quevsqué
/KEH/
/KEH/
💡 Quick Rule
If it's a question word ('what?' or 'how!'), it needs an accent: 'qué'. If it's a connector word ('that' or 'than'), no accent: 'que'.
Think of the accent as a little 'question hat'. If you're asking, put on the hat!
- Use 'qué' even in indirect questions, like 'No sé qué hacer' (I don't know what to do).
- Use 'qué' in exclamations like '¡Qué bueno!' (How great!).
📊 Comparison Table
| Context | que | qué | Why? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asking vs Stating | Dime que vienes. | Dime qué quieres. | 'que' confirms information ('Tell me THAT you're coming'). 'qué' asks for information ('Tell me WHAT you want'). |
| Exclamations | ¡Que te diviertas! | ¡Qué divertido! | 'que' introduces a wish for someone ('Have fun!'). 'qué' expresses a quality ('How fun!'). |
| Describing something | La película que vimos fue buena. | ¡Qué buena película! | 'que' is a connector to identify the movie ('the movie THAT we saw'). 'qué' is an exclamation about its quality ('WHAT a good movie!'). |
| Indirect Statements | No es seguro que llegue a tiempo. | No sé qué va a pasar. | 'que' introduces a clause ('It's not certain THAT...'). 'qué' is part of an indirect question ('I don't know WHAT...'). |
✅ When to Use "que" / qué
que
A connector word, meaning 'that', 'which', 'who', or 'than'.
/KEH/
Connecting ideas ('that', 'which')
El libro que leo es interesante.
The book that I'm reading is interesting.
Making comparisons ('than')
Ella es más alta que su hermano.
She is taller than her brother.
Introducing a statement or hope ('that')
Creo que va a llover.
I think that it's going to rain.
Expressing a wish or command
¡Que tengas un buen día!
Have a good day!
qué
A question or exclamation word, meaning 'what?' or 'how!'.
/KEH/
Direct questions ('what?')
¿Qué hora es?
What time is it?
Indirect questions ('what')
No sé qué decir.
I don't know what to say.
Exclamations ('what a...' or 'how...')
¡Qué sorpresa!
What a surprise!
Asking for definitions
¿Qué significa esto?
What does this mean?
🔄 Contrast Examples
With "que":
Pienso que es una buena idea.
I think that it's a good idea.
With "qué":
No sé qué pensar.
I don't know what to think.
The Difference: 'Que' connects your thought to the idea ('I think THAT...'). 'Qué' is the unknown thing you are thinking about ('I don't know WHAT...').
With "que":
¡Que tengas suerte!
Good luck! (Literally: May you have luck!)
With "qué":
¡Qué suerte!
What luck!
The Difference: 'Que' introduces a wish for another person. 'Qué' exclaims about a concept or quality.
With "que":
La razón es que no estudié.
The reason is that I didn't study.
With "qué":
¿Y qué con eso?
So what? (And what with that?)
The Difference: 'Que' introduces the explanation. 'Qué' is used to ask for the significance of something.
🎨 Visual Comparison
Split-screen showing 'que' as a chain link connecting ideas vs 'qué' with a question mark.
'Qué' with an accent is a question word. 'Que' without an accent is a connector word.
⚠️ Common Mistakes
¿Que quieres comer?
¿Qué quieres comer?
When asking 'what', the word always needs an accent. This is a direct question.
No sé que hacer.
No sé qué hacer.
This is an 'indirect question'. You're still asking 'what' to do, so 'qué' needs its accent, even without question marks.
¡Que día tan bonito!
¡Qué día tan bonito!
In exclamations that mean 'what a...' or 'how...', always use 'qué' with the accent.
📚 Related Grammar
Want to understand the grammar behind this pair? Explore these lessons for a deep dive:
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: Que vs Qué
Question 1 of 3
Which is correct? 'No sé ___ decir.'
🏷️ Tags
Frequently Asked Questions
Do 'que' and 'qué' sound different when spoken?
No, they sound exactly the same. The difference is only visible in writing and is determined by the grammar of the sentence. The context tells a native speaker which one is being used.
Is this accent rule the same for other question words like 'donde' or 'cuando'?
Yes, exactly! The rule applies to all of them. When they are used to ask a question (directly or indirectly), they get an accent: ¿Dónde? (Where?), ¿Cuándo? (When?), ¿Cómo? (How?). When they are used as connectors, they don't: 'la casa donde vivo' (the house where I live).