Asking Questions in Spanish: Structure, Question Words & Examples
Interrogative sentences in Spanish are those used to ask questions or request information. Asking questions is fundamental to any conversation, and in Spanish, mastering them is both straightforward and essential.
Forming interrogative sentences involves just a few key structures: using simple intonation, inverting the subject and verb, or employing specific question words. Let’s dive into how to confidently ask anything in Spanish.
How to Ask Questions in Spanish: Main Structures
Spanish questions primarily fall into three distinct structural categories:
1. Questions with Intonation (Yes/No Questions)
Often called “yes/no” questions, these are the easiest to form. Simply take a regular affirmative sentence (Subject + Verb + Complement), add a rising intonation when speaking, and, most importantly, frame it with the unique inverted question marks (¿?) in writing. Here’s how it works:
| Affirmative sentences | Interrogative sentences | English | |
| Quieren caminar en el jardín. | ¿Quieren caminar en el jardín ? | You want to walk in the garden? Or do you want to walk in the garden? | |
| Él está bien. | ¿Él está bien? | Is he ok? | |
| Les gusta dibujar. | ¿Les gusta dibujar? | Do they like to draw ? | |
2. Questions with Subject-Verb Inversion
When you want to add a more formal tone or emphasize the subject, Spanish often uses subject-verb inversion. This means the verb comes before the subject, flipping the usual Subject + Verb order to Verb + Subject. Let’s see how this changes a question:
| English | Question with intonation | Question with inversion |
| Do you think we must do it? | ¿Usted considera que debemos hacerlo? | ¿Considera usted que debemos hacerlo? |
| Do you think i can do it? | ¿Ustedes creen que puedo lograrlo? | ¿Creen ustedes que puedo lograrlo? |
| Is the car outside? | ¿El carro está afuera? | ¿Está el carro afuera? |
3. Questions with Interrogative Words
To ask for specific details—like who, what, where, or when—you’ll use interrogative words. These critical words always start your question and, importantly, always carry a written accent mark (tilde). This accent distinguishes them from similar words that aren’t questions.
Here are the most common Spanish question words and examples of their use:
Sentences with question words
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The Unique Spanish Question Marks (¿?)
The inverted question mark (¿) is perhaps the most iconic feature of Spanish questions. Unlike English, Spanish always uses two question marks: one inverted at the beginning and the standard one (?) at the end. This clever system signals a question from the very start, preparing the reader for the interrogative tone.
- Placement: The marks always frame the entire interrogative portion of a sentence. This means a question doesn’t always have to start at the very beginning of a written sentence.
- Tú eres turista, ¿o te mudaste para acá? – Are you a tourist, or did you move here?
- Capitalization: If a question ends in the middle of a larger sentence, the word following the closing question mark will begin with a lowercase letter, unless it’s a proper noun. However, if the question marks enclose a complete sentence, the following sentence will start with a capital letter.
- Tú eres turista, ¿o te mudaste para acá? Me alegra ver a gente nueva aquí. – Are you a tourist, or did you move here? I’m glad to see new people here.
For more details on all Spanish punctuation rules, you can refer to SpanishDict’s Punctuation Guide or the Royal Spanish Academy’s resources on Spanish Grammar.
Summary: Key Takeaways
In summary, mastering Spanish questions boils down to a few key approaches:
- For simple ‘yes/no’ inquiries, rely on rising intonation with a statement.
- To add formality or emphasize, use subject-verb inversion.
- For specific information, begin with an interrogative word (always with an accent!).
- And don’t forget the inverted (¿) and regular (?) question marks that frame every interrogative sentence.
Consistent practice with these structures will make asking questions in Spanish feel natural and intuitive.
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