How to Teach Question Words in Spanish

Question words are imperative when visiting a Spanish-speaking country like Spain.

Consider how many questions you ask a day, especially if you are traveling in an unfamiliar place or with a new person, and you will quickly realize how important it is to learn question words when practicing a new language. Teach the most common Spanish question words, including quien, que, donde, cuando, por que, como, qual and cuantos to ensure that, when combined with common vocabulary, students are able to communicate their questions to their Spanish-speaking friends or when visiting a Spanish-speaking community.

Things You'll Need

• Index cards

Instructions

1. Create flashcards out of index cards by listing each Spanish question word on one side and its English equivalent on the back. Remind students that some Spanish question words can have different meanings and forms depending upon the context of the sentence (cual can mean which or what, and cuantos can take masculine, feminine, plural and singular forms based on what word it is modifying), so they may want to list all the forms on the index card at first to familiarize themselves.

2. Instruct students to practice memorizing the various question words and their meanings with a partner or alone. Tell them to concentrate for now on remembering the words and their meanings before they begin to integrate them into sentences.

3. Review the forms of "to be" in Spanish, estar and ser, as students will be using forms of these words after many question words in Spanish. Review also the masculine and feminine endings and rules.

4. Begin forming question word sentences by combining question words with students' existing vocabulary. Concentrate on realistic questions they may need to ask and sentences involving familiar vocabulary to avoid confusing them with unnecessary new information. Have students work with a partner to question each other about the location of objects in the room (Donde esta el libro rojo?), the names of mutual acquaintances (Como se lllama su hermana?), or even the price of dinner (Cuanta cuesta el pollo?). Remind students to answer each other in full sentences.

5. Encourage your students to visit a Hispanic market in your city as homework. Tell students to ask the clerk for information about products using their new words. A grocery market is the perfect place to practice donde (where) and cuantas (how much), and they will find that they can work their other question words into the conversation as they go. Have them jot down a few notes about what they asked if you'd like a written record. If students aren't able to actually visit a market, set up your own grocery store right in your classroom to simulate the experience.

6. Practice, practice, practice. It may be a cliche, but practicing is truly the best method to learning new words and sentence structures in a language. While completing textbook drills and flashcards will help you learn the basic words, practicing them in real-life situations will cement the knowledge in your lexicon, so insist that your students use the question words in real-life situations. Insist on Spanish-only conversations, and students will probably be shocked to hear how often they use a question word.

References

• Spanish Playground: Teaching Children to Ask Where in Spanish
• Medical Spanish: Question Words