Language/Spanish/Grammar/Questions

Spanish Grammar - Questions

Hi Spanish learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will focus on questions in Spanish. Asking questions is an essential part of communication, and knowing how to ask the right questions is crucial. We will cover different types of questions, as well as the proper grammar and vocabulary to use in each situation.

Once you've mastered this lesson, take a look at these related pages: Plural, Masculine and Feminine, Possessive Pronouns & Common Mistakes.

The basics

In Spanish, there are two types of questions: closed and open. Closed questions have a limited number of possible answers, usually just "yes" or "no." Open questions are more open-ended and require a more detailed answer.

To form a closed question, you simply invert the subject and verb of a sentence. For example:

• Statement: Tú hablas español. (You speak Spanish.)
• Question: ¿Hablas tú español? (Do you speak Spanish?)

To form an open question, you use question words such as "qué" (what), "quién" (who), "cómo" (how), "dónde" (where), "cuándo" (when), and "por qué" (why). These words are usually placed at the beginning of the sentence. For example:

• Statement: Yo estudio español en la universidad. (I study Spanish at the university.)
• Question: ¿Dónde estudias español? (Where do you study Spanish?)

It's also essential to know the proper intonation when asking questions. In Spanish, you can indicate that you're asking a question by raising the pitch of your voice at the end of the sentence. For example:

• Statement: Tú vas a la fiesta. (You're going to the party.)
• Question: ¿Tú vas a la fiesta? (Are you going to the party?)

Don't forget to use question marks at the end of your questions (¿?)

Types of questions

Let's explore the different types of questions in Spanish:

Yes/No questions

Yes/No questions are closed questions that require a "yes" or "no" answer. To form a Yes/No question, follow these steps:

1. Invert the subject and verb. 2. Add the appropriate question word (if any). 3. Place the question mark at the end of the sentence.

Here are some examples:

Spanish	Pronunciation	English
¿Hablas español?	Ah-blahs es-pah-nyohl?	Do you speak Spanish?
¿Te gusta el café?	Teh goos-tah ehl kah-feh?	Do you like coffee?
¿Es ella tu amiga?	Es ey-yah too ah-mee-gah?	Is she your friend?

Open questions

Open questions require a more extended answer and start with question words. Follow these steps to form open questions:

1. Add the appropriate question word at the beginning of the sentence. 2. Invert the subject and verb (if necessary). 3. Place the question mark at the end of the sentence.

Here are some examples:

Spanish	Pronunciation	English
¿Dónde vives?	Dohn-deh bee-behs?	Where do you live?
¿Qué estudias?	Keh eh-stoo-dyahs?	What do you study?
¿Cuándo regresas a casa?	Koo-ahn-doh reh-gre-sahs ah kah-sah?	When are you coming back home?

Tag questions

Tag questions are mini-questions added at the end of a statement that require confirmation. In Spanish, tag questions are formed by adding "¿no?" or "¿verdad?" at the end of a positive statement or "¿verdad?" at the end of a negative statement. For example:

• Statement: Hoy hace sol, ¿verdad? (Today is sunny, right?)
• Statement: No tienes hambre, ¿verdad? (You're not hungry, are you?)

Alternative questions

Alternative questions give two or more options to choose from. In Spanish, alternative questions are formed by using "o" (or) between the two options. For example:

• ¿Quieres té o café? (Do you want tea or coffee?)
• ¿Estudias español o francés? (Do you study Spanish or French?)

Indirect questions

Indirect questions are questions embedded in statements. They usually start with a statement and then add a question word. For example:

• Statement: No sé qué hora es. (I don't know what time it is.)
• Statement: Me preguntó si quería salir. (He asked me if I wanted to go out.)

Dialogue

Here's a dialogue to help you practice your new question skills:

• Person 1: Hola, ¿cómo estás? (Hi, how are you?)
• Person 2: Estoy bien, gracias. ¿Y tú? (I'm good, thank you. And you?)
• Person 1: Bien también. Oye, ¿quieres ir al cine hoy? (Good too. Hey, do you want to go to the movies today?)
• Person 2: Sí, me encantaría. ¿A qué hora quedamos? (Yes, I'd love to. What time should we meet?)
• Person 1: ¿Qué tal a las seis de la tarde? (How about 6 pm?)
• Person 2: Perfecto, nos vemos allí. (Perfect, see you there.)

Wrap-up

Asking questions in Spanish is essential to effective communication. Remember, there are closed and open questions, each with its own set of grammatical rules. To improve your Spanish Grammar, you can also use the Polyglot Club website. Find native speakers and ask them any questions!

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➡ If you have any questions, please ask them in the comments section below.
➡ Feel free to edit this wiki page if you think it can be improved. 😎

Sources

• Spanish Grammar Quizzes | Language Resource Center
• Questions in Spanish Grammar
• The Definitive Guide to Asking Questions in Spanish

Other Lessons

• Eso Esto Aquello
• Common Mistakes
• How to Use Have
• How to Use be
• Possessive Pronouns
• Los Articulos
• Por vs Para
• Masculine and Feminine
• ¿Pluscuamperfecto?