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How to ask questions in Spanish

Questions (las oraciones interrogativas) in Spanish grammar are always written between two question marks (¿ ... ?).

There are two types of questions; closed questions (yes-no questions) and open questions (questions with a question word).

Learn about the types of questions in Spanish grammar and their word order with Lingolia. Put your knowledge to the test in the interactive exercises below.

Example

Closed questions

The simplest question type is closed questions (las oraciones interrogativas totales), also known as yes-no questions.

These questions:

do not contain a question word

have the same structure as a declarative sentence (subject + verb + object)

appear between question marks (¿...?)

Examples:

Yo puedo ir contigo al cine. → ¿Yo puedo ir contigo al cine?I can come to the cinema with you. → Can I come to the cinema with you?

Tú quieres comprar palomitas. → ¿Tú quieres comprar palomitas?You want to buy popcorn. → Do you want to buy popcorn?

There are two types of closed questions:

yes-no questions that offer two opposing options

Example:

-¿Te gusta ir al cine?-Do you like going to the cinema?

-Sí, me gusta. / No me gusta.-Yes, I do. / No, I don't.

questions that offer two or more options

Examples:

¿Te gusta más el cuadro grande o el cuadro pequeño?Do you like the big painting more or the small one?

¿Vamos al cine hoy, mañana o pasado?Shall we go to the cinema today, tomorrow or the day after?

Open questions

Open questions (las oraciones interrogativas parciales) can't simply be answered with yes or no; they require more information.

Open questions:

contain a question word (cómo, cuál, cuánto, dónde, qué, quién ...)

Example:

-El cine está cerca de Tirso de Molina.-The cinema is near to Tirso de Molina.

have the structure: question word + verb + subject

Example:

-(Nosotros) vamos al cine.-We're going to the cinema.

Example:

-Vamos al cine con unos amigos.-I'm going to the cinema with some friends.

Essential question words in Spanish

The table below shows the key question words in Spanish grammar.

Note: all Spanish question words have an accent. This is to distinguish them from conjunctions.

Preposition + question word

Spanish question words can be combined with a preposition to alter their meaning. The preposition always comes first.

The table below shows the most common combinations.

¿Dónde, adónde or a dónde?

The question words dónde, a dónde and adónde are all used to ask about a destination (= where to). They therefore appear with a verb of movement.

Example:

¿Dónde vamos? = ¿A dónde vamos? = ¿Adónde vamos?Where are we going?

However, to ask about a location, we use dónde without a preposition (= where).

Example:

¿Dónde estás?Where are you?

not: ¿A dónde estás?

Question words that change their endings

Some Spanish question words change their endings to reflect the gender and/or number of the thing they're asking about.

Quién, quiénes

The question word quién (= who/whom) can also appear in the plural (quiénes) when we expect the answer to be plural, although it's not obligatory.

Example:

also correct: ¿Quién va a la fiesta?

Cuál, cuáles

The question word cuál (= which/what) also has a plural form cuáles that asks about plural options.

Examples:

Cuánto, cuánta, cuántos, cuántas

The question words cuánto and cuánta (= how much/many/long ...) can be followed by an uncountable noun or a verb.

Examples:

when followed by a verb, cuánto usually refers to a noun that has been omitted

The plural version cuántos and cuántas are followed by a plural countable noun.

Qué vs. cuál

It can be tricky to know when to use qué and when to use cuál. Sometimes they correspond to what and which - but not always!

The verb ser

When used with the verb ser, both qué and cuál can be translated as what. The difference lies in the type of question we're asking.

qué es asks for a definition or the meaning of something; often a longer answer or explanation is required

Example:

cuál es asks for a name, personal information or a specific detail; usually a shorter answer is enough

Other verbs

With verbs other than ser, qué and cuál have more distinct meanings:

qué + verb = what; use this to ask an open-ended question

Example:

the answer can be any one of infinite options

cuál + verb = which (one); use this to ask about a specific element in a pre-determined group or homogenous set of options

Example:

the answer will likely be option A or option B

With nouns

Qué can be followed directly by a noun, but cuál cannot:

cuál + de + noun = which (one) of ...; we have to place the preposition de after cuál in order to use it with a noun

Example:

¿Cuál de estos abrigos es el tuyo?Which of these coats is yours?

Note

To ask about a preference, some countries in Latin America use cuál whereas Spain uses qué.

Example:

¿Qué sabor de helado te gusta más?What flavour of ice cream do you like more? (Spain)

¿Cuál sabor de helado te gusta más?Which flavour of ice cream do you like more? (Latin America)

Cuánto vs. cuán

The question words cuánto (= how much/how many) and cuán (= how ...) both ask about a quantity or amount. They are used in different contexts:

Cuánto

Is followed by a verb or a noun.

Cuán

Is followed by an adjective (= how big/small/tall/long ...).

Example:

Por qué, porque or porqué?

These three words look almost identical, but each has a different meaning.

the question word por qué (= why?) is always written with a space and with an accent

Example:

the answer to this is porque (= because), written with no space and no accent

Example:

when written without a space and with an accent, porqué is a noun that means the reason. It is used with an article.

Example:

No entiendo el porqué de tu enfado.I don't understand the reason behind your anger.

Direct and indirect questions in Spanish

Spanish questions can be direct or indirect.

Direct questions (las interrogativas directas) are standard questions that appear between question marks (¿...?).

Example:

¿Por qué lloras en las películas románticas?Why do you cry at romantic films? (direct question)

Indrect questions (las interrogativas indirectas) are included in another sentence as a subordinate clause. They:

are introduced by a question word or by the conjunction si

do not appear between questions marks

Examples:

No entiendo por qué lloras en las películas románticas.I don't understand why you cry at romantic films. (indirect question)

No estoy seguro de si recomendaría la película.I'm not sure if I would recommend the film. (indirect question)

Note

The question words cómo, cuánto, cuán, dónde, qué and quién can also appear in exclamative sentences.

Examples:

¡Qué película tan aburrida!What a boring film!

¡Cuánto tiempo sin vernos!It's been ages since we saw each other!

Online exercises to improve your Spanish

Improve your Spanish with Lingolia. Each grammar topic comes with one free exercise where you can review the basics, as well as many more Lingolia Plus exercises where you can practise according to your level. Check your understanding by hovering over the info bubbles for simple explanations and handy tips.

Questions - Free Exercise

Questions -free exercise

Lingolia Plus Spanish

1050 interactive grammar exercises for Spanish

sorted by topic and level (A1-C1)

with a built-in progress tracker and awards system

Get started with Lingolia Plus

Oraciones interrogativas - Lingolia Plus Exercises

A1Beginner A2Elementary B1Intermediate B2Upper intermediate C1Advanced

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Questions (las oraciones interrogativas) in Spanish grammar are always written between two question marks (¿ ... ?). There are two types of questions; closed questions (yes-no questions) and open questions (questions with a question word) and these can be direct or indriect. Learn how to ask questions in Spanish with Lingolia, then practise in the interactive exercises.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
How to ask questions in Spanish

Questions (las oraciones interrogativas) in Spanish grammar are always written between two question marks (¿ ... ?).

There are two types of questions; closed questions (yes-no questions) and open questions (questions with a question word).

Learn about the types of questions in Spanish grammar and their word order with Lingolia. Put your knowledge to the test in the interactive exercises below.

Example

Closed questions

The simplest question type is closed questions (las oraciones interrogativas totales), also known as yes-no questions.

These questions:

do not contain a question word

have the same structure as a declarative sentence (subject + verb + object)

appear between question marks (¿...?)

Examples:

Yo puedo ir contigo al cine. → ¿Yo puedo ir contigo al cine?I can come to the cinema with you. → Can I come to the cinema with you?

Tú quieres comprar palomitas. → ¿Tú quieres comprar palomitas?You want to buy popcorn. → Do you want to buy popcorn?

There are two types of closed questions:

yes-no questions that offer two opposing options

Example:

-¿Te gusta ir al cine?-Do you like going to the cinema?

-Sí, me gusta. / No me gusta.-Yes, I do. / No, I don't.

questions that offer two or more options

Examples:

¿Te gusta más el cuadro grande o el cuadro pequeño?Do you like the big painting more or the small one?

¿Vamos al cine hoy, mañana o pasado?Shall we go to the cinema today, tomorrow or the day after?

Open questions

Open questions (las oraciones interrogativas parciales) can't simply be answered with yes or no; they require more information.

Open questions:

contain a question word (cómo, cuál, cuánto, dónde, qué, quién ...)

Example:

-El cine está cerca de Tirso de Molina.-The cinema is near to Tirso de Molina.

have the structure: question word + verb + subject

Example:

-(Nosotros) vamos al cine.-We're going to the cinema.

Example:

-Vamos al cine con unos amigos.-I'm going to the cinema with some friends.

Essential question words in Spanish

The table below shows the key question words in Spanish grammar.

Note: all Spanish question words have an accent. This is to distinguish them from conjunctions.

Preposition + question word

Spanish question words can be combined with a preposition to alter their meaning. The preposition always comes first.

The table below shows the most common combinations.

¿Dónde, adónde or a dónde?

The question words dónde, a dónde and adónde are all used to ask about a destination (= where to). They therefore appear with a verb of movement.

Example:

¿Dónde vamos? = ¿A dónde vamos? = ¿Adónde vamos?Where are we going?

However, to ask about a location, we use dónde without a preposition (= where).

Example:

¿Dónde estás?Where are you?

not: ¿A dónde estás?

Question words that change their endings

Some Spanish question words change their endings to reflect the gender and/or number of the thing they're asking about.

Quién, quiénes

The question word quién (= who/whom) can also appear in the plural (quiénes) when we expect the answer to be plural, although it's not obligatory.

Example:

also correct: ¿Quién va a la fiesta?

Cuál, cuáles

The question word cuál (= which/what) also has a plural form cuáles that asks about plural options.

Examples:

Cuánto, cuánta, cuántos, cuántas

The question words cuánto and cuánta (= how much/many/long ...) can be followed by an uncountable noun or a verb.

Examples:

when followed by a verb, cuánto usually refers to a noun that has been omitted

The plural version cuántos and cuántas are followed by a plural countable noun.

Qué vs. cuál

It can be tricky to know when to use qué and when to use cuál. Sometimes they correspond to what and which - but not always!

The verb ser

When used with the verb ser, both qué and cuál can be translated as what. The difference lies in the type of question we're asking.

qué es asks for a definition or the meaning of something; often a longer answer or explanation is required

Example:

cuál es asks for a name, personal information or a specific detail; usually a shorter answer is enough

Other verbs

With verbs other than ser, qué and cuál have more distinct meanings:

qué + verb = what; use this to ask an open-ended question

Example:

the answer can be any one of infinite options

cuál + verb = which (one); use this to ask about a specific element in a pre-determined group or homogenous set of options

Example:

the answer will likely be option A or option B

With nouns

Qué can be followed directly by a noun, but cuál cannot:

cuál + de + noun = which (one) of ...; we have to place the preposition de after cuál in order to use it with a noun

Example:

¿Cuál de estos abrigos es el tuyo?Which of these coats is yours?

Note

To ask about a preference, some countries in Latin America use cuál whereas Spain uses qué.

Example:

¿Qué sabor de helado te gusta más?What flavour of ice cream do you like more? (Spain)

¿Cuál sabor de helado te gusta más?Which flavour of ice cream do you like more? (Latin America)

Cuánto vs. cuán

The question words cuánto (= how much/how many) and cuán (= how ...) both ask about a quantity or amount. They are used in different contexts:

Cuánto

Is followed by a verb or a noun.

Cuán

Is followed by an adjective (= how big/small/tall/long ...).

Example:

Por qué, porque or porqué?

These three words look almost identical, but each has a different meaning.

the question word por qué (= why?) is always written with a space and with an accent

Example:

the answer to this is porque (= because), written with no space and no accent

Example:

when written without a space and with an accent, porqué is a noun that means the reason. It is used with an article.

Example:

No entiendo el porqué de tu enfado.I don't understand the reason behind your anger.

Direct and indirect questions in Spanish

Spanish questions can be direct or indirect.

Direct questions (las interrogativas directas) are standard questions that appear between question marks (¿...?).

Example:

¿Por qué lloras en las películas románticas?Why do you cry at romantic films? (direct question)

Indrect questions (las interrogativas indirectas) are included in another sentence as a subordinate clause. They:

are introduced by a question word or by the conjunction si

do not appear between questions marks

Examples:

No entiendo por qué lloras en las películas románticas.I don't understand why you cry at romantic films. (indirect question)

No estoy seguro de si recomendaría la película.I'm not sure if I would recommend the film. (indirect question)

Note

The question words cómo, cuánto, cuán, dónde, qué and quién can also appear in exclamative sentences.

Examples:

¡Qué película tan aburrida!What a boring film!

¡Cuánto tiempo sin vernos!It's been ages since we saw each other!

Online exercises to improve your Spanish

Improve your Spanish with Lingolia. Each grammar topic comes with one free exercise where you can review the basics, as well as many more Lingolia Plus exercises where you can practise according to your level. Check your understanding by hovering over the info bubbles for simple explanations and handy tips.

Questions - Free Exercise

Questions -free exercise

Lingolia Plus Spanish

1050 interactive grammar exercises for Spanish

sorted by topic and level (A1-C1)

with a built-in progress tracker and awards system

Get started with Lingolia Plus

Oraciones interrogativas - Lingolia Plus Exercises

A1Beginner A2Elementary B1Intermediate B2Upper intermediate C1Advanced

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Questions (las oraciones interrogativas) in Spanish grammar are always written between two question marks (¿ ... ?). There are two types of questions; closed questions (yes-no questions) and open questions (questions with a question word) and these can be direct or indriect. Learn how to ask questions in Spanish with Lingolia, then practise in the interactive exercises.

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A QUIENES PREGUNTAN POR LA WEB DE LOS DOBBLE: ya cerraron la página. Desde hace más de un año que ya no los he podido hacer... Hay otras páginas con las que puedes hacer algo parecido, pero salen poco profesionales.

47 Carmen: Muchas gracias por avisarme, ahora no caigo bien dónde estará el material con el error, pero lo pensaré y corregiré rápidamente ¡Gracias!

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54 y 55. Ana, muchísimas gracias por las correcciones ahora mismo lo cambio. La arroba es para que los alumnos aprendan a dar su correo electrónico y sepan cómo se dice en español. (16.6.2020 18:42) 19. Ariel. Gracias por tu mensaje. Es cierto, revisé el Dobble y el tarro de mermelada se repite bastante.

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