Speak Like a Local: How to Ask Questions in Spanish


Asking a question is the most powerful way to start a conversation in a new language. But if you’re learning Spanish, you might be a little confused by the upside-down question mark or the different question words.

Don't worry. This guide will break down everything you need to know about how to ask questions in Spanish. You'll learn the key Spanish interrogative words, understand the sentence structure, and feel more confident speaking Spanish.

Spanish Question Words You Need to Know

These are your best friends when it comes to asking for information. Start by learning these core Spanish question words.

EnglishSpanishPronunciation
WhatQuéKeh
WhoQuiénKee-en
WhenCuándoKwahn-doh
WhereDóndeDohn-deh
WhyPor quéPor keh
HowCómoKoh-moh
How much/manyCuántoKwahn-toh

Spanish Question Structure and Punctuation

Unlike English, Spanish uses an inverted question mark (¿) at the beginning of a question and a regular question mark (?) at the end. This is a crucial part of Spanish question marks and tells the reader to use a questioning intonation.

The basic Spanish question structure is also a bit different from English. While you can often just say the sentence as a statement and raise your voice to make it a question, the formal structure involves inverting the subject and the verb.

Example:

Statement: Tú hablas inglés. (You speak English.)

Question: ¿Hablas tú inglés? (Do you speak English?)

However, in everyday conversation, it's very common to drop the subject pronoun (tú) and just say, ¿Hablas inglés?

Qué vs. Cuál: A Common Point of Confusion

This is a frequent challenge for Spanish for beginners learners. Both qué and cuál can mean "what," but they are used in different situations.

  • Qué is used when you're asking for a definition or general information.

    Example: ¿Qué es esto? (What is this?)

  • Cuál is used when you are asking someone to choose from a selection or list.

    Example: ¿Cuál es tu color favorito? (What is your favorite color? - from a list of colors)

How to Ask Basic Questions

Now let's put it all together. Here are some of the most useful Spanish basic questions you can use in any conversation.

  • What's your name? ¿Cómo te llamas?

  • Where are you from? ¿De dónde eres?

  • How are you? ¿Cómo estás?

  • How much is it? ¿Cuánto cuesta?

You can also ask Spanish yes/no questions by simply stating the sentence with a questioning tone.

Example:

¿Hablas español? (Do you speak Spanish?)

How to Respond to Questions in Spanish

Once you know how to ask questions in Spanish, you'll want to know how to answer them. The easiest way to respond to questions in Spanish is to give a simple yes or no, but you can also provide a more complete answer.

Question: ¿Hablas español?

Simple Answer: Sí. (Yes.)

Complete Answer: Sí, hablo un poco de español. (Yes, I speak a little Spanish.)

Mastering these Spanish phrases and question forms will boost your confidence and help you learn Spanish for real-world conversation.