Spanish Question Words: Complete A1 Beginner’s Guide
◄ Back to A1 Grammar Hub | Practice with Question Words Quiz ►
Key Takeaways
- Learn all essential Spanish question words
- Understand how to form questions correctly
- Master question word usage with examples
- Practice with real-life conversation scenarios
Introduction to Spanish Question Words
Asking questions is essential for communication – whether you’re getting directions, ordering food, or making new friends. Spanish question words are easy to learn and follow consistent patterns. Once you master these, you’ll be able to ask about anything!
Essential Question Words
¿Qué? – What?
Use for: Things, actions, definitions
- “¿Qué estudias?” (What do you study?)
- “¿Qué es esto?” (What is this?)
- “¿Qué hora es?” (What time is it?)
¿Quién?/¿Quiénes? – Who?
Use for: People
- “¿Quién es él?” (Who is he?) – singular
- “¿Quiénes son ellos?” (Who are they?) – plural
¿Dónde? – Where?
Use for: Locations, places
- “¿Dónde vives?” (Where do you live?)
- “¿Dónde está el baño?” (Where is the bathroom?)
¿Cuándo? – When?
Use for: Time, dates, moments
- “¿Cuándo llegas?” (When do you arrive?)
- “¿Cuándo es tu cumpleaños?” (When is your birthday?)
¿Por qué? – Why?
Use for: Reasons, causes
- “¿Por qué estudias español?” (Why do you study Spanish?)
- “¿Por qué no vienes?” (Why aren’t you coming?)
¿Cómo? – How?
Use for: Manner, condition, way of doing
- “¿Cómo estás?” (How are you?)
- “¿Cómo se dice…?” (How do you say…?)
¿Cuál?/¿Cuáles? – Which?/What?
Use for: Choices, selection from options
- “¿Cuál es tu nombre?” (What is your name?)
- “¿Cuál prefieres?” (Which do you prefer?)
- “¿Cuáles son tus libros?” (Which are your books?)
¿Cuánto?/¿Cuánta?/¿Cuántos?/¿Cuántas? – How much?/How many?
Use for: Quantity, amount
- “¿Cuánto cuesta?” (How much does it cost?) – masculine singular
- “¿Cuánta agua?” (How much water?) – feminine singular
- “¿Cuántos años tienes?” (How old are you?) – masculine plural
- “¿Cuántas personas?” (How many people?) – feminine plural
Forming Questions Correctly
Yes/No Questions
Simply change your intonation or add question marks:
- Statement: “Tú hablas español.” (You speak Spanish.)
- Question: “¿Tú hablas español?” (Do you speak Spanish?)
Information Questions
Question word + verb + subject:
- “¿Qué estudias tú?” (What do you study?)
- “¿Dónde trabaja María?” (Where does Maria work?)
Question Word Combinations
¿Para qué? – What for?
- “¿Para qué estudias?” (What do you study for?)
¿Con quién? – With whom?
- “¿Con quién vives?” (Who do you live with?)
¿De dónde? – From where?
- “¿De dónde eres?” (Where are you from?)
¿A qué hora? – At what time?
- “¿A qué hora llegas?” (What time do you arrive?)
Common Question Patterns
Personal Information:
- “¿Cómo te llamas?” (What’s your name?)
- “¿Cuántos años tienes?” (How old are you?)
- “¿De dónde eres?” (Where are you from?)
Daily Life:
- “¿Qué haces?” (What are you doing?)
- “¿Dónde trabajas?” (Where do you work?)
- “¿Cuándo sales?” (When are you leaving?)
Shopping and Directions:
- “¿Cuánto cuesta?” (How much does it cost?)
- “¿Dónde está…?” (Where is…?)
- “¿Cómo llego a…?” (How do I get to…?)
Pronunciation and Punctuation
Important Notes:
- Spanish uses inverted question marks at the beginning: ¿
- Question words have accents (qué, quién, dónde, etc.)
- Intonation rises at the end of questions
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Don’t forget the accent marks – They distinguish question words from other words
- Don’t use “qué” when you need “cuál” – Use cuál for choices
- Don’t forget gender/number agreement – Cuánto/cuánta/cuántos/cuántas
- Don’t use English word order – Keep the Spanish structure
Quick Reference Chart
| Question Word | English | Use For |
|---|---|---|
| ¿Qué? | What? | Things, actions |
| ¿Quién?/¿Quiénes? | Who? | People |
| ¿Dónde? | Where? | Locations |
| ¿Cuándo? | When? | Time |
| ¿Por qué? | Why? | Reasons |
| ¿Cómo? | How? | Manner, condition |
| ¿Cuál?/¿Cuáles? | Which?/What? | Choices |
| ¿Cuánto?/¿Cuánta? | How much? | Quantity (m/f) |
| ¿Cuántos?/¿Cuántas? | How many? | Quantity plural (m/f) |
Ready to Practice?
Now that you understand Spanish question words, it’s time to test your knowledge!
Take our Spanish Question Words Quiz to practice forming questions, choosing the right question words, and understanding their usage in context.
What’s Next in Your A1 Spanish Journey?
- Master Present Tense – Practice verb conjugations for questions
- Learn Sentence Structure – Build proper question sentences
- Practice Conversations – Use questions in dialogues
- Return to A1 Grammar Hub for more beginner lessons
Need More Detailed Information?
- For advanced usage: Complete Question Words Guide
- For exam preparation: DELE A1 Questions Guide
Remember: Question words are your key to engaging conversations. Practice them daily and soon you’ll be asking questions naturally!
