dónde
/ˈdonde/
The Spanish word donde means where.
donde is used as a relative pronoun to mean 'where' in a non-interrogative sense, such as when describing a place.
Which one should you use?
There is a distinction between the accented and unaccented forms. The form with an accent, dónde, is used for direct questions or indirect questions. In contrast, the form without an accent, donde, is used for relative clauses, such as 'the place where I live'.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some regions, particularly certain Caribbean countries, you may hear the informal phrase pa donde. In this context, pa is a colloquial abbreviation of para.
How does it change in a sentence?
When you are expressing movement towards a specific destination, it is often more appropriate to use the form adónde instead of dónde.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈdonde/
Did you know?
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, it is common to use donde to refer to a person's home or business, such as saying estoy donde el médico to mean 'I am at the doctor's office'.
- In classical Spanish literature, you may find do used as a poetic shortening of donde, which helps maintain the meter and rhythm of a verse.
- The word donde is a linguistic cousin to the English word 'where', as both derive from an ancient Indo-European root that combined 'which' and 'place'.
Examples in context
- ¿Dónde está la estación de tren?Where is the train station?
- ¿Dónde vives?Where do you live?
- ¿Dónde está la biblioteca?Where is the library?
- La casa donde vivo es pequeña.The house where I live is small.
- ¿Dónde está el baño?Where is the bathroom?
- ¿Dónde vives ahora?Where do you live now?
- ¿Dónde pusiste las llaves?Where did you put the keys?
Example conversation
Lucía and Alejandro are looking for a restaurant.
- LucíaAlejandro, ¿dónde está el restaurante?Alejandro, where is the restaurant?
- AlejandroEstá en la siguiente calle.It is on the next street.
- Lucía¿Dónde exactamente?Where exactly?
- AlejandroAl lado del banco.Next to the bank.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry dónde, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
