31.2 Questions seeking partial information
31.2.1 Interrogative word – verb – subject
Questions seeking partial information such as ‘Which do you prefer?’, ‘How much is
it?’ are introduced in Spanish by the appropriate interrogative word followed by the
verb and the subject. The intonation of these questions will vary according to the
degree of familiarity between the speakers: usually falling intonation for familiar
address and rising intonation to indicate politeness. In writing, the interrogative
word carries an accent.¿Cómo se hace? How is it done?
¿Cuál prefieres? Which one do you prefer?
¿Cuál es su dirección? What is your address?
¿Cuánto es? How much is it?
¿Cuándo ocurrió? When did it happen?
¿Dónde estabas? Where were you?
¿Por qué lo hiciste? Why did you do it?
¿Qué desea? What would you like?^12 (p. 48)
31.2.2 Preposition + interrogative word
Interrogative words such as those listed above are often preceded by a preposition in
questions such as the following:¿De dónde es usted? Where are you from?
¿Con quién hablabas? Who were you speaking to?
¿Para qué es esto? What is this for?
¿Hasta cuándo estaréis aquí? Till when will you be here?31.3 Polite and indirect questions
31.3.1 Polite questions
To make a question more polite, you can start this with the word perdone, ‘excuse me’,
or/and a phrase such as por favor, ‘please’,¿me puede decir or puede decirme... ?,
‘can you tell me... ?’,¿me podría decir or podría decirme... ?, ‘could you tell
me... ?’ 21.1 (p. 99); 17.7 (p. 77)
Perdone, ¿dónde está correos/el correo?
Excuse me, where is the post office?Por favor, la calle de Cervantes, ¿cuál es?
Which is Cervantes street, please?Perdone, ¿me puede decir por dónde se va al aeropuerto?
Excuse me, can you tell me how to get to the airport?Polite and indirect questions 31.3