Section 5.2 · Question words are the key to gathering information — all carry accent marks that distinguish them from their non-question counterparts
Question words are the key to gathering information and interacting with your community. When writing, remember to use the opening upside-down question mark (¿) at the beginning of every question.
All Spanish question words carry accent marks — this is what distinguishes them from the same words used in other contexts. For example, que (without accent) means "that," while qué (with accent) means "what?" Every interrogative word in this section requires its accent mark in all uses.
| Word | English | Common Usage | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| ¿Qué? | What? | Asking for objects, ideas, or definitions | ¿Qué es esto sobre la mesa? |
| ¿Quién? | Who? (singular) | Identifying one person | ¿Quién es el director del hospital? |
| ¿Quiénes? | Who? (plural) | Identifying multiple people | ¿Quiénes son los estudiantes nuevos? |
| ¿Cuándo? | When? | Asking about time, dates, or moments | ¿Cuándo es la cita con el doctor? |
| ¿Dónde? | Where? | Location — almost always with ESTAR | ¿Dónde está la oficina de la jefa? |
| ¿Por qué? | Why? | Seeking reasons — answer uses "porque" | ¿Por qué está cerrada la puerta? |
| ¿Cómo? | How? | Manner, method, or health inquiry | ¿Cómo está usted hoy? |
¿Qué? is used to ask for a definition, an explanation, or to identify an object or situation. It is one of the most versatile question words — it can open a question with SER (¿Qué es esto? — What is this?), with ESTAR, with HAY (¿Qué hay de almuerzo?), or with any other verb. Note that qué always carries an accent mark when used as a question word — without it, que is the conjunction "that." The accent mark is what makes it a question word.
Use ¿quién? for one person and ¿quiénes? if you expect the answer to be more than one person. This singular/plural distinction is unique to quién among the question words — none of the others change for number. The choice between quién and quiénes depends on how many people you expect in the answer: ¿Quién es el director? (one person) vs. ¿Quiénes son los dueños? (multiple people). Both forms always carry accent marks.
This word is used to ask about time, dates, or specific moments when an event occurs. ¿Cuándo? pairs naturally with SER for appointments and scheduled events (¿Cuándo es la cita?) and with ESTAR or action verbs for location and activity timing (¿Cuándo están ustedes en la oficina?). The accent mark on the á is required — without it, cuando (no accent) is the conjunction meaning "when" in a statement like "I arrive when the office opens."
Because ¿dónde? asks for location, it is almost always used with the verb ESTAR. This connects directly to the rule from Chapter 4 — location uses ESTAR. ¿Dónde está la oficina? (Where is the office?) follows the pattern naturally: ¿dónde? + está/están + the subject. The accent on the ó is required — donde without accent is the relative adverb used in statements ("the office where I work"). Occasionally ¿dónde? appears with other verbs like ir or vivir, but for static location, ESTAR is standard.
In Spanish, "why" is two words (por qué), while the answer "because" is one word (porque). This is a very important distinction for clear writing. The question always uses two separate words with an accent on qué: ¿Por qué está cerrada la puerta? The answer uses one word with no accent: Porque hay una reunión importante. This por qué / porque contrast is one of the most tested distinctions in Spanish writing and is frequently confused even by fluent speakers when writing.
Each question word opens a different type of conversation. Study the usage context to build the instinct to reach for the right word automatically.
| Spanish | English | Common Usage |
|---|---|---|
| ¿Qué? | What? | Asking for objects, ideas, or definitions. Opens the widest variety of questions. |
| ¿Quién? | Who? (singular) | Identifying one specific person. Uses SER for identity, ESTAR for location. |
| ¿Cuándo? | When? | Asking about time or dates. Pairs with SER for scheduled events. |
| ¿Dónde? | Where? | Finding locations. Almost always followed by ESTAR. |
| ¿Por qué? | Why? | Seeking reasons or causes. Answer always uses porque (one word). |
| ¿Cómo? | How? | Asking about manner, method, or health. Classic use: ¿Cómo está usted? |
Listen to each question in Spanish, then repeat it aloud during the countdown pause.
Each sentence is a complete question using one of the six interrogative words. As you listen, identify which question word opens the sentence — and notice which verb follows it. Sentences 6–10 feature ¿quién? and ¿quiénes? — pay attention to when the plural form is used. Sentences 21–25 focus on ¿por qué? followed by its answer using porque.
Step 1 — Listen: The Spanish question plays automatically. Focus on the opening question word — and the rising intonation at the end of each question.
Step 2 — Repeat: During the 4-second countdown, say the question aloud — practice the natural Spanish question intonation pattern and the flow of question word + verb + subject.
Step 3 — Adjust: Use the Speed and Volume sliders to find your ideal practice pace.
Name the question word first: As each sentence plays, silently identify the question word before repeating — "qué," "quién," "cuándo," "dónde," "por qué," or "cómo." This builds automatic recognition speed.
Watch ¿dónde? + ESTAR: In sentences 16–20, notice that every ¿dónde? question is followed by está or están. This pairing is so reliable it becomes instinctive with practice.
Practice the por qué / porque contrast: Sentences 21–25 include both the question (¿Por qué…?) and its answer (Porque…). Hearing them in the same context trains your ear to distinguish the two spellings.
Choose the correct answer. 20 questions drawn randomly from a pool of 25.