español · A1 · grammar · 4 minutes
Building basic questions
Ask for missing information with accents and both question marks.
Understand the choice
Questions need more than rising intonation. Learn the accented question words and place them where the missing information belongs, while keeping both question marks.
Core rule: Spanish information questions use an opening inverted question mark, an accented question word, and normal conjugated verb forms.
Notice it in context
¿Dónde vives y cómo se llama tu calle?
Where do you live and what is your street called?
Dónde asks for location; cómo asks for the manner or wording of a name.
¿Qué quieres comer?
What do you want to eat?
Qué asks for the object and carries an accent.
¿Cuándo llega el tren?
When does the train arrive?
The subject may follow the verb in an information question.
What to remember
- Question words keep their accent in direct and indirect questions.
- Yes-or-no questions can preserve statement word order and rely on punctuation and intonation.
Common trap: Do not omit the opening ¿ in careful writing or write question words without their accents.