Spanish: An Essential Grammar

Subject-verb inversion in questions

In several types of question the subject is placed after the verb.

General rules for subject-verb inversion

When there is an explicitly mentioned subject, subject-verb inversion is

obligatoryin all direct questions, other than ‘yes/no’ questions:

¿Dónde está el teatro? Where is the theatre?

¿Mario sabe nadar?/¿Sabe Mario nadar? Can Mario swim?

In indirect questions inversion is in most cases optional but likely to be

preferred:

No sé cómo lo aguanta Beatriz/No sé cómo Beatriz lo aguanta.

I don’t know how Beatriz puts up with him.

But inversion is obligatoryin indirect questions in the following instances:

(a) After dóndewith verbs like vivir‘to live’ and estar‘to be’:

Pregúntale dónde vive Marisa.

Ask him where Marisa lives.

(b) After cuándowith verbs of arrival and departure:

Hay que enterarse de cuándo sale el vuelo.

We need to find out when the flight departs.

(c) After quéwhen this functions as direct object:

No sé qué le dijo Nicolás.

I don’t know what Nicolás said to him.

Subject-verb inversion with infinitives and gerunds

In questions in which an infinitive or gerund is used with a finite verb form,

the subject after the verb can usually be placed either between the finite

verb and the infinitive/gerund or after the infinitive/gerund. The latter case

is appropriate if the intention is to focus on the subject.

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Subject-verb

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