¿qué te parece?
In Spanish, 'what do you think?' can be translated as ¿qué te parece?
This phrase is used to ask for someone's opinion or reaction to a specific idea or suggestion.
What does it mean word for word?
Literally, ¿qué te parece? translates to 'what does it seem to you?'
Which one should you use?
While ¿qué te parece? is the standard way to ask for an opinion on a specific proposal or object, ¿qué piensas? asks what is currently on someone's mind.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Argentina, you may hear the variation ¿Qué pensás?
How does it change in a sentence?
When addressing someone formally using 'usted', use the form ¿qué le parece?
Did you know?
- The word qué descends from the Latin word quid, which is the same root used in the English expression 'quid pro quo'.
- In some Spanish-speaking cultures, a person might answer me parece bien even if they have reservations, as a way to maintain social harmony and avoid direct conflict.
- While ¿qué te parece? asks for an opinion, the word parecer is also used to express a feeling of similarity, as in parecerse, meaning 'to look like someone'.
Examples in context
- Señor García, ¿qué piensa usted sobre el nuevo proyecto?Mr. García, what do you think about the new project?
- Doctora Martínez, ¿cuál es su opinión acerca de este estudio?Doctor Martínez, what is your opinion about this study?
- ¿Qué piensas de la nueva película, Juan?What do you think about the new movie, Juan?
- María, ¿cuál es tu opinión sobre el tema de la reunión?María, what is your opinion about the meeting's topic?
- Voy a comprar este libro, ¿qué te parece?I'm going to buy this book, what do you think?
Example conversation
Mateo and Elena are looking at a new sofa in a store.
- MateoEste sofá es muy cómodo, ¿qué te parece?This sofa is very comfortable, what do you think?
- ElenaMe gusta, pero es un poco grande.I like it, but it is a bit big.
- MateoEs verdad, Elena. ¿Qué te parece el azul?That's true, Elena. What do you think of the blue one?
- ElenaEse azul es perfecto para la sala.That blue is perfect for the living room.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries qué, te, CC BY-SA 4.0.
