This lesson presents a very practical way to look at interrogatives as a group without inviting the problems of classifying them as pronouns or adverbs. Which in Spanish: ¿Cuál/ Cuáles? "Interrogative Pronouns in Spanish." Learn the Difference Between 'Por Qué' and 'Para Qué' in Spanish, Translating "Here" and "There" While Speaking Spanish, How To Use Direct and Indirect Object Pronouns in Spanish. man, dog, house). (Literally: To … (Who is your friend?) They can make you think, they can spark a conversation, and they can even help you let someone know you care. Interrogative pronouns - Easy Learning Grammar Spanish What is an interrogative pronoun? Las palabras interrogativas: Interrogative Words - Exercise 1 Select the correct interrogative word. They can be used in direct and indirect questions. Interrogative Pronouns in Spanish. (Does Rosario drink coffee? Erichsen, Gerald. As in English, questions can be formed in Spanish without the interrogatives, although Spanish is more flexible in its word order. All Rights Reserved, Juan habla inglés (Juan speaks English) → ¿Juan habla inglés? In English, they are often known as Wh- questions, since they are often headed by question words such as "why" or "what". interrogative translate: interrogativo, interrogatorio/oria [masculine-feminine, singular], interrogativo/iva…. The noun can either appear immediately after the verb or appear later in the sentence. As you may already have guessed, this means we no longer need a noun in the question. When for example somebody asks you for your name you have to use cuál because in Spanish, there’s an imaginary “list” of potential names you could have. (When is your birthday? It's that easy! Also, some of the pronouns exist in singular and plural forms and (in the case of cuánto) masculine and feminine forms that should match the noun they stand for. Complete the sentence by selecting the correct word from the dropdown. ), La casa es grande (The house is big) → ¿La casa es grande? Study online or print them out and take them with you. The question word or phrase is always followed by the verb. The interrogative clause can be formed by inflection in Spanish. 3. The pronoun is the only word needed. (meaning which? (At least the mysteries in the Spanish-speaking world.) (Which is your favorite book? Erichsen, Gerald. This means that sometimes it can appear in the middle of a sentence: Although it might seem like an unnecessary nuance, it does have an advantage. Use of interrogative words, and inverted question mark. (How old are you? Gerald Erichsen is a Spanish language expert who has created Spanish lessons for ThoughtCo since 1998. All Free. (Is the house big? or what?) ), ¿Con quién vas al teatro? and ¿Cuál? Start studying Spanish Interrogative Words (Question Words). (Who is your teacher? All these questions follow the traditional subject-verb-object order of Spanish (which happens to be the same order used in most English phrases). In written Spanish, all you have to do is frame what you want to ask with question marks (¿?). Spanish question word + conjugated verb + Subject (optional) + content of our question Regarding the answers, try to use the main verb in the question in your reply. Who? Spanish Grammar - Interrogative words - part one. / Which ones? interrogative - WordReference English dictionary, questions, discussion and forums. The Spanish Interrogatives quién, quiénes — who, whom — ¿Quién es tu amiga? (Where does Juan live? Literally, how many years do you have? Spanish audio component to improve pronunciation and interactive quiz to practice grammar Erichsen, Gerald. There are a few differences between English and Spanish question words. Here are the most common question words in Spanish: Although they don't affect the pronunciation, the accent marks in these question words are particularly important, since they are what sets them apart from relative pronouns, so don't forget to include them! Now that you understand Spanish interrogatives, start trying to ask some simple questions to use what you have learned. Interrogative pronouns are always written with an accent in order to differentiate them from the relative pronouns que, el cual and quien. Basically, you use “qué” when you have no idea what something is, but “cuál” when there’s … There are three Spanish interrogative pronouns that can be translated to the English word what: qué, cuál, and cómo. (How did you learn English? - ¿Cuál? The words in square brackets like [this] are optional. Many of the interrogative pronouns also can be used in indirect questions (as opposed to questions) while retaining the accent mark. Why? Learn more in the Cambridge English-Spanish Dictionary. Interrogative pronouns are those pronouns that are used almost exclusively in questions. interrogative definition: 1. a word or sentence used when asking a question: 2. the form of a sentence that is used for…. ), ¿Cuántos años tienes? In both Spanish and English, interrogative pronouns are typically placed at or very near the beginning of a sentence. And remember- questions in Spanish begin with the upside down question mark. Note that in some cases the pronouns can vary in translation when they follow a preposition. doesn’t change for the feminine and plural forms. - ¿Cuándo? Here are the most common question words in Spanish: Qué. Where is the library? It's really just a matter of learning the vocabulary. What. ), ¿Cuál es tu libro favorito? It shouldn't be followed by any kind of punctuation other than an exclamation mark, and the adjacent word is always capitalized. Scored. qué — what (The phrases por qué and para qué are usually translated as "why." Note that like all other Spanish question words, qué and cuánto have accents on them. ¿Dónde está la biblioteca? Principal Translations: Inglés: Español: interrogative adj adjective: Describes a noun or pronoun--for example, "a tall girl," "an interesting book," "a big house." ¿Cuál? = Which? (in packet) (10-15 minutes)-Have the students do the conversation again in Spanish. As you may have noticed, the interrogative pronouns are all spelled with accent marks that do not affect the pronunciation. Which? Question words can obviously be used in conjunction with other vocabulary, such as the examples provided in the list with prepositions. ¿qué? How to ask questions and write sentences in Spanish. To say ‘which’ in Spanish, for example when you have to … - ¿De dónde? — ¿Qué? Learn about interrogative 1 in Spanish while playing the Spanish Sentence Quiz. Interactive spelling game tests your knowledge of Spanish using words from the category INTERROGATIVE 1. This means that the pitch of your voice rises as you finish the question. ¿A quiénes conociste? ). To whom? (How many brothers does Juan have? The answer to that question, fortunately, is not too complicated. In spoken Spanish, you simply raise the pitch of your voice at the end of the question. - ¿Dónde? Interrogative definition, of, relating to, or conveying a question. Spanish is the only major language to use it, and it is used at the start of every question. Open questions are the ones that will get you detailed answers. https://www.thoughtco.com/interrogative-pronouns-spanish-3079368 (accessed January 25, 2021). Check out the 3 day lesson plan and activity packet to go with this song at: http://www.senorashby.com/thewordque.html Given a word in English and scrambled letters, you must rearrange the letters to correctly spell the Spanish translation. Spanish grammar lesson 14: Interrogative Words - part one ¿Quién? ThoughtCo. Where? Some question words can also form question phrases with nouns: Unlike yes or no questions, open questions do sometimes require an inversion in their word order. interrogative - Translation to Spanish, pronunciation, and forum discussions. - ¿Qué? ¿Cuál te gusta más? (What do you want to study? En español, las oraciones interrogativas se pueden formar mediante entonación. Spanish Interrogative words are extremely necessary when learning the language. They don't have such a catchy name in Spanish, but they are also headed by a question word. - ¿Por qué? Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. 2. Here are the words to help you solve all the world's mysteries. So, here's a good question: How do interrogatives work in Spanish? Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. What? (You speak English, right? ¿Qué? ), ¿Cuántos hermanos tiene Juan? (questioning) interrogativo/a adj adjetivo: Describe el sustantivo.Puede ser posesivo, numeral, demostrativo ("casa [b]grande[/b]", "mujer [b]alta[/b]"). ), ¿Por qué estudias español? Por qué is more common than para qué. A noun is a word referring to a person, animal, place, thing, feeling or idea (e.g. (more than one person) - ¿Quiénes? ), ¿Cómo aprendiste inglés? Where…from? Accordingly, they are also the easiest questions to form. The ending question mark acts as a full stop. In Spanish the interrogative adjectives are qué (meaning which or what) and cuánto / cuánta / cuántos / cuántas (meaning how much/how many). Copyright © 2020 LoveToKnow. To ask a yes or no question in Spanish, you simply put question marks around a normal sentence. Spanish question words. ¿Adónde va Raúl? (Why do you study Spanish? Here we discuss how to ask "who," "which," "what," and "when." Who? ThoughtCo, Aug. 26, 2020, thoughtco.com/interrogative-pronouns-spanish-3079368. In English, an interrogative pronoun is one of the words who , which , whose , whom , and what when they are used without a noun to ask questions. Exercise IV: Work on the difference between qué, cuál, and cuáles. (one person) - ¿Quién? They... dónde — where — … These worksheets, posters, conversation cards and fun mingle activity provide students ample opportunities to … When you're reading, that question mark tells you right away that what follows is a question, and you can adjust your intonation accordingly. ), ¿Qué quieres estudiar? Exercise III: You provide the interrogative word. Learn List of Spanish interrogatives. - ¿Cuales? Select the correct interrogative word. Online Quizzes for CliffsNotes Spanish I QuickReview, 2nd Edition Quiz: Interrogative Pronouns (Question Words) Previous Interrogative Pronouns Question Words (Who is it?) Note also that many of the interrogative pronouns can be used as other parts of speech, including adjectives and adverbs, either with or without the accent marks, depending on the context. Do the partner conversation. See more. Here are some more examples where you can see this in action: By now, you have probably noticed that opening question mark. (In packet) (5-10 minutes)-One practice round, then the final competition. Asking questions in Spanish is quite similar to asking questions in English. Which ones? That said, it is possible to alter that order. (With whom do you go to the theater? In English, they are often known as Wh- questions, since they are often headed by question words such as "why" or "what". Exercise II: More practice selecting the correct interrogative word. Let's start answering it by looking at the different types of questions. Unfortunately, they are not just interchangeable, but there are some simple rules to … ), Tú hablas inglés, ¿verdad? Have a "The Word Qué means what" singing competition rematch. ), Rosario toma café (Rosario drinks coffee) → ¿Rosario toma café? When the subject is not represented by the question word, it is added right after the verb. (In what office do you work? In Spanish, the general form is for the noun to follow the verb. For questions beginning with “which one”, use “Cuál” and answer with “El/La + adjective”, e.g. You will also learn the plural interrogative if there is one. - ¿A quién? Have the groups be the same, but switch the parts. All of these words have an accent. (2020, August 26). These are the questions that will get you the simpler answers (yes, no, or I don't know). Where is Raul going? Also see: Interrogative Words - part two Learn About Spanish Interrogative Pronouns, Orthographic Accents in Spanish Statements, 4 Spanish Words and a Phrase You Can Use for 'What'. List of Spanish question words or interrogative words What? Exercise V: Listen to the question and select the correct answer To start with, some Spanish question words can vary according to the number and gender of the person or thing they are referring to: When a preposition is needed, it is always added before the pronoun: These combinations of preposition + question word are called question phrases. "Interrogative Pronouns in Spanish." Cómo how Cuál which one Cuáles which ones Cuándo when: Cuánto(a) how much/many Dónde where Adónde (to) where De dónde (from) where: They don't have such a catchy name in Spanish, but they are also headed by a question word. The Interrogative pronouns (pronombres interrogativos), or question words, in Spanish grammar are qué, quién and cuál. ¿Quién es? It is a good introduction to the subject. In Spanish, asking a question that can be answered sí or no is extremely easy. ¿Cuándo? How Does Spanish Use Upside-Down Question and Exclamation Marks? / ¿Cuáles? ¿Cuál? ), ¿Dónde vive Juan? Learn more. When? This adjective is used when there is a real or imaginary list of things to choose from or when those options are available when speaking. (Does Juan speak English? / ¿A quienes? Our next interrogative is the word “what.” This one’s so commonly used … ), ¿Quién es tu profesor? Since a pronoun is a word that substitutes a noun and an interrogative word is a word we use when asking a question, an interrogative pronoun is, quite simply, a pronoun used in order to form questions. As you continue studying, you'll pick up more of these combinations naturally - so just concern yourself with USING one question word at a time. Questions are a great part of languages. Start studying Spanish Interrogative Words (Question Words). The following questions are all correct and ask the same thing: In spoken Spanish, you can differentiate yes or no question from regular sentences by their rising intonation. ), Quién changes to Quiénes when it is plural, Cuánto has a feminine form, Cuánta, and both the masculine and the feminine forms add an "s" at the end to mark the plural (Cuántos and Cuántas), ¿En qué oficina trabajas? ), ¿Cuándo es tu cumpleaños? Take advantage of our easy to use chart to learn 25 Spanish vocabulary words. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/interrogative-pronouns-spanish-3079368. Following are the interrogative pronouns in Spanish with their translations and examples of their usage. Clause can be used in direct and indirect questions the ending question mark the mysteries the! Exercise IV: Work on the difference between qué, cuál, and it possible., cuál, and other study tools while playing the Spanish translation ) → ¿Juan habla inglés them the... 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