to ask basic questions using quién, qué, cuándo, dónde, por qué, cómo, cuál, and cuánto.

🧠 Why You Need This

Questions power conversations. Whether you're asking someone's name or directions, these are the tools you'll use every day.

Asking questions is essential in any language, and in Spanish, it’s easier than you think — once you understand the core question words and how they work. In this lesson, we’ll break down the most common Spanish question words (a.k.a. pronombres interrogativos), explain when and how to use them, what NOT to confuse them with, and give you the tools to build natural Spanish questions from Day 1.

🧠 What Are “Pronombres Interrogativos”?

They are words used to ask direct or indirect questions. They all have something in common:

  • They start with an accent mark (´) when used as questions.

  • They are used at the beginning of a sentence, typically followed by a verb.

  • They can also appear inside a question or embedded in longer sentences.

🔑 Spanish Question Words & How to Use Them

❓ ¿Qué? – What

Used to ask for definitions, explanations, or to identify things.

  • ¿Qué es eso? – What is that?

  • ¿Qué estudias? – What do you study?

  • ¿Qué quieres comer? – What do you want to eat?

🧠 Don’t confuse “qué” with “que” (without the accent)

  • Qué = What

  • Que = That / Which / Who (used in connecting phrases)

Example:

  • Quiero que vengas. – I want that you come.

  • ¿Qué quieres? – What do you want?

👤 ¿Quién? / ¿Quiénes? – Who

Used when referring to people only. It changes based on singular or plural.

  • ¿Quién es ella? – Who is she?

  • ¿Quién viene contigo? – Who is coming with you?

  • ¿Quiénes son tus amigos? – Who are your friends?

🧠 Tip: Even though “quién” and “quiénes” look plural/singular, the verb still agrees with the subject:

  • ¿Quiénes son ellos? ✅

  • Not: ¿Quiénes es ellos? ❌

📍 ¿Dónde? – Where

Used to ask about location.

  • ¿Dónde estás? – Where are you?

  • ¿Dónde vive tu hermano? – Where does your brother live?

  • ¿Dónde está el baño? – Where is the bathroom?

🔄 Related:

  • adónde – Where to (used with motion verbs like ir)

  • de dónde – Where from (asking origin)

Examples:

  • ¿Adónde vas? – Where are you going (to)?

  • ¿De dónde eres? – Where are you from?

🧠 Quick Reminder:

  • “Dónde” = location

  • “Adónde” = destination

  • “De dónde” = origin

⏰ ¿Cuándo? – When

Used for asking about time or dates.

  • ¿Cuándo es tu cumpleaños? – When is your birthday?

  • ¿Cuándo empieza la clase? – When does the class start?

🧠 Tip: This does not change based on gender or number — it’s always “cuándo.”

❗ ¿Por qué? – Why

Used to ask the reason behind something.

  • ¿Por qué estás triste? – Why are you sad?

  • ¿Por qué estudias español? – Why do you study Spanish?

⚠️ Common confusion:

ExpressionMeaningAccent?
¿Por qué?Why? (question)Yes ✅
PorqueBecause (answer)No ❌
PorquéThe reason (noun)Yes ✅
Por queRare phrase combo (por + que)No ✅

Examples:

  • ¿Por qué no fuiste? – Why didn’t you go?

  • Porque estaba cansado. – Because I was tired.

  • No entiendo el porqué. – I don’t understand the reason.

🔄 ¿Cómo? – How

Used to ask how something is done, how something is, or to ask someone to repeat something.

  • ¿Cómo estás? – How are you?

  • ¿Cómo se dice "dog" en español? – How do you say “dog” in Spanish?

  • ¿Cómo llego a la estación? – How do I get to the station?

🧠 Warning: “Cómo” can also be used with surprise in statements:

  • ¡Cómo has crecido! – How much you’ve grown!

📦 ¿Cuál? / ¿Cuáles? – Which / Which ones

This one is tricky for English speakers!

Use “cuál” when choosing from a defined group.

  • ¿Cuál es tu número? – Which is your number?

  • ¿Cuáles son tus libros favoritos? – Which ones are your favorite books?

🧠 Tip:

  • “Qué” asks for definition

  • “Cuál” asks for selection

Compare:

  • ¿Qué es esto? – What is this? (Definition)

  • ¿Cuál prefieres? – Which do you prefer? (Selection)

🔢 ¿Cuánto/a/os/as? – How much / How many

Used to ask about quantity. Must match the gender and number of the noun it describes.

FormUse WithExample
Cuántomasculine singular¿Cuánto cuesta? (How much does it cost?)
Cuántafeminine singular¿Cuánta leche hay? (How much milk is there?)
Cuántosmasculine plural¿Cuántos libros tienes? (How many books do you have?)
Cuántasfeminine plural¿Cuántas hermanas tienes? (How many sisters do you have?)

🧠 Note: “Cuánto” changes like an adjective.

📝 Practice – Fill in the blanks:

Choose the correct question word to complete each sentence:

  1. ______ es tu color favorito? (What is your favorite color?)

  2. ______ vive tu mamá? (Where does your mom live?)

  3. ______ está tu amigo? (How is your friend?)

  4. ______ es la capital de España? (What is the capital of Spain?)

  5. ______ son tus hermanos? (Who are your siblings?)

  6. ______ cuesta este libro? (How much is this book?)

  7. ______ vienes? (Where from are you coming?)

  8. ______ vas después de la escuela? (Where to are you going after school?)

  9. ______ estudias español? (Why do you study Spanish?)

  10. ______ es tu número de teléfono? (Which is your phone number?)

🧠 Final Tips:

  • All question words have accents when they are used in questions.

  • Most question words do not change... except cuánto which agrees with gender/number.

  • Practice saying them out loud — they’re short and easy to memorize with repetition.






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