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Lesson 17 of 238

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Free Spanish CourseLesson 17 of 238

The question words in Spanish

Justin points at a word on the board and at a small sign by the door. He wants the name, the time, and the English.

You'll ask what something is, when it is, and how you say it.

Michael answers the sugar. He does not know the hour.

By the end of this lesson

Ask what something is, when it is, what time it is, and how you say it.

  • ¿Qué es ___?What is ___?
  • ¿Cuándo es ___?When is ___?
  • ¿A qué hora es ___?What time is ___?
  • ¿Puedes ___?Can you ___?
  • ¿Cómo se dice ___?How do you say ___?

Scene — the word on the board

It's early afternoon inside Café Laurel. A blank board hangs by the sugar, and a small sign is by the door.

Justin can see the shapes. He cannot read them yet. Michael is close enough to ask.

A blank board by the sugar and a small blank sign by the door.

Learn — what, when, how

Five questions for a thing, a time, and a word.

Tap ▶ to hear each one, then say it out loud before you move on.

  1. ¿Qué es ___?: Justin points at the sugar and asks what it is.

    ¿Qué es ___?

    What is ___?

    When to use it: Ask this to learn the name of a thing.

    Say it: keh ehs

  2. ¿Cuándo es ___?: Justin points at the blank door sign.

    ¿Cuándo es ___?

    When is ___?

    When to use it: Ask this to learn when something happens.

    Cuándo has an accent. It asks when.

    Say it: KWAHN-doh ehs

  3. ¿A qué hora es ___?: Justin asks what time the coffee is.

    ¿A qué hora es ___?

    What time is ___?

    When to use it: Ask this for the hour something starts.

    The blank is the event, not the hour.

    Say it: ah keh OH-rah ehs

  4. ¿Puedes ___?: Justin asks Michael to say the hour.

    ¿Puedes ___?

    Can you ___?

    When to use it: Ask this when you need him to do it.

    Puedes is you can. Name the action.

    Say it: PWEH-dehs

  5. ¿Cómo se dice ___?: Justin asks how to say the word.

    ¿Cómo se dice ___?

    How do you say ___?

    When to use it: Ask this for the Spanish word.

    Cómo has an accent. Se dice is how it's said.

    Say it: KOH-moh seh DEE-seh

Story — what is that

Watch Justin ask about the sugar and the sign. The highlighted words are the new lines.

Tap Play the scene to hear it, and turn on Show English if you get stuck.

  1. Justin points at the sugar bowl. He does not know the word.
  2. Justin¿Qué es esto?What is this?
  3. MichaelAzúcar.Sugar.
  4. Justin¿Cómo se dice sugar?How do you say sugar?
  5. MichaelAzúcar.Sugar.
  6. Justin points at the small sign by the door. He still cannot read it.
  7. Justin¿Cuándo es esto?When is this?
  8. MichaelPor la mañana.In the morning.
  9. Justin¿A qué hora es el café?What time is the coffee?
  10. MichaelNo, lo siento.No, sorry.
  11. Justin¿Puedes decir la hora?Can you say the hour?

Practice — ask the question

Ten short exercises. You'll listen, match, and pick the question that fits.

If you miss one, try again or skip. The reason shows after the right answer.

0 of 10 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. Match the pairs

    Spanish

    ¿Qué es ___?Drop the English here
    ¿Cuándo es ___?Drop the English here
    ¿A qué hora es ___?Drop the English here
    ¿Cómo se dice ___?Drop the English here

    English

    Drag an English line onto its Spanish, or tap one and then the other.

  3. What do you say?

    You need Michael to say the hour. Ask if he can.

  4. What does it mean?

    ¿Cuándo es ___?

  5. What do you say?

    Michael cannot say the hour. He is sorry.

  6. Swap the word

    Ask for the Spanish word, not the name of the thing.

    ¿____ ___?

  7. Which one doesn’t belong?

  8. What do you say?

    Yako is at the counter. Ask him what he wants.

  9. What do you say?

    Ask if you can sit outside. You are the one who wants to sit.

  10. What did you hear?

Say it — point and ask

You are Justin at the board. Michael knows the sugar, and he does not know the hour.

Tap the microphone when it's your turn. Tap ▶ to hear the line first. Your recording stays on your device.

  1. Justin (you)Point at the sugar and ask what it is.

    ¿Qué es ___?

    What is ___?

0 of 5 said

Recap — what you can say now

SpanishEnglish
¿Qué es ___?What is ___?
¿Cuándo es ___?When is ___?
¿A qué hora es ___?What time is ___?
¿Puedes ___?Can you ___?
¿Cómo se dice ___?How do you say ___?
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