Different ways to ask questions

Question

If asking "what is your favorite book?" Could you say ¿qué es tu libro favorito? Or would it be ¿cuál es tu libro favorito? Is there really any difference besides using cuál as which and qué as what?

Also, would ¿quién hablas con? Or ¿con quién hablas? Be right when asking who were you talking with?

Just asking because I'm doing the practice quiz for interrogatives and I keep getting my answer wrong haha.

Gracias en avance

Your "Avance" means to move forward. You could say "Gracias por adelantado" = "Thanks in advance." - --Mariana--, Feb 17, 2013

Answer 1

There is a rule for this, although the boundaries are sometimes fuzzy. "Qué + ser" is used when seeking a definition (as Kirk has said). For example:

"¿Qué es un Oscar?" / "¿Qué son los juegos Olímpicos?"

"Cuál + ser" is used when seeking specific details, For example:

"¿Cuál es su nombre?" / "Cuál es tu opinión?"

"¿Con quién hablas?" is correct. If we were speaking a more literary style of English, this would be clear:

"With whom are you speaking?"

Cheers

Excelent. - --Mariana--, Feb 17, 2013

Answer 2

Hola, amigo.

Could you say ¿qué es tu libro favorito? Or would it be ¿cuál es tu libro favorito? Is there really any difference besides using cuál as which and qué as what?

Yes, there's a big difference between the use of "qué" and "cuál." There are other lessons and threads about which to use and when, but what I remember most is that "cuál" is used before any version of the verb "ser." So, "¿Cuál es/son/era.....?" Generally, I can feel safe using "Qué" when it's followed by a noun, e.g., "¿Qué tipo de pan quieres?" "¿Qué hora es?

Also, "Cuál" would be used when you have a limited choice, e.g., "Which one of the two dresses do you like most?"

Also, would ¿quién hablas con? Or ¿con quién hablas? Be right when asking who were you talking with?

In English we are very liberal with ending sentences with a preposition, but it's not allowed in Spanish.

"¿Con quién hablas? is correct. (With whom do you speak?)

gracias :) - ian-hill, Feb 17, 2013

Answer 3

It world be "¿Cuál es tu libro favorito?" and I do not know that I have ever seen a totally satisfactory explanation of this. "Qué" is used when asking for open ended information like a definition.such as "Qué es chorizo?" "Cuál" is generally used before forms of the verb "ser" when there are a finite number of responses (even though the number may be very large).

Don't forget your accents, amigo. "¿Qué?" and "¿Cuál?" - --Mariana--, Feb 17, 2013

Si, gracias. And I even thought of that and then almost immediately forgot. Mi cabeza no funciona muy bien. - kirk1, Feb 17, 2013

Hehehe! - --Mariana--, Feb 17, 2013

Answer 4

"¿Cuál es tu libro favorito?"

Answer 5

gracias todos