Beginner grammar guide
Spanish question words keep their accents
The accent marks a question word—even when the question is embedded.
Spanish question words make a question precise: what, who, when, where, how, which or how much. Their written accent remains in both direct questions and indirect questions embedded inside a statement.
Building everyday vocabulary too? Explore the free vocabulary guides.
The idea
Understand the choice, not just the label.
Qué asks what or which before a noun (¿Qué buscas?; ¿Qué libro quieres?). Quién asks who and changes to quiénes in the plural. Dónde, cuándo and cómo ask where, when and how. Cuánto agrees with the quantity noun: cuánto tiempo, cuánta agua, cuántos días, cuántas entradas.
Cuál and cuáles identify or select from a set, often equivalent to “which” or “what” depending on the sentence: ¿Cuál prefieres? (Which one do you prefer?). Spanish often uses cuál before ser when asking for a selection or identification, while qué is common before a noun. Usage depends on construction, not a direct English translation.
The accent is retained when the question is indirect: No sé dónde está la parada (I don’t know where the stop is). In contrast, relative donde without a question meaning does not carry the accent: Vivo donde trabaja mi hermana (I live where my sister works).
| Form / pattern | Use it when… | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Qué / cuál | ask what, or select which one | ¿Qué quieres? / ¿Cuál quieres? — What do you want? / Which one do you want? |
| Quién(es) | ask who | ¿Quién viene? — Who’s coming? |
| Dónde / cuándo / cómo | place, time and manner | ¿Cómo llego a la estación? — How do I get to the station? |
| Cuánto | ask quantity; agree with the noun | ¿Cuántas paradas quedan? — How many stops are left? |
Hear it in a sentence
Examples in everyday Spanish
¿A qué hora sale el último autobús?
What time does the last bus leave?
No recuerdo quién me recomendó este sitio.
I don’t remember who recommended this place.
Indirect question: quién retains its accent.
¿Cuál de estas chaquetas te queda mejor?
Which of these jackets fits you best?
Look out for
Common mistakes, made clearer
Avoid
No sé donde está el centro.
Use / understand
No sé dónde está el centro.
Dónde is an indirect question word and keeps the accent.
Avoid
¿Qué de estos prefieres?
Use / understand
¿Cuál de estos prefieres?
Use cuál to select from a set; qué commonly comes directly before a noun.
Avoid
¿Cuántos agua quieres?
Use / understand
¿Cuánta agua quieres?
Cuánto agrees with agua, a feminine singular noun.
Out in the world
Everyday use
Perdona, ¿por dónde se va a la Plaza Mayor?
Excuse me, which way is it to Plaza Mayor?
¿Sabes a qué hora empieza la película?
Do you know what time the film starts?
Five quick checks
Try it before you peek.
- 01
Complete: ¿___ cuesta este billete?
Reveal answer and explanation
Cuánto
Cuánto is an interrogative adverb asking about the price here; it does not agree with billete.
- 02
Complete: No sé ___ han dejado las llaves.
Reveal answer and explanation
dónde
This is an embedded question about location, so dónde keeps its accent.
- 03
Complete: ¿___ de las dos rutas es más corta?
Reveal answer and explanation
Cuál
Cuál selects one option from a set of two.
- 04
Complete: ¿___ personas vienen a cenar?
Reveal answer and explanation
Cuántas
Cuánto agrees in feminine plural with personas.
- 05
Choose the question form: quien / quién in “¿___ ha llamado?”
Reveal answer and explanation
quién
Direct interrogative quién has an accent.
Still wondering
Questions about spanish question words keep their accents
Do indirect question words need accents?
Yes. If they introduce an embedded question, forms such as qué, quién, cómo and dónde retain their accents.
When should I use qué instead of cuál?
The choice depends on Spanish construction. Qué commonly appears before a noun; cuál often selects among options. Avoid translating the English “what/which” mechanically.