Spanish · A2 · Everyday language
Little Questions Together in Spanish
Learn how to use gentle, indirect questions to talk with your child about their school day and activities. This approach uses phrases like 'Do you know...' or 'Can you tell me...' to make conversations feel more like a discovery and less like an interrogation.
What you'll learn
- Form indirect questions using 'dónde', 'cuándo', 'cómo', and 'por qué'
- Learn to use accent marks on question words in indirect clauses
- Express curiosity about school routines and locations
Spanish phrases for little questions together
¿Sabes dónde está tu libro de lectura?
Do you know where your reading book is?
Indirect question using 'dónde' (where).
¿Puedes decirme cuándo empieza el fútbol?
Can you tell me when football starts?
Use 'cuándo' for 'when' in indirect questions.
Me gustaría saber cómo funciona este juego.
I would like to know how this game works.
'Cómo' means 'how' and keeps its accent here.
¿Puedes decirme por qué tu lonchera está llena todavía?
Can you tell me why your lunchbox is still full?
'Por qué' (two words, with accent) is used for 'why'.
¿Sabes dónde vive tu amigo?
Do you know where your friend lives?
A polite way to ask for information.
¿Puedes decirme cuándo hay que entregar la tarea?
Can you tell me when your homework is due?
'Hay que entregar' is a common way to say 'must be handed in'.
Me gustaría saber cómo se llega al polideportivo.
I would like to know how you get to the sports hall.
'Se llega' is the impersonal 'one gets to' or 'you get to'.
¿Sabes por qué la biblioteca está cerrada hoy?
Do you know why the library is closed today?
Notice 'está' (state/condition) for the library being closed.
Hear these phrases and practise them
Tildi plays every phrase out loud, tests you in five-minute lessons and builds them into bedtime stories from your own picture books.
Try it free for 7 daysKey words
lonchera
lunchbox
Commonly used in Latin America; 'fiambrera' is used in Spain.
polideportivo
sports hall / sports center
A multi-purpose sports facility.
libro de lectura
reading book / reader
Refers to the specific book used for reading practice.
tarea
homework
Also called 'deberes' in some Spanish-speaking regions.
Indirect Questions in Spanish
Indirect questions are questions embedded within another sentence (e.g., 'I want to know where...'). In Spanish, the question words (dónde, cómo, cuándo, por qué, qué) always keep their written accent marks, even though the sentence doesn't end in a question mark.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Where | dónde | Dime dónde está. |
| How | cómo | No sé cómo hacerlo. |
| When | cuándo | ¿Sabes cuándo vienen? |
| Why | por qué | Explícame por qué. |
More examples
No sé por qué el perro está ladrando.
I don't know why the dog is barking.
Using 'no sé' (I don't know) to start an indirect question.
¿Me explicas cómo hiciste este dibujo?
Can you explain to me how you made this drawing?
'Explicar' is a great verb for engaging children.
Pregúntale a tu maestra dónde ponemos los abrigos.
Ask your teacher where we put the coats.
The accent on 'dónde' remains because it is an indirect question.