Spanish - Lesson 26 of 159: Follow-Up Questions

1. Reading + Listening Practice

Hear core phrases, repeat aloud.

¿A qué te refieres?

What do you mean?

Meaning: What do you mean?

When to use: Use this when you want someone to clarify or explain what they just said.

No entiendo eso. ¿A qué te refieres?

I don't understand that. What do you mean?

Dijiste 'lo importante'. ¿A qué te refieres exactamente?

You said 'the important thing.' What exactly do you mean?

¿Puedes hablar más despacio, por favor?

Can you speak more slowly, please?

Meaning: Can you speak more slowly, please?

When to use: Use this polite request when someone is speaking too fast and you need them to slow down.

Tip: Some learners forget to add "por favor" and sound less polite.

Perdón, ¿puedes hablar más despacio, por favor? No entiendo rápido.

Sorry, can you speak more slowly, please? I don't understand quickly.

En la clase: ¿Puedes hablar más despacio, por favor? Soy principiante.

In class: Can you speak more slowly, please? I'm a beginner.

¿Cómo se escribe ___?

How do you spell ___?

Meaning: How do you spell ___?

When to use: Ask this to learn the spelling of a name or word; leave a blank for the specific word or name.

Tip: Beginners sometimes try to guess instead of asking this direct question.

¿Cómo se escribe 'Sofía'?

How do you spell 'Sofía'?

No sé la dirección de correo. ¿Cómo se escribe 'arroba'?

I don't know the email part. How do you spell 'arroba'?

¿Me puedes contar más sobre ___?

Can you tell me more about ___?

Meaning: Can you tell me more about ___?

When to use: Use this to invite someone to give more details about a topic, person, or event.

Me interesa el proyecto. ¿Me puedes contar más sobre las tareas?

I'm interested in the project. Can you tell me more about the tasks?

¿Me puedes contar más sobre cómo llegó a ese resultado?

Can you tell me more about how you arrived at that result?

¿Qué pasó después?

What happened next?

Meaning: What happened next?

When to use: Ask this when someone is telling a story and you want to know the next event.

Fuimos al museo y luego... ¿Qué pasó después?

We went to the museum and then... What happened next?

Me contaste sobre la reunión. ¿Qué pasó después con el cliente?

You told me about the meeting. What happened next with the client?

¿Por qué piensas eso?

Why do you think that?

Meaning: Why do you think that?

When to use: Use this to ask for a reason or explanation when someone expresses an opinion.

Crees que no funcionará. ¿Por qué piensas eso?

You think it won't work. Why do you think that?

¿Por qué piensas eso sobre el plan? Dame más razones.

Why do you think that about the plan? Give me more reasons.

¿Cómo te sentiste con eso?

How did you feel about it?

Meaning: How did you feel about it?

When to use: Ask this to learn about someone's emotional reaction after an event.

Tuviste una presentación difícil. ¿Cómo te sentiste con eso?

You had a difficult presentation. How did you feel about it?

Después del partido, le pregunté: ¿Cómo te sentiste con eso?

After the match, I asked: How did you feel about it?

¿Y tú?

What about you?

Meaning: What about you?

When to use: Use this short phrase to return the same question to the other person in informal conversation.

Tip: Watch the accent: it's written '¿Y tú?' not 'Y tu'.

Yo voy al cine el sábado. ¿Y tú?

I'm going to the movies Saturday. What about you?

Me gustó la película. ¿Y tú, qué opinas?

I liked the film. And you, what do you think?

¿Qué tipo de ___?

What kind of ___?

Meaning: What kind of ___?

When to use: Use this to ask for a more specific type or category (e.g., '¿Qué tipo de trabajo?').

Dijiste que compraste un libro. ¿Qué tipo de libro?

You said you bought a book. What kind of book?

¿Qué tipo de música escuchas en esa radio?

What kind of music do you listen to on that radio?

¿A cuál te refieres?

Which one are you talking about?

Meaning: Which one are you talking about?

When to use: Ask this when there are multiple options and you want the speaker to identify a specific one.

Mencionaste una tienda. ¿A cuál te refieres?

You mentioned a store. Which one are you talking about?

Hay dos libros. ¿A cuál te refieres con 'interesante'?

There are two books. Which one do you mean by 'interesting'?

¿Cuándo fue eso?

When was that?

Meaning: When was that?

When to use: Ask this to learn the time or date of an event someone mentioned.

Dijiste que viajaste a México. ¿Cuándo fue eso?

You said you traveled to Mexico. When was that?

Hablaste de la reunión. ¿Cuándo fue eso exactamente?

You talked about the meeting. When was that exactly?

¿Dónde pasó eso?

Where did that happen?

Meaning: Where did that happen?

When to use: Use this to ask for the location of an event someone already mentioned.

Te caíste, ¿dónde pasó eso?

You fell—where did that happen?

Me contaste del accidente. ¿Dónde pasó eso?

You told me about the accident. Where did that happen?

¿Con quién estabas?

Who were you with?

Meaning: Who were you with?

When to use: Ask this to find out which people were involved or present at an event.

Fuiste a la fiesta. ¿Con quién estabas?

You went to the party. Who were you with?

Hubo un problema en el proyecto. ¿Con quién estabas cuando pasó?

There was a problem on the project. Who were you with when it happened?

Spanish - Follow-Up Questions

1. Reading + Listening Practice

2. Conversational Listening Practice

3. Guided Practice

Which Spanish phrase means 'Can you speak more slowly, please?'

Which phrase asks 'What happened next?' when telling a story?

If you need someone to identify which of several options they mean, which question do you use?

Which phrase would you use to return the same question to the other person (ask 'What about you?')?

Excuse me, how do you spell 'García'?

I told my trip and the teacher asked: 'What happened next?'

My friend lost his job. I asked: 'How did you feel about it?'

Match the core phrases

Match the extra phrases

4. Speaking Practice