Interrogative Words

(Las palabras interrogativas)

Words that ask a question

Interrogative Words
Interrogative words are vital to any language. They help us
to obtain different kinds of information.

Cmo? = How? (sometimes what?)

Cmo ests?
Cmo es tu compaero de cuarto?

Cul(es)? = Which one(s)?

Cul es el ttulo de la novela?
Cules son tus novelas favoritas?

Cundo? = When?
Cundo es la clase de historia?
All question words bear a written accent over the stressed vowel.

Interrogative Words
Interrogative words are vital to any language. They help us
to obtain different kinds of information:

Cunto/a(s)? = How much (many)?

Cuntos libros necesitamos?

Dnde? = Where?

Dnde est mi pluma?

De dnde? = From where?

De dnde eres?

Adnde? = To where?
Adnde vas?
All question words bear a written accent over the stressed vowel.

Interrogative Words
Interrogative words are vital to any language. They help us
to obtain different kinds of information:

Por qu? = Why?

Por qu ests tan triste?

Qu? = What?

Qu aprendes en la clase de espaol?

Quin(es)? = Who (all)?

Quin tiene el libro?

De quin(es)? = Whose?
De quin es la mochila negra?
All question words bear a written accent over the stressed vowel.

Question marks
(Signos de interrogacin)
An inverted question mark () is always placed at the beginning
of a question word or phrase, and another right-side-up question
mark at the end.

Cmo? Pardon? Hows that again?

Cmo es tu profesor? What is your professor like?
While in English, word order or the helper verb do normally indicate a
question, in Spanish, word order for questions and statements can be
identical, and Spanish has no equivalent to the helper verb do. Thus the
inverted question mark alerts the reader that a question follows.

Juan habla ingls?

Juan habla ingls.

Does Juan speak English?

Juan speaks English.

Expansin
Qu? vs. Cul?
What? Which? Which one(s)?

Qu? = What?
Qu? asks for a definition, identification
or classification.

Qu es la qumica?

What is chemistry?
Es el estudio de la composicin
elemental de la materia.
(Its the study of the elemental
composition of matter.)

Qu? = What?
Qu? asks for a definition, identification
or classification.

Qu es esto?

What is this?
Es un telfono
celular.
(Its a cell phone.)

Qu? = What?
Qu tienes
en la mano?

What do
you have in
your hand?

Es el
software
para tu
computadora.

Its the
software for
your computer.

Qu? = What?
Qu? asks for a classification such
as nationality, political affiliation or
religion, etc.

Qu es l, hondureo o peruano?
What is he, Honduran or Peruvian?

Qu son tus padres, catlicos o

protestantes?
What are your parents, catholic or
protestant?

Cul? = Which (one)?

Cul? asks for a selection from among
several things.

Cul es la flor ms bonita?

Which is the prettiest flower (of all)?
Cuando se trata de los deportes, cul
prefieres, el ftbol o el bsquetbol?
When it comes to sports, which (one) do you
prefer, soccer or basketball?

Cul? = Which (what)?

Cul? is sometimes translated into English as
what, but logically it still means which.
(Remember: Qu? asks for a definition.)
For example:
In Spanish we say . . .

Whichisisyour
your name?
Cmo se dice What
name?

Cul es tu nombre?
Of all possible names, which one is yours?
Qu es tu nombre? would mean What is the
definition of your name?

Qu?, Cul(es)?
Qu? is always invariable.

Qu pelcula vas a ver?

Which movie are you going to see?

Qu pelculas te gustan ms?

Which movies do you like the best?

Cul? has a plural form.

Cul de los muchachos es tu hermano?

Which of the boys is your brother?

Cules de los muchachos son chilenos?

Which of the boys are Chilean?

Cul? = Which?
Cul? asks for a selection, as mentioned.

Cul es la mejor computadora?

Which (of all the computers) is the
best?

Qu? = Which? before a noun

But immediately before a noun, qu? is used
in all cases.
Qu modelo
prefieres t,
Faido?

Cul? before a noun

Nevertheless, even though some consider it
grammatically questionable, some native speakers
tend to use cul? in these cases and, in informal
circumstances, even the most scholarly may use it.

Cul chaqueta trajiste, la roja o

la negra? (Qu chaqueta . . . ?)

Which jacket did you bring, the red

one or the black one?

Cul? before a noun

The foregoing is especially common when
dealing with an exclamation of surprise or
incredulity, etc.

Oye! Dame el dinero que me

debes, eh?

Hey! Give me the money you owe me, OK?

Cul dinero?!! Yo no te debo
ningn dinero!

What money?!! I dont owe you any money!

(Qu dinero . . . ?!!)

FIN