As language learners, it’s common to become comfortable answering questions, but it’s not as common to become comfortable asking them. Asking questions in Spanish can be intimidating, but it’s an essential part of any real conversation, don’t you think? Being passive and letting the other person do all the talking will not only make the conversation unbalanced, but it will also prevent you from getting the information you need!
Simply training to respond to questions may leave you at a disadvantage when trying to hold a conversation or gather information. It’s essential to also learn how to construct questions using appropriate grammar and vocabulary, as well as understanding cultural norms and expectations surrounding communication. This will help you become a more effective communicator and improve your overall fluency in the language.
Two types of questions
In Spanish, as in any language, there are two main types of questions:
- YES/NO questions
- and INFORMATION QUESTIONS.
Yes/no questions are used to confirm or deny a statement or to ask for confirmation of information. They can be formed by using the word order of a statement and adding an intonation that goes up at the end of the sentence, or using the word “verdad” (truth) at the end of the sentence.
On the other hand, Information questions are used to obtain specific information. They are formed by using a question word.
Basics first
There are a few basic elements to keep in mind when asking questions in Spanish:
- Word order: In Spanish, the subject of the sentence typically comes before the verb, unlike in English where the subject comes after the verb.
- Question words: Common question words in Spanish include:
qué | what
cuál | which
dónde | where
cómo | how
cuándo | when
por qué | why
quién | who
These words are used to introduce a question and indicate the type of information you are looking for. - Intonation: In Spanish, due to what we addressed in 1., a change in intonation can change a statement into a question. If you make the voice go up at the end of a sentence it will sound like a question.
- Use of prepositions: Some questions in Spanish require the use of prepositions, such as “de” and “a,” to indicate the relationship between the subject and the verb. We use these prepositions first in our answers?
Questions you can try answering
Lastly, I’ll leave you with a list of questions you can try answering and making sense of:
- ¿Cómo te llamás? – What is your name?
Me llamo… - ¿De dónde sos? – Where are you from?
Soy de… - ¿Qué idiomas hablás? – What languages do you speak?
Hablo… - ¿Dónde vivís? – Where do you live?
Vivo en… - ¿Cuánto hace que vivís ahí? – How long have you been living there?
Hace… años/meses - ¿Tenés hijos? – Do you have children?
Sí/No - ¿Vivís solo/a? – Do you live alone?
Sí/No - ¿Con quién vivís? – With whom do you live?
Con… - ¿Cuántos años tenés? – How old are you?
Tengo … - ¿Cuándo es tu cumpleaños? – When is your birthday?
El * [número] de * [mes] - ¿Cuál es tu dirección de correo electrónico? – What is your email address?
….. @(arroba)gmail.(punto)com - ¿Cuál es tu número de teléfono? – What is your phone number?
Es - ¿Cuál es tu comida favorita? – What is your favorite food?
El/La… - ¿Te gusta viajar? – Do you like traveling?
Sí/No
Hope you find this guide useful,
I’d be happy to join you in your Spanish learning! Check out Venture Out’s Beginners’ Course
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