que
pronounCEFR A1High frequency
What does “que” mean in English?
what
what (interrogative); how (exclamative)
Example sentences
¿Qué quieres comer?
What do you want to eat?
¿Qué es esto?
What is this?
¿Qué libro lees?
Which book are you reading?
How to use it
¿Qué? means 'what?' or 'which?'. Use it to ask for a definition, an explanation, or to choose from an open set. Always carries an accent in questions to distinguish it from unstressed que ('that').
Common mistake
Use qué when there is no closed list — say 'qué libro' for 'which book' if many books are possible. Use cuál when picking from a known set.