To ask questions in Spanish the right way, it's helpful to know some basic rules. Here are the main question words and how to use them:

Question Words

1. Qué: This means "what" and is used to get information.

   • Example: ¿Qué estudias? (What do you study?)

2. Quién: This means "who" and is used to ask about a person.

   • Example: ¿Quién vino a la fiesta? (Who came to the party?)

3. Dónde: This means "where" and is used to ask about a place.

   • Example: ¿Dónde vives? (Where do you live?)

4. Cuándo: This means "when" and is used to ask about time.

   • Example: ¿Cuándo es la reunión? (When is the meeting?)

5. Por qué: This means "why" and is used to ask for a reason.

   • Example: ¿Por qué llegaste tarde? (Why did you arrive late?)

6. Cómo: This means "how" and is used to ask about the way something is done.

   • Example: ¿Cómo se hace este platillo? (How is this dish made?)

7. Cuánto/a(s): This means "how much" or "how many" and is used to ask about amounts.

   • Example: ¿Cuánto cuesta? (How much does it cost?)

Important Grammar Tips for Questions

1. Verb Tenses:

• Always use the right verb form. For example:
  • Regular past: ¿Estudiaste tú? (Did you study?)
  • Irregular past: ¿Cuando eras niño, jugabas? (When you were a child, did you play?)

2. Subjunctive Mood:

• Use this for asking questions that show doubts or wishes.
  • Example: ¿Dudas que él venga? (Do you doubt that he will come?)

3. Conditional Tense:

• This is for asking about possibilities.
  • Example: ¿Qué harías si tuvieras dinero? (What would you do if you had money?)

4. Ser vs. Estar:

• Choose the right verb for the situation.
  • Example: ¿Quién es tu amigo? (Who is your friend?) vs. ¿Cómo está tu amigo? (How is your friend?)

5. Object Pronouns:

• Use pronouns correctly in your questions.
  • Example: ¿Lo viste? (Did you see him?)

6. Passive Voice:

• You can ask questions in a more indirect way.
  • Example: ¿Fue dicho eso por ella? (Was that said by her?)

7. Reflexive Verbs:

• Be careful with reflexive verbs in your questions.
  • Example: ¿Te viste en el espejo? (Did you see yourself in the mirror?)

8. Adverbial Clauses:

• These can make your questions more interesting.
  • Example: ¿Cuándo llegas, aunque llueva? (When do you arrive, even if it rains?)

9. Agreement of Adjectives:

• Make sure your adjectives match the nouns in gender (male or female) and number (singular or plural).
  • Example: ¿Cuántos amigos tienes? (How many friends do you have?) vs. ¿Cuántas amigas tienes? (How many female friends do you have?)

Summary

Use these question words and grammar tips to improve your Spanish questions. By practicing in different situations, you’ll get better at asking clear and detailed questions for both casual and formal talks.