LoginInterrogative Pronouns For Intermediate learners
What are Interrogative Pronouns?
Interrogative pronouns (pronombres interrogativos) are used in questions to ask about people, things, or options. They stand in for the unknown element you're asking about which can be the subject or object of the verb. The main interrogative pronouns in Spanish are:
quién(es)
qué
cuál(es)
cuánto/a(s)
Accents
Spanish interrogative pronouns always have an accent (´) to distinguish them from relative pronoun.
Quién
"Quién" is used to ask about a person. It agrees with the noun it is asking about in terms of number, so that "quién" is used when the referent is single and "quiénes" is used where referring to a group.
¿Quién es tu profesor?
Who is your professor?
¿Quiénes vienen a la fiesta?
Who's coming to the party?
Tip!
"Quién" can be used with prepositions to ask for specific information about a person, for example, it can be used after "a" to ask about the object of the verb, or with "de" to ask about the owner of something. For example:
¿A quién estás hablando?
Who are you talking to?
¿De quién es este coche?
Whose car is this?
Qué
"Qué" is used to ask about general information or request definitions and explanations. It has the same form for singular and plural antecedents. Here are some examples:
¿Qué quieres comer?
What do you want to eat?
¿Qué es eso?
What is that?
Cuál
"Cuál" is used to ask for specific details or a choice from a group of items. It agrees with its antecedent in terms of number, which means "cuál" is used when asking about a single thing or person and "cuáles" is used when asking about more than one thing or person. For example:
¿Cuál prefieres, el rojo o el azul?
Which do you prefer, the red one or the blue one?
Asking for a choice
¿Cuáles son tus libros favoritos?
Which are your favorite books?
Asking for details
"Qué" vs. "Cuál"
Both "qué" and "cuál" can be used with the verb "ser," but in this case they ask for different kinds of information. When "qué" is used with "ser," it asks for a definition or explanation; however, when "cuál" is used with "ser," it asks for a specific piece of information.
¿Qué es un canción?
What is a song?
¿Cuál es tu canción favorita?
What's your favorite song?
When used with verbs other than "ser," "qué" asks for general information, but "cuál" asks for a choice from a number of options, similar to the English "which."
¿Qué necesitas?
What do you need?
This is a general question and the answer can be an infinite range of choices.
¿Cuál prefieres?
Which do you prefer?
The answer to this question fits within a specific set of options.
Cuánto
"Cuánto" is mainly used as an interrogative adverb, but it can also be used as a pronoun to ask about a quantity when that quantity is the subject or object of the verb. It has four different forms to correspond with the gender and number of the noun it is asking about: cuánto, cuánta, cuántos, cuántas. Look at the examples:
¿Cuánto necesitas?
How many do you need?
Tengo tres amigas, ¿cuántas tienes tú?
I have three friends, how many do you have?
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