Aprende a usar los adjetivos interrogativos en espaƱol: quĆ©, cuĆ”l y cuĆ”nto. GuĆa rĆ”pida con ejemplos para preguntar con claridad.
Learn to use interrogative adjectives in Spanish: what, which, and how much. Quick guide with examples for asking clearly.
The interrogative adjectives introduce questions about identity, definition, selection, or quantity and always appear before the noun they modify. Adjectives helps to understand their function because these forms describe or specify a name within the sentence. What questions the nature or definition of something, while which points to a choice among already possible or known options. In more formal registers, what is used more for definition and which for selection.
| IdeaIdea | ExampleExample |
|---|---|
| quĆ© pregunta por definiciĆ³nwhat question for definition |  ĀæQuĆ© libro lees?What book are you reading? |
| cuĆ”l pregunta por selecciĆ³nwhich question for selection |  ĀæCuĆ”l libro prefieres?Which book do you prefer? |
| la forma cambia en pluralthe form changes in plural |  ĀæCuĆ”les pelĆculas viste?Which movies did you watch? |
Which form asks for the definition or nature of something?
CuĆ”nto funciona como adjetivo interrogativo cuando acompaƱa a un sustantivo y concuerda con Ć©l en gĆ©nero y nĆŗmero. Su forma puede ser cuĆ”nto, cuĆ”nta, cuĆ”ntos o cuĆ”ntas, segĆŗn el sustantivo que modifica, y la misma concordancia sirve tambiĆ©n en exclamaciones. Adjetivos Cuantitativos y Adjetivos Numerales muestran por quĆ© esta relaciĆ³n con el nombre es esencial para expresar cantidad con precisiĆ³n.
How Much functions as an interrogative adjective when it accompanies a noun and agrees with it in gender and number. Its form can be cuƔnto, cuƔnta, cuƔntos o cuƔntas, according to the noun it modifies, and the same concordance also serves in exclamations. Adjectives Quantitativos and Adjetivos Numerales show why this relationship with the noun is essential to express quantity with precision.
| IdeaIdea | ExampleExample |
|---|---|
| cuĆ”nto concuerda con sustantivo masculino singularhow much agrees with a masculine singular noun |  ĀæCuĆ”nto tiempo tienes?How much time do you have? |
| cuĆ”nta concuerda con sustantivo femenino singularhow much agrees with a feminine singular noun |  ĀæCuĆ”nta agua queda?How much water is left? |
| cuĆ”ntos concuerda con sustantivo masculino pluralhow many agrees with a masculine plural noun |  ĀæCuĆ”ntos boletos compraste?How many tickets did you buy? |
| cuĆ”ntas concuerda con sustantivo femenino pluralhow many agrees with a feminine plural noun |  |
Which form agrees with a feminine singular noun?
Estos adjetivos van siempre antes del sustantivo que modifican, y esa posiciĆ³n los distingue de muchas estructuras descriptivas del espaƱol. Cuando aparece una preposiciĆ³n, la forma interrogativa suele introducir la relaciĆ³n completa, como en de quĆ© o de cuĆ”l, y el contexto determina si se pregunta por clasificaciĆ³n, origen o selecciĆ³n. En usos dialectales y en algunos contextos regionales, cuĆ”l puede aparecer con fechas o estaciones, aunque el uso mĆ”s general reserva quĆ© para definiciĆ³n y cuĆ”l para elecciĆ³n.
These adjectives always go before the noun they modify, and that position distinguishes them from many descriptive structures in Spanish. When a preposition appears, the interrogative form usually introduces the complete relation, as in de quƩ or de cuƔl, and the context determines whether one asks about classification, origin or selection. In dialectical uses and in some regional contexts, cuƔl can appear with dates or seasons, though the more general use reserves quƩ for definition and cuƔl for selection.
| IdeaIdea | ExampleExample |
|---|---|
| quĆ© se usa con de para preguntar por categorĆa o propiedadwhat is used with de to ask about category or property |  ĀæDe quĆ© color es el coche?What color is the car? |
| cuĆ”l puede aparecer despuĆ©s de una preposiciĆ³n para escoger entre opcioneswhich can appear after a preposition to pick among options |  ĀæDe cuĆ”l de ellos hablas?Which of them are you talking about? |
| la preposiciĆ³n introduce la relaciĆ³n antes del sustantivo interrogativothe preposition introduces the relation before the interrogative noun |  ĀæDe quĆ© ciudad vienes?From which city are you coming? |
Where does an interrogative adjective normally appear in relation to the noun it modifies?
QuĆ©, cuĆ”l y cuĆ”nto llevan tilde cuando introducen preguntas directas, preguntas indirectas y exclamaciones. Esa tilde los distingue de las formas relativas o exclamativas no interrogativas que aparecen en otros contextos. En preguntas combinadas, la forma se adapta al sustantivo y al nĆŗmero, como quĆ© pelĆcula, cuĆ”l de las pelĆculas o cuĆ”ntas entradas.
What, which and how much carry a tilde when introducing direct questions, indirect questions and exclamations. That tilde distinguishes them from relative or exclamative non-interrogative forms that appear in other contexts. In combined questions, the form adapts to the noun and to the number, such as what movie, which of the movies or how many tickets.
| IdeaIdea | ExampleExample |
|---|---|
| quĆ© lleva tilde en pregunta directawhat carries a tilde in a direct question | ĀæQuĆ© pelĆcula quieres ver?What movie do you want to see? |
| cuĆ”l lleva tilde cuando pregunta por selecciĆ³nwhich carries a tilde when asking for selection |  ĀæCuĆ”l es tu favorita?Which is your favorite? |
| cuĆ”nto lleva tilde cuando pregunta por cantidadhow much carries a tilde when asking for quantity |  ĀæCuĆ”nto cuesta la entrada?How much does the ticket cost? |
| las formas plurales tambiĆ©n llevan tildethe plural forms also carry a tilde |  ĀæCuĆ”les pelĆculas recomiendas?Which movies do you recommend? |
QuĆ© identifica o define, cuĆ”l selecciona entre opciones y cuĆ”nto pregunta por cantidad con concordancia de gĆ©nero y nĆŗmero. Todas estas formas se colocan antes del sustantivo que modifican y mantienen tilde en preguntas y exclamaciones. Su valor exacto depende de si la pregunta busca definiciĆ³n, elecciĆ³n o medida, y de si aparece un sustantivo explĆcito o no.
What identifies or defines, which selects among options and how much asks about quantity with gender and number agreement. All these forms are placed before the noun they modify and carry the tilde in questions and exclamations. Their exact value depends on whether the question seeks definition, choice or measure, and on whether an explicit noun appears or not.
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Last updated: Tue May 26, 2026, 7:20 PM
Interrogative adjectives
EspaƱol
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Adjetivos
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