Spanish · Greetings & Essentials
"What?" in Spanish: ¿qué?
¿qué?
What in Spanish is ¿qué? (keh). Write the accent: qué. Alone, ¿qué? means what?; with a noun you still keep qué.
Didn't hear
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How to pronounce ¿qué?
Say it
keh
/ke/
keh — like kay, no y glide. Always mark qué.
"What?" in Spanish: quick reference
| Spanish | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| ¿qué? | what? Didn't hear or need a repeat. | Didn't hear or need a repeat. |
| ¿qué es esto? | what is this? Identifying an object. | Identifying an object. |
| ¿qué quieres? | what do you want? Everyday choice question. | Everyday choice question. |
| ¿qué pasó? | what happened? Checking on a situation. | Checking on a situation. |
How to use ¿qué? in real life
- 1Didn't hear
¿Qué dijiste?
What did you say?
¿Qué? opens a quick clarify.
- 2Choosing food
¿Qué vas a pedir?
What are you going to order?
¿Qué? fits open choices.
- 3Pointing at a gadget
¿Qué es esto en la mesa?
What is this on the table?
Qué es identifies things.
Mistakes English speakers make with ¿qué?
Incorrect: Que quieres? (missing accent and marks)
Correct: ¿Qué quieres?
Question qué needs the accent and the ¿ ? marks.
Incorrect: What quieres?
Correct: ¿Qué quieres?
Use qué, not English what.
Good to know
Spanish questions keep inverted ¿ even in texting among careful writers. Skipping it is common in chat, but learners should practice ¿qué? with both marks so tone is clear.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Ordering at a busy counter
ChatPal
¿Qué quieres beber?
What do you want to drink?
You
¿Qué recomiendas, té o café?
What do you recommend, tea or coffee?
ChatPal
El café. ¿Qué tomas tú normalmente?
The coffee. What do you usually have?
You
Un cappuccino, por favor.
A cappuccino, please.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"What?" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "What?" in Spanish
Why the accent on qué?
Qué is the question word. Que without accent means that/which.
Qué or cuál?
Qué asks what in open ways. Cuál picks among options.
How do I say what is it?
¿Qué es?
Is ¿qué? rude?
Tone matters. Soft ¿qué? is fine; sharp ¿qué? can sound curt.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
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