cuandovscuándo
/KWAN-doh/
/KWAN-doh/
💡 Quick Rule
The accent on 'cuándo' means it's a question word.
Think of the accent mark as a tiny question mark on the letter 'a'. If you're asking 'WHEN?', you need the accent.
- This is a very reliable rule. The accent always signals a question (direct or indirect) or an exclamation.
📊 Comparison Table
| Context | cuando | cuándo | Why? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Direct Usage | Te llamo cuando pueda. | ¿Cuándo puedes llamar? | No accent for a statement ('when I can'). Accent for a direct question ('When can you?'). |
| Indirect Usage | Recuerdo el día cuando nos conocimos. | No recuerdo cuándo nos conocimos. | No accent when it means 'the day that...'. Accent for an indirect question ('I don't remember at what time...'). |
| Sentence Structure | Avísame cuando estés listo. | Dime cuándo estarás listo. | No accent to connect two clauses. Accent to ask for information within a statement. |
✅ When to Use "cuando" / cuándo
cuando
When (as a connector or statement)
/KWAN-doh/
Connecting two actions in time
Llámame cuando llegues a casa.
Call me when you get home.
Referring to a specific time period
Cuando era niño, jugaba mucho afuera.
When I was a child, I played outside a lot.
As a conjunction meaning 'at the time that'
Me gusta leer cuando llueve.
I like to read when it rains.
cuándo
When? (as a question word)
/KWAN-doh/
Asking a direct question
¿Cuándo es la fiesta?
When is the party?
Asking an indirect question
No sé cuándo empieza la película.
I don't know when the movie starts.
In exclamations
¡Hasta cuándo vamos a esperar!
How long are we going to wait!
🔄 Contrast Examples
With "cuando":
Nos vemos cuando termine la reunión.
We'll see each other when the meeting ends.
With "cuándo":
¿Cuándo termina la reunión?
When does the meeting end?
The Difference: 'Cuando' connects the action ('we'll see each other') to a time ('the meeting ends'). 'Cuándo' asks for the specific time that the meeting will end.
With "cuando":
Será genial cuando viajes a España.
It will be great when you travel to Spain.
With "cuándo":
Dime cuándo viajas a España.
Tell me when you are traveling to Spain.
The Difference: The first sentence is a statement about a future event. The second is a command that contains an indirect question, asking for the specific date of travel.
🎨 Visual Comparison
Split screen showing 'cuándo' with a question mark and 'cuando' with a connecting bridge.
'Cuándo' with an accent asks a question. 'Cuando' without an accent connects two ideas in time.
⚠️ Common Mistakes
No sé cuando viene.
No sé cuándo viene.
This is an indirect question. You are saying 'I don't know *when* he is coming'. Since it's asking for information, it needs the accent.
Voy a la playa ¿cuándo? hace sol.
Voy a la playa cuando hace sol.
This is a statement connecting two ideas ('going to the beach' and 'it's sunny'). It's not asking a question, so it doesn't need an accent.
📚 Related Grammar
Want to understand the grammar behind this pair? Explore these lessons for a deep dive:
🏷️ Key Words
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: Cuando vs Cuándo
Question 1 of 3
Choose the correct word: 'No estoy seguro de ___ volverá.'
🏷️ Tags
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this accent rule apply to other Spanish words?
Yes, absolutely! This is a key pattern in Spanish. Words like qué (what), dónde (where), quién (who), cómo (how), por qué (why), and cuál (which) all get an accent when they are used to ask a question (either directly with question marks, or indirectly inside a statement).
Does the accent change the pronunciation?
The basic sound of the word stays the same. However, the accent mark shows you where the natural stress of the sentence falls. In a question like '¿Cuándo vienes?', the word 'cuándo' is naturally emphasized more than it would be in a statement like 'Vienes cuando quieres'.