¿A qué escuela vas?
In Spanish, the phrase "what school you go to" is expressed as ¿A qué escuela vas?
This phrase is used to ask someone which educational institution they attend.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase ¿A qué escuela vas? literally translates to "To what school go you?"
Which one should you use?
While ¿A qué escuela vas? uses the word for school escuela, you can also use ¿A qué colegio vas? to ask the same question.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In many Spanish-speaking countries, colegio is a more common way to refer to a school than escuela, making ¿A qué colegio vas? a frequent alternative.
How does it change in a sentence?
To ask a group of people which school they attend, use the plural form ¿A qué escuela van?
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly omit the preposition "a" (to) before "qué escuela". Instead of saying ¿Qué escuela vas?, you must include the preposition to say ¿A qué escuela vas?
Did you know?
- The word escuela originates from the Ancient Greek word skholḗ, which actually meant 'leisure' or 'spare time'. It referred to the conversations and knowledge gained during one's free time.
- Depending on the region, colegio can refer to a high school, a primary school, or even a professional association of lawyers or physicians.
- In Spain, colegio is typically used for primary and secondary education, but a facultad is used when asking about a specific department at a university.
Examples in context
- Estudio en el Instituto Nacional.I study at the National Institute.
- Dime, ¿a qué escuela vas?Tell me, what school do you go to?
Example conversation
Two neighbors are chatting at a park.
- LucíaHola Javier, ¿a qué escuela vas?Hello Javier, what school do you go to?
- JavierVoy a la escuela local.I go to the local school.
- Lucía¡Qué bien! Yo voy a la escuela de aquí cerca.That's great! I go to the school near here.
- JavierAh, ya veo.Ah, I see.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries A, a, escuela, qué, CC BY-SA 4.0.
