❓English Question Words

⏱ 9 min read

In this section you will learn the most useful English question words and how to use them naturally in everyday conversations. Each English question word includes translations in Spanish, French, German, Italian, and Portuguese.

🟢 Essential Question Words

❓ What?

🇪🇸 Spanish: ¿Qué?
🇫🇷 French: Quoi ? / Que ?
🇩🇪 German: Was?
🇮🇹 Italian: Cosa? / Che?
🇵🇹 Portuguese: O quê?

Example: What do you want to eat?
👤 Who?

🇪🇸 Spanish: ¿Quién?
🇫🇷 French: Qui ?
🇩🇪 German: Wer?
🇮🇹 Italian: Chi?
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Quem?

Example: Who called?
📍 Where?

🇪🇸 Spanish: ¿Dónde?
🇫🇷 French: Où ?
🇩🇪 German: Wo?
🇮🇹 Italian: Dove?
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Onde?

Example: Where do you work?
⏰ When?

🇪🇸 Spanish: ¿Cuándo?
🇫🇷 French: Quand ?
🇩🇪 German: Wann?
🇮🇹 Italian: Quando?
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Quando?

Example: When are you leaving?
🤔 Why?

🇪🇸 Spanish: ¿Por qué?
🇫🇷 French: Pourquoi ?
🇩🇪 German: Warum?
🇮🇹 Italian: Perché?
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Por quê?

Example: Why are you smiling?
🛠️ How?

🇪🇸 Spanish: ¿Cómo?
🇫🇷 French: Comment ?
🇩🇪 German: Wie?
🇮🇹 Italian: Come?
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Como?

Example: How was your day?

🟡 More Useful Question Words

💰 How much?

🇪🇸 Spanish: ¿Cuánto?
🇫🇷 French: Combien ?
🇩🇪 German: Wie viel?
🇮🇹 Italian: Quanto?
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Quanto?

Example: How much does it cost?
🔢 How many?

🇪🇸 Spanish: ¿Cuántos? / ¿Cuántas?
🇫🇷 French: Combien ?
🇩🇪 German: Wie viele?
🇮🇹 Italian: Quanti? / Quante?
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Quantos? / Quantas?

Example: How many languages do you speak?
📚 Which? / Which one?

🇪🇸 Spanish: ¿Cuál?
🇫🇷 French: Quel ? / Lequel ?
🇩🇪 German: Welcher? / Welche?
🇮🇹 Italian: Quale?
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Qual?

Example: Which one do you prefer?

⭐ Useful Question Combinations

🌍 Where to?

🇪🇸 Spanish: ¿Adónde?
🇫🇷 French: Où ?
🇩🇪 German: Wohin?
🇮🇹 Italian: Dove?
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Para onde?

Example: Where are you heading after this?
📍 Where from?

🇪🇸 Spanish: ¿De dónde?
🇫🇷 French: D’où ?
🇩🇪 German: Woher?
🇮🇹 Italian: Da dove?
🇵🇹 Portuguese: De onde?

Example: Where did you just come from?
⏰ What time?

🇪🇸 Spanish: ¿A qué hora?
🇫🇷 French: À quelle heure ?
🇩🇪 German: Um wie viel Uhr?
🇮🇹 Italian: A che ora?
🇵🇹 Portuguese: A que horas?

Example: What time should we meet tomorrow?
⏳ Until when?

🇪🇸 Spanish: ¿Hasta cuándo?
🇫🇷 French: Jusqu’à quand ?
🇩🇪 German: Bis wann?
🇮🇹 Italian: Fino a quando?
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Até quando?

Example: Until when will the store be open?
🤔 Why not?

🇪🇸 Spanish: ¿Por qué no?
🇫🇷 French: Pourquoi pas ?
🇩🇪 German: Warum nicht?
🇮🇹 Italian: Perché no?
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Por que não?

Example: Why not try something different tonight?

💡 Helpful Tip

In English, question words do not need special accent marks or inverted question marks.

We simply start the question with the question word and end with a regular question mark (?).

What?   Who?   Where?   When?   Why?   How?

💡 What? vs Which?

What? is used when there are many possible answers or when asking for information in general.

🎬 What series are you watching these days?
Which? is used when choosing between a limited number of options.

📚 Which of these two books would you recommend?

💬 Everyday Questions

☕ What would you recommend for someone who doesn’t like coffee?

🇪🇸 Spanish: ¿Qué me recomendarías para alguien que no le gusta el café?
🇫🇷 French: Que recommanderiez-vous à quelqu’un qui n’aime pas le café ?
🇩🇪 German: Was würden Sie jemandem empfehlen, der keinen Kaffee mag?
🇮🇹 Italian: Cosa consiglieresti a qualcuno a cui non piace il caffè?
🇵🇹 Portuguese: O que você recomendaria para alguém que não gosta de café?
🎬 What was the last movie that really surprised you?

🇪🇸 Spanish: ¿Cuál fue la última película que realmente te sorprendió?
🇫🇷 French: Quel a été le dernier film qui t’a vraiment surpris ?
🇩🇪 German: Was war der letzte Film, der dich wirklich überrascht hat?
🇮🇹 Italian: Qual è stato l’ultimo film che ti ha davvero sorpreso?
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Qual foi o último filme que realmente te surpreendeu?
🎵 What kind of music helps you focus?

🇪🇸 Spanish: ¿Qué tipo de música te ayuda a concentrarte?
🇫🇷 French: Quel type de musique t’aide à te concentrer ?
🇩🇪 German: Welche Art von Musik hilft dir, dich zu konzentrieren?
🇮🇹 Italian: Che tipo di musica ti aiuta a concentrarti?
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Que tipo de música te ajuda a focar?
🌎 Where did you grow up?

🇪🇸 Spanish: ¿Dónde creciste?
🇫🇷 French: Où as-tu grandi ?
🇩🇪 German: Wo bist du aufgewachsen?
🇮🇹 Italian: Dove sei cresciuto/a?
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Onde você cresceu?
⏰ What time do you usually finish work?

🇪🇸 Spanish: ¿A qué hora terminas normalmente de trabajar?
🇫🇷 French: À quelle heure finis-tu généralement le travail ?
🇩🇪 German: Um wie viel Uhr hörst du normalerweise mit der Arbeit auf?
🇮🇹 Italian: A che ora finisci di solito di lavorare?
🇵🇹 Portuguese: A que horas você geralmente termina o trabalho?

💬 Sample Conversations

☕ At a café

A: What would you recommend if I don’t want anything too sweet?
B: Try the flat white - it’s smooth and not too strong.

🇪🇸 A: ¿Qué me recomendarías si no quiero nada demasiado dulce?
🇪🇸 B: Prueba el flat white - es suave y no demasiado fuerte.

🇫🇷 A: Que recommanderiez-vous si je ne veux rien de trop sucré ?
🇫🇷 B: Essayez le flat white - il est doux et pas trop fort.

🇩🇪 A: Was würden Sie empfehlen, wenn ich nichts zu Süßes möchte?
🇩🇪 B: Probieren Sie den Flat White - er ist mild und nicht zu stark.

🇮🇹 A: Cosa mi consiglieresti se non voglio niente di troppo dolce?
🇮🇹 B: Prova il flat white - è delicato e non troppo forte.

🇵🇹 A: O que você recomendaria se eu não quiser nada muito doce?
🇵🇹 B: Experimente o flat white - é suave e não muito forte.
✈️ Planning a trip

A: Where are you thinking of going this year?
B: I’m considering Portugal, but I haven’t decided yet.

🇪🇸 A: ¿Adónde estás pensando ir este año?
🇪🇸 B: Estoy considerando Portugal, pero aún no he decidido.

🇫🇷 A: Où penses-tu aller cette année ?
🇫🇷 B: Je pense au Portugal, mais je n’ai pas encore décidé.

🇩🇪 A: Wohin denkst du dieses Jahr zu fahren?
🇩🇪 B: Ich überlege Portugal, aber ich habe mich noch nicht entschieden.

🇮🇹 A: Dove stai pensando di andare quest’anno?
🇮🇹 B: Sto considerando il Portogallo, ma non ho ancora deciso.

🇵🇹 A: Para onde você está pensando em ir este ano?
🇵🇹 B: Estou considerando Portugal, mas ainda não decidi.

📝 More Practice

📷 Where did you take this photo? It looks amazing.

🇪🇸 Spanish: ¿Dónde tomaste esta foto? Se ve increíble.
🇫🇷 French: Où as-tu pris cette photo ? Elle est magnifique.
🇩🇪 German: Wo hast du dieses Foto gemacht? Es sieht fantastisch aus.
🇮🇹 Italian: Dove hai scattato questa foto? È meravigliosa.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Onde você tirou esta foto? Está incrível.
🌅 What are you planning to do this weekend?

🇪🇸 Spanish: ¿Qué planes tienes para este fin de semana?
🇫🇷 French: Que prévois-tu de faire ce week-end ?
🇩🇪 German: Was hast du dieses Wochenende vor?
🇮🇹 Italian: Cosa hai in programma per questo fine settimana?
🇵🇹 Portuguese: O que você está planejando fazer neste fim de semana?
🎶 What song keeps getting stuck in your head lately?

🇪🇸 Spanish: ¿Qué canción se te queda pegada en la cabeza últimamente?
🇫🇷 French: Quelle chanson te reste dans la tête en ce moment ?
🇩🇪 German: Welches Lied bleibt dir in letzter Zeit im Kopf stecken?
🇮🇹 Italian: Che canzone ti rimane in testa ultimamente?
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Que música fica presa na sua cabeça ultimamente?
🏖️ When was the last time you completely unplugged for a few days?

🇪🇸 Spanish: ¿Cuándo fue la última vez que te desconectaste completamente durante unos días?
🇫🇷 French: Quand as-tu déconnecté complètement pendant quelques jours pour la dernière fois ?
🇩🇪 German: Wann hast du dich das letzte Mal komplett für ein paar Tage abgeschaltet?
🇮🇹 Italian: Quando è stata l’ultima volta che ti sei completamente disconnesso per qualche giorno?
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Quando foi a última vez que você se desconectou completamente por alguns dias?

🏆 Final Practice

Try asking each question before pressing play.

  • What do you want to eat?
  • Where do you work?
  • Where did you just come from?
  • How much does it cost?
  • Which of these two books would you recommend?
  • What time should we meet tomorrow?