¿Cuál es tu carrera?
The English phrase "what is your major?" can be translated into Spanish as ¿Cuál es tu carrera?
This question is used to ask someone what subject they are studying for their degree at a college or university.
What does it mean word for word?
In this context, the word carrera literally means 'career' or 'race', but in an academic context, it refers to one's degree program or major.
Which one should you use?
You may also use ¿Qué estás estudiando? to ask 'What are you studying?' Other formal variations include ¿Cuál es su especialidad? and ¿En qué se especializa?
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, you can use ¿Qué estás estudiando? to mean 'What are you studying?' In Mexico, the phrase ¿Qué carrera estás siguiendo? can be used to mean 'Which major are you pursuing?'
How does it change in a sentence?
To ask this question more formally or to show respect to someone you do not know well, use the possessive adjective su instead of tu, as seen in ¿Cuál es su carrera?
Did you know?
- The word carrera is a cognate of the English word 'career' and shares a root with the word 'car', as both originally referred to paths or wheeled vehicles.
- In many Spanish-speaking countries, the word carrera describes the entire journey of the degree, effectively treating a university major as a 'race' toward a finish line.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, asking ¿Cuál es tu carrera? is a common icebreaker for people in their early twenties, even if they have not yet graduated.
Examples in context
- ¿Cuál es tu carrera? – Estudio ingeniería.What is your major? – I study engineering.
- Todavía no sé, ¿cuál es tu carrera?I don't know yet, what is your major?
Example conversation
Two students are talking in a university cafeteria.
- ElenaHola Daniel, ¿cuál es tu carrera?Hello Daniel, what is your major?
- DanielEstudio ingeniería, ¿y la tuya?I study engineering, and yours?
- ElenaMi carrera es medicina.My major is medicine.
- Daniel¡Qué difícil, Elena!That's difficult, Elena!
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries carrera, cuál, es, tu, CC BY-SA 4.0.
