QUESTION FORMATION
There are two general types of questions: yes/no questions and information questions. Yes/no questions may be answered with a simple “yes” or “no”. Information questions, on the other hand, can not be answered with a simple “yes” or “no”. An information question is answered when the piece of requested information has been provided.
Examples: Yes/No Question: Do you take Spanish? Information Question: Who is your teacher?
FORMING A YES/NO QUESTION IN SPANISH
When translating yes/no questions from English into Spanish, helping verbs (hv) such as do and does alert the listener to the fact that he/she is about to hear a question. Do and does, as well as some other helping verbs, are translated into Spanish as an upside down question mark at the beginning of a question.
hv s v hv s v Examples: Do you study a lot? Does she listen to the radio often? ¿ ¿
To ask a yes/no question, use the formula:
¿ Verb + subject (subject = who + verb) + rest of the sentence?
¿ Estudias tú mucho?
Do study you a lot?
Do you study a lot?
Notice that questions are formed differently in Spanish and English. ¿Estudias tú mucho? (Do study you a lot?) is a correctly-formed question in Spanish while Do you study a lot? is the equivalent correctly-formed question in English.
Use of the subject pronouns yo, tú, él, ella, usted, nosotros, nosotras, ellos, ellas, and ustedes is optional.
Notice that when a yes/no question is answered, the subject and the verb switch places: ¿Estudias tú mucho? Sí, yo estudio mucho. or No, yo no estudio mucho.
FORMING AN INFORMATION QUESTION
1 When forming an information question, use the general formula:
¿Question word + verb + rest of sentence?
¿Dónde está el libro?
¿Quién es el profesor de historia?
¿Cuándo es el baile?
¿Qué preparas tú?
¿Cómo está usted?
¿Por qué no practicas tú?
¿Cuánto cuesta el libro?
¿Cuál es tu nombre?
Once again, when these questions are answered, the order of the subject and verb are switched:
El libro está en la mesa.
El profesor de historia es el Sr. Jones.
El examen es mañana (tomorrow).
Yo preparo la comida (the meal / food).
Yo estoy bien.
Yo no practico porque no me gusta practicar.
El libro cuesta diez dólares.
Mi nombre es Kathy.
Note: As was the case with yes/no questions, most helping verbs also become upside down question marks when they are used to alert the listener that a question is being asked. Example: When do you study? ¿Cuándo estudias tú?
2 Nombre: Fecha: Período: Yes/No Question Formation
Traduzcan al español:
1 Do you (tú) rent videos? Yes, I rent videos. No, I don’t rent videos.
2 Does he dance well (bien)? Yes, he dances well. No, he doesn’t dance well.
3 Do they study a lot? Yes, they study a lot. No, they don’t study a lot.
4 Do all of you work (trabajar)? Yes, we work. No, we don’t work.
5 Do Kathy and Donna listen to music (música)? Yes, they listen to music. No, they don’t listen to music.
6 Do you (usted) watch (mirar) television (tele-f)? Yes, I watch television. No, I don’t watch television.
7 Do you (tú) help (ayudar)? Yes, I help. No, I don’t help.
8 Does she play (tocar) the guitar (guitarra)? Yes, she plays the guitar. No, she doesn’t play the guitar.
9 Do they prepare (preparar) the food (comida)? Yes, they prepare the food. No, they don’t prepare the food.
3 Nombre: Fecha: Período: Information Question Formation
Traduzcan al español.
1 Who is he? He is Mike.
2 What do you study? I study Spanish.
3 When is the dance (baile-m)? The dance is tomorrow (mañana).
4 Why are you here (aquí)? I am here to learn (para aprender).
5 How are you (tú) feeling? I’m fine.
6 How much does the backpack cost? The backpack costs fifteen dollars (dólares).
7 Who are the players (jugadores-mp)? The players are David, Jim and Mike.
8 Where do they work (trabajar)? They work in New York (Nueva York).
9 What does he play (tocar)? He plays the guitar.
10 Who prepares the meal (comida)? We prepare the meal.
11 What do all of you (ustedes) prepare? We prepare the lesson (lección-f)
12 When do you (tú) watch (mirar) television? I watch television at eight o’clock.
13 Where are the books? The books are on the table.
4 Nombre: Fecha: Período:
¿Qué vs.¿Cuál?
Traduzcan al español:
1 What classes are your (informal) favorite classes? 2 Which of your classes do you (tú) like? 3 Which one of the books do you (tú) like? 4 Which of the books do you (tú) like? (More than one book is liked.) 5 Which books do you (tú) like? 6 In what city do you (Uds.) live? 7 Which team (equipo) do you like? 8 What is your (formal, singular) last name (apellido)? 9 Which magazines (revista) does she read? 10 Which program (programa-m) does he watch (mirar)? 11 What is your (informal) address (dirección)? 12 Which house is your (formal, plural) house? 13 What are your (formal, singular) plans (plan-m)? 14 What is a disk drive (disquetera)? 15 What is your (informal) favorite color? 16 What is your (informal) phone number(número de teléfono)? 17 What group (grupo) do you like? 18 What are their sizes (talla)? 19 What sports (deportes) do they play? 20 What is your (formal, singular) favorite book?
5 Interrogatives Nombre: Fecha: Período:
Who ¿Quién? + singular verb / ¿Quiénes? + plural verb What ¿Qué? + noun / ¿Qué? +”ser” with a request for a definition Which / What ¿Cuál / Cuáles + “ser” or “de” = Asking for a CHOICE
When ¿Cuándo?
Where ¿Dónde? (physical location) ¿Adónde? To where?(question asked of someone in motion) Forms of the verb “go” are often in the sentence.
¿De dónde? From where? (request for place of residence or birth)
Why ¿Por qué? How ¿Cómo?
How much / ¿Cuánto, Cuántos, Cuánta, Cuántas? + noun + verb How many
¿Cuál es la palabra interrogativa correcta?
1 ¿______estás? Bien. 2 ¿______personas hay en la clase? 20 3 ¿______son sus profesores favoritos? El Sr. Brown y la Srta. Foxen 4 ¿______lápices tienes? 3 5 ¿______cuesta? $16.00 6 ¿______vas después (after) de la escuela? 7 ¿______es la clase de español? A las ocho y diez 8 ¿______es tu nombre? 9 ¿______deporte (sport) juegas (play)? 10 ¿______están mis libros? Debajo (under) de la cama (bed) 11 ¿______eres? Riverside 12 ¿______te llamas?
6