How to Say “What” in Spanish

Ways to say it

Spanish uses different words for "what" depending on the context. qué is used to ask for a definition or when "what" is followed by a noun. In contrast, cuál is used when you are choosing from a group or asking "which one". You might also encounter ¿Qué pasa?, which is a standard way to ask "What's happening?" or to use as a greeting like "What's up?" Other related forms include menudo, vaya or (pero) qué, which are used to begin an exclamation.

Which one should you use?

Use qué to ask for a definition or to ask "what" followed by a noun, but use cuál when choosing from a group or asking "which one".

Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?

While saying just ¿Qué? to mean "What?" or "Come again?" is common in casual speech, it can be perceived as blunt or even rude in formal settings. In formal settings, instead of ¿Qué?, you should use ¿Perdón?, ¿Disculpe? or ¿Podría repetir, por favor? to say "Excuse me?" or "Could you please repeat?" You can also use ¿Me podría aclarar eso? to ask "Could you clarify that for me?" For informal situations, you can use ¿Puedes repetir, por favor? for "Can you please repeat?" or ¿Me puedes aclarar eso? for "Can you clarify that for me?"

Is it said differently in some regions?

In some Latin American countries, such as Mexico or Colombia, people might use ¿Cómo? instead of ¿Qué? as a polite way of asking "What?"

Related words

Beginning an exclamation (det): menudo, vaya, (pero) qué.

Come again (intj): ¿qué?

How does it change in a sentence?

When used as an interrogative pronoun in a question, qué must always carry an accent mark.

How do you pronounce it?

/ˈke/

What mistakes should you avoid?

English speakers often mistakenly use qué when they should use cuál when asking "What is your name?" (¿Cuál es tu nombre?) orWhat is your phone number?" (¿Cuál es tu número?)."