Question words and word order
To ask a question in Spanish, you can either just raise your intonation (and add ¿…?) or start with a question word. Question words always carry an accent mark — that's how Spanish distinguishes them from look-alike non-question words.
The main question words
qué = what / which. quién = who (plural quiénes). dónde = where (a dónde / adónde = where to; de dónde = where from). cómo = how. cuándo = when. cuánto = how much (changes for gender/number: cuántos, cuánta, cuántas). por qué = why (literally 'through what').
The accent matters
qué (what?) ↔ que (that — conjunction). dónde (where?) ↔ donde (the place where). cómo (how?) ↔ como (like, as — for comparisons; or 'I eat'). Inside a question — accent. In subordinate clauses and comparisons — no accent. Sé dónde vives (I know where you live) — accent, because it's an indirect question.
Word order in questions
Statement: Tú hablas español. Yes/no question: ¿Hablas español? (just intonation and the marks). With a question word: ¿Qué hablas? = what (language) do you speak. ¿Dónde vives? = where do you live. The subject usually comes after the verb: ¿Dónde vive Ana? (where does Ana live), not '¿Dónde Ana vive?'
Simple answers
Sí (yes) / No (no). Sí, hablo español. / No, no hablo español. The double no isn't a typo: the first no is the answer, the second is the negation particle before the verb. Without a yes/no, you'd just say No hablo español = 'I don't speak Spanish.'
Personal 'a' before people
When the direct object of a verb is a person (or a beloved pet), Spanish puts a in front. Veo la casa (I see the house) — but Veo a María (I see María). Escucho música — but Escucho a mi mamá. Only with people; for things, no a.
