How to Say What in Spanish

You may have seen the word what translated into Spanish in various ways—common ways of translating what include quà ©, cuà ¡l, lo que, and cà ³mo. It can be confusing, but its important to know the differences in how each translation is used. So, how do you say what in Spanish? To know which version you should be using, it is helpful to know how its being used, particularly how it functions as a part of speech. Key Takeaways: Using "What" in Spanish To translate what to Spanish, you need first to determine how it is being used in a sentence. For example, is it acting as a pronoun or an adjective?The most common translation of what is quà ©.Cuà ¡l is sometimes used for what when implying a choice. Quà © as What Most of the time, especially in questions and exclamations, quà © is a good translation for what. Note the accent mark—quà © and que have substantially different uses and can be thought of as different words, which means that using the accent mark when appropriate is essential. Here are a few examples of how to say quà ©Ã‚  as what:  ¿Quà © hora es? (What time is it?) ¡Quà © mujer! (What a woman!) ¿Quà © es la verdad? (What is the truth?) ¿Quà © es la ONU? (What is the U.N?) ¿Quà © pasa? (Whats happening?) Quà © is also used in indirect questions, in which a question is raised within a statement. This is is most common after forms of saber (to know): No sà © quà © hacer con mi vida. (I dont know what to do with my life.)Quiero saber quà © te preocupa. (I want to know what is bothering you.)El nià ±o sabe quà © es. (The boy knows what it is.)No me pregunta quà © hago aquà ­. (Dont ask me what Im doing.) Cuà ¡l and Cuales for Which One(s) As a pronoun, cuà ¡l or cuà ¡les is used to say what when it means which one or which ones. In other words, cuà ¡l or cuà ¡les suggests that there is a choice of some sort.  ¿Cuà ¡l prefieres? (What do you prefer? Which one do you prefer?) ¿Cuà ¡les prefieres? (What do you prefer? Which ones do you prefer?) ¿Cuà ¡l vas a comprar? (What are you going to buy? Which one are you going to buy?) Note how cuà ¡l can be made plural even though what can be either singular or plural, depending on the context. This means you have to consider which version of the word—cuà ¡l or cuà ¡les—to use based on context. Cuà ¡l can sometimes also be used as a pronoun in this way even when which wouldnt work in an English translation of the sentence. Theres no clear rule for this, but the word choice will seem natural as you learn the language. Notice the difference between the phrases below:  ¿Cuà ¡l es el problema? (What is the problem?)Literally: Which is the problem?In other words, of the possible problems, which one is it? ¿Cuà ¡l es su motivacià ³n? (What is her motive?)Literally: Which is her motive?Of the possible motivations, which one is it? ¿Cuà ¡l es la diferencia entre un asteroide y un cometa? (What is the difference between an asteroid and a comet?)Literally: Which is the difference between an asteroid and a comet?Of the possible differences between an asteroid and comet, which one is it? Quà © or Cuà ¡l As an Adjective Meaning What or Which As an adjective that appears before a noun to mean what or which,  quà ©Ã‚  is usually used, although cuà ¡l is employed in some regions or by some speakers. Quà © is typically the safer choice, though; cuà ¡l may be considered substandard in some areas. For example:  ¿Quà © manzana prefieres? (What/which apple do you prefer?) ¿Quà © camisas vas a comprar? (What/which shirts are you going to buy?)Esta prueba tiene nueve preguntas para descubrir quà © fruta describe tu personalidad. (This quiz has nine questions for finding out what/which fruit describes your personality.) Lo Que, Meaning That Which Lo que can be translated as what when it means that which. This is especially common when what is the subject of a statement in English. Although it would sound awkward, what could technically be replaced by that which in these examples: Lo que me dijo es una mentira. (What she told me is a lie.)Literally: That which she told me is a lie.Lo que me enoja es su actitud hacia mi madre. (What makes me mad is his attitude toward my mother.)Literally: That which makes me mad is his attitude toward my mother.Veo lo que pasa. (I see what is happening.)Literally: I see that which is happening. Cà ³mo Meaning What Cà ³mo is seldom used to mean what, except as an interjection expressing incredulity. In some areas,  ¿cà ³mo? is used to ask someone to say something over again, although in other areas it can be considered mildly rude. Take a look at how these translations differ:  ¡Cà ³mo! No lo creo. (What! I dont believe it.) ¡Cà ³mo! No puede ser. (What! It cant be.) ¿Cà ³mo? (What?)In other words, what did you say?