How to Say What in Spanish

How to Say What in Spanish Perhaps you have seen the word what translated to Spanish in Spanish in various ways and wanted to know the differences in how they are used. Common ways of translating what include include  quà ©, cà ³mo, lo que, and cul. To know when to use the correct version of what, it is helpful to know how what is being used and 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 as a pronoun or adjective.The most common translation of what is quà ©; the accent mark is mandatory.Cul 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. 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.) Cul and Cuales for 'Which One(s)' As a pronoun, cul or cules is used to say what when it means which one or which ones. In other words, cul or cules suggests there is a choice of some sort.  ¿Cul prefieres? (What do you prefer? Which one do you prefer?) ¿Cules prefieres? (What do you prefer? Which ones do you prefer?) ¿Cul vas a comprar? (What are you going to buy? Which one are you going to buy?) Note how cul can be made plural even though what can be either singular or plural, depending on the context. Sometimes, cul is used as a pronoun where a choice of some sort is implied, even though which wouldnt work in English. Theres no clear rule on these, but as you learn the language the word choice will seem natural. Notice the difference between the phrases below:  ¿Cul es el problema? (What is the problem? Literally: Which is the problem? In other words, of the possible problems, which one is it?) ¿Cul es su motivacià ³n? (What is her motive? Literally: Which is her motive? Of the possible motivations, which one is it?) ¿Cul es la diferencia entre un asteroide y un cometa? (What is the difference between an asteroid and a comet? In other words, of the possible differences between an asteroid and comet, which one is it?) Quà © or Cul As an Adjective Meaning 'What' or 'Which' As an adjective that is before a noun to mean what or which,  quà ©Ã‚  is usually used, although cul is used in some regions or by some speakers. Quà © is almost always the safer choice; cul might 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 be replaced by that which in these examples: Lo que me dijo es una mentira. (What 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.)Veo lo que pasa. (I see what 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 some 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?)