Unit 7.1
Interrogative Pronouns
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Introduction
Pronouns [pronombres] are words that replace nouns (people, animals, facts or things) to avoid repetition.
Interrogative pronouns [pronombres interrogativos] replace the noun we are asking about and are used in direct or indirect questions.
Form
The main interrogative pronouns are the following:
- ¿Quién? / ¿Quiénes?: these vary only in number: quién (singular) and quiénes (plural);
- ¿Cuánto/-a/-os/-as?: these can also be considered as invariable adverbs and come before the verb.
Example
- ¿Quién es el que vivía en una isla desierta?
- ¿Quiénes tenéis perro?
- ¿Cuánto ha engordado el cerdo?
- ¿Cuánta hierba queda en el jardín?
- ¿Cuántos de vosotros habéis ido al desierto?
- ¿Cuántas vacas hay en la granja?
Use
The main ones are used as follows:
- ¿Qué?: to ask about the subject, direct object or attribute
- ¿Quién? / ¿Quiénes?: to ask about the subject;
- ¿Cuánto/-a/-os/-as?: as invariable adverbs, directly followed by a verb, when it is clear what we are talking about.
Summary
Interrogative pronouns replace the noun we are asking about and are used in direct or indirect questions.
In Spanish, the main interrogative pronouns are ¿Qué? (invariable); ¿Quién?/?Quiénes? (variable in number); ¿Cuánto/-a/-os/-as? (variable in gender and number).
For example:
— «¿Qué ha robado el ladrón?» = we ask about the stolen object;
— «¿Quién ha entrado a robar en tu casa?» = we ask about the person who stole;
— «¿Cuántas cosas te han robado de tu casa?» = we ask about the number of things stolen.
Check the contents of the {Form} section. Then move on to the {Example} section, which shows you the usage in context.
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