How to Say What in Spanish
How to say what in Spanish: 'qué' (keh) for the question word, 'lo que' for 'what' inside a sentence. Pronunciation, accents, '¿Cómo?' and usage explained.
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Quick answer
To say 'what' in Spanish, say 'qué' (keh) — with an accent — when it is a question word, as in '¿Qué?' (What?) or '¿Qué es esto?' (What is this?). When 'what' links two parts of a statement, use 'lo que' (loh keh), as in 'No sé lo que quieres' (I don't know what you want).
Qué
/keh/ — Spanish
How to Say What in Spanish
“What” is one of the first question words every Spanish learner needs, but it changes form depending on whether you are asking a question or building a statement.
The Phrase
Qué — pronounced keh (question word: “what”)
Copy the Phrase
The Spanish word for “what” as a question is Qué (keh). Inside a sentence it becomes lo que.
Pronunciation Guide
| Part | Pronunciation | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Qué | keh | ”qu” = hard “k”; “u” is silent |
| Cómo | KOH-moh | Polite “What?” / “Sorry?” |
| Lo que | loh keh | ”what” inside a statement |
The most common mistake is pronouncing the silent u. In Spanish, qu is always a hard “k” sound — never “kw.”
Qué vs. Que — The Accent Matters
This is the single biggest source of confusion:
| Word | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| qué (accent) | what (question/exclamation) | ¿Qué pasa? — What’s up? |
| que (no accent) | that, which, than | La casa que vi — The house that I saw |
The accent on qué appears only in questions and exclamations, even indirect ones: No sé qué hacer (I don’t know what to do).
”What” Inside a Sentence: lo que
When “what” means “the thing that,” Spanish uses lo que rather than a single word:
- Eso es lo que quiero — That is what I want
- No entiendo lo que dices — I don’t understand what you’re saying
- Lo que pasa es que… — What’s happening is that…
If you tried to use qué here, it would sound wrong to a native speaker.
Common “What” Questions
| English | Spanish | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| What is it? | ¿Qué es? | keh ess |
| What’s your name? | ¿Cómo te llamas? | KOH-moh teh YAH-mas |
| What time is it? | ¿Qué hora es? | keh OH-rah ess |
| What’s up? | ¿Qué tal? / ¿Qué pasa? | keh tahl / keh PAH-sah |
| What do you want? | ¿Qué quieres? | keh kee-EH-res |
Note that “What’s your name?” uses cómo (how), not qué — a classic learner trap.
Politeness: Don’t Just Say “¿Qué?”
If you didn’t hear someone, blurting “¿Qué?” can sound abrupt, much like barking “What?!” in English. Native speakers soften it:
- ¿Cómo? — the most common, neutral “Sorry?”
- ¿Perdón? — “Pardon?” (polite)
- ¿Mande? — “Come again?” (very common in Mexico)
- ¿Disculpe? — “Excuse me?” (formal)
Cultural Notes
Exclamations with qué are everywhere in everyday Spanish and follow a neat pattern: ¡Qué + adjective/noun! equals “How…!” or “What a…!”
- ¡Qué bonito! — How pretty!
- ¡Qué lástima! — What a shame!
- ¡Qué rico! — How delicious!
Master the accent rule and the lo que construction, and you’ll handle “what” naturally in both questions and statements.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say what in Spanish?
'What' in Spanish is 'qué' (keh) when asking a question, e.g. '¿Qué?' (What?) or '¿Qué quieres?' (What do you want?). Note the accent and the inverted opening question mark '¿'. To say 'what' inside a statement (the thing that), use 'lo que', as in 'Eso es lo que quiero' (That's what I want).
How do you pronounce qué?
'Qué' is pronounced 'keh' — like the English 'K' followed by a short 'eh' as in 'bet.' The 'u' after 'q' is always silent in Spanish, so 'qué' is one quick syllable. Do not say 'kway' or 'koo-eh'; it is simply 'keh.'
What is the difference between que and qué?
'Qué' (with an accent) means 'what' and is used in questions and exclamations: '¿Qué hora es?' (What time is it?), '¡Qué bonito!' (How pretty!). 'Que' (no accent) means 'that' or 'which' and joins clauses: 'El libro que leí' (The book that I read). The accent signals a question or exclamation word.
How do you say 'what?' when you didn't hear someone?
Saying just '¿Qué?' to mean 'What?' can sound blunt or rude. Politely, say '¿Cómo?' (KOH-moh, literally 'How?'), '¿Perdón?' (pehr-DOHN), or '¿Mande?' (MAHN-deh, common in Mexico). These are the equivalent of 'Sorry?' or 'Pardon?' when you need someone to repeat themselves.
How do you say 'what do you mean' in Spanish?
'What do you mean?' is '¿Qué quieres decir?' (keh kee-EH-res deh-SEER), literally 'What do you want to say?' A more formal version is '¿Qué quiere decir?' (usted). You can also say '¿A qué te refieres?' (What are you referring to?) or simply '¿Cómo?' to ask for clarification.