Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| qué | /ˈke/ |
| cuál | /ˈkwal/ |
qué is the question word for what. Use it to ask for a definition, a description or general information. On its own, ¿Qué? can also mean come again or pardon.
Which one should you use?
Use qué when you ask for a definition or a general description. Use cuál when the question implies a choice among several options, which English often renders as which. For example, ¿Cuál es tu pregunta? means what is your question.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some Latin American countries you may hear ¿Qué deseas? or ¿Qué te gustaría? instead of ¿Qué quieres?
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
When it is used as a question word, qué always carries an accent mark.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Saying just ¿Qué? to ask someone to repeat themselves can sound blunt or even rude depending on your tone. A more polite way is to say ¿Cómo?
Did you know?
- The Spanish word qué is a linguistic cousin to the British slang 'quid' used for a pound sterling. Both words trace their ancestry back to the Latin word quid, meaning 'what'.
- In some contexts, qué functions as an intensifier similar to 'how' in English. For example, ¡Qué calor! means 'How hot it is!' rather than asking a question.
- The word qué changes meaning entirely when it is not accented. Without the accent mark, que is used as 'that' or 'which' to connect parts of a sentence.
Examples in context
- ¿Y a mí qué?So what?¿Y a mí qué? is a set phrase meaning so what.Tatoeba #2008103 by Shishir, translation #1340 by Sbgodin
- Sé de qué va.I know what it's about.Here qué introduces an indirect question about what something is about.Tatoeba #5645606 by arh, translation #5636517 by CK
- ¿Qué vas a ser?What are you going to be?¿Qué vas a ser? asks what someone is going to be.Tatoeba #1225847 by wallebot, translation #16262 by AlanF_US
- ¿Qué desea tomar?What would you like to drink?
- ¿Qué necesita para su viaje?What do you need for your trip?
- ¿Cuál es su pregunta principal?What is your main question?
- ¿Qué quieres hacer después?What do you want to do later?
- ¿Qué necesitas para cocinar?What do you need to cook?
- ¿Cuál es tu pregunta sobre el examen?What is your question about the exam?
- ¿Qué quieres comer?What do you want to eat?
- 6065 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Daniel and Sofía are talking in a cafe.
- Sofía¿Qué quieres tomar?What do you want to drink?
- DanielUn café solo, por favor.A black coffee, please.
- Sofía¿Qué te parece el sitio?What do you think of the place?
- DanielEs muy bonito.It is very pretty.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “what” translations and entries qué, cuál, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cuál, qué, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
