qué
“qué” means “what” in Spanish. It has 3 different meanings depending on context:
📝 In Action
¿Qué es eso?
A1What is that?
¿Qué hora es?
A1What time is it?
No sé qué hacer.
A2I don't know what to do.
¿Qué libro estás leyendo?
A2Which book are you reading?
📝 In Action
¡Qué día tan bonito!
A2What a beautiful day!
¡Qué sorpresa!
A2What a surprise!
¡Qué rápido conduces!
B1How fast you drive!
¡Qué bien!
A1How great!
the essence
Also: the point, a certain something
📝 In Action
El qué de la cuestión es si tenemos suficiente tiempo.
C1The essence of the matter is whether we have enough time.
Esa canción tiene un qué que me emociona.
B2That song has a certain something that moves me.
Logró entender el qué del problema.
C1He managed to understand the heart of the problem.
🔀 Commonly Confused With
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: qué
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly uses 'qué' to express 'What a beautiful painting!'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the Latin word 'quid', which also meant 'what'. It's a direct descendant that has kept its core job of asking questions for thousands of years.
First recorded: Early forms appeared in the 10th century.
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the single biggest difference between 'qué' and 'que'?
The accent mark! 'Qué' with an accent is used for questions ('What?') and exclamations ('What a...!'). 'Que' without an accent is a connector word, usually meaning 'that' or 'which' (e.g., 'Creo que sí' - 'I think that yes.').
When do I use 'qué' and when do I use 'cuál' for 'what' or 'which'?
It's a tricky point! A simple rule is: use 'qué' before a noun ('¿Qué color te gusta?' - 'What color do you like?'). Use 'cuál' when you're choosing 'which one' from a list, even if the list isn't spoken ('¿Cuál es tu favorito?' - 'Which one is your favorite?').
Why do people sometimes say '¡Qué cosa más rara!' instead of just '¡Qué cosa rara!'?
Both are correct! Adding 'más' or 'tan' (like in '¡Qué día tan bonito!') is a very common way to add a little extra emphasis in exclamations. It doesn't change the basic meaning, but it makes the exclamation feel a bit stronger and is very natural in conversation.