ANSWERING IMPORTANT CONVERSATIONAL QUESTIONS IN SPANISH

1. ¿Cuál es la fecha de hoy?

“What is today’s date?” The main thing here is to pay attention to word order. Instead of “Jan
30th,” it must be the “30th of Jan.”  La fecha de hoy es el 30 de enero. Now, you can take a
shortcut & it still be a complete sentence to say “It is …”  Es el 30 de enero. (Es means “it
is.”)
http://kjspanish.weebly.com/writing-the-date--telling-your-age.html

2. ¿Cómo te llamas? OR ¿Cómo se llama Ud.?

This is how Spanish-speakers generally ask for someone’s name. HOWEVER, the word for
NAME is not in that question. It literally means “What do you call yourself?” or “What are you
called?” So, the answer needs to be “I call myself Cristina.”  Me llamo Cristina.
Do NOT put an “is” (“es”) in there or you’re saying “I call myself is Cristina.” X
To talk about other people, see # 11.

3. ¿De dónde eres tú? OR ¿De dónde es Ud.?

Where are you from? (“From where are you?”)  (Yo) soy de Virginia. *the “yo” is optional.
If you want to say The United States Los Estados Unidos (or abbreviated “Los EEUU)

4. ¿Dónde estás? OR ¿Dónde está Ud., señor(a)?

Where are you? (Different from #3, where you are from originally…This asks, “Where are you
now?”)
Notice there is a different verb in Spanish.  (Yo) estoy en la escuela. or Estoy en la
playa.

5. ¿Cuántos años tienes (tiene Ud.)?

This is how Spanish-speakers ask about age. BUT IT IS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT FROM
ENGLISH! (English is silly anyway…Example: “The baby is six months old.” …There is
NOTHING “old” about six months!) What Spanish asks is, “How many years do you have?” as
in “years life experience.” Answer:  (Yo) tengo quince años.

http://kjspanish.weebly.com/writing-the-date--telling-your-age.html

6. ¿Cuándo es tu (or su) cumpleaños?

“When is your birthday?” Compare to #1. The main thing here is to pay attention to word order.
Instead of “May 18th,” it must be the “18th of May.”  Mi cumpleaños es el 18 de mayo. Now,
you can take a shortcut & it still be a complete sentence to say “It is …”  Es el 18 de mayo.
(Es means “it is.”)
http://kjspanish.weebly.com/writing-the-date--telling-your-age.html
 7. ¿Cuál es tu (or su) dirreción?

“What is your address?”  Mi dirección es 555 State St. or see #s 1 & 6 for shortcut.
 Es 555 State St.

8. ¿Cuál es tu (or su) número de teléfono?

“What is your phone #?”  Mi número es 555-5555. Or see #s 1 &6 for shortcut.
 Es 555-5555.

9. ¿Tienes (or tiene Ud.) hermanos?

“Do you have siblings?” Use yo form of “tener” in answer.  Sí, (yo) tengo (dos) hermanos.

10. ¿Tienes (or tiene Ud.) mascotas?

“Do you have pets?” Answer just like #9.  Sí, (yo) tengo tres perros y dos gatos.

11. ¿Cómo se llama(n)? (your siblings, pets, etc.)

“What are their names?” BUT SEE #1! Literally, “What are they called?” or “What do they call
themselves?” Answer:  Se llaman Ellie, Nala y Lola. (Se means “themselves.” Remember
the word “name(s)” is not in that sentence.”) In the case where there is only one sibling, pet,
friend, etc., don’t use the “—n” on the verb because that’s what makes it plural. Ex: Se llama
Cooper.

12. ¿Cómo estás? (or ¿Cómo está Ud.?)

“How are you?” (…as in “How are you feeling?”) (Yo estoy) bien. (or any other feeling)
http://kjspanish.weebly.com/ser--estar.html

13. ¿Como eres? (or ¿Cómo es Ud.)?

THIS IS VERY DIFFERENT FROM #16! It is asking “How are you DESCRIBED?” (How are
you?...inherently, permanently) The answer to this is to describe yourself.  (Yo) soy alta,
deportista y amable.

http://kjspanish.weebly.com/ser--estar.html

14. ¿Dónde vives? (¿Dónde vive Ud?)

“Where do you live?”  (Yo) vivo en Florida.

15. ¿Cómo es tu (or su) familia?

Compare to #17. It’s asking you to describe your family, not to tell how they are doing. “What’s
your family like?”
 (Mi familia) es grande. (pequeña, amable, etc.)
 16. ¿Cómo es tu (or su) casa?

Describe your house. (Note the verb “es,” from “ser” like in #s 13 & 15.)
Mi casa es pequeña y blanca.

17. ¿Cuál es tu (or su) color favorito?

“What is your favorite color?” Answer much like #s 7 & 8.  (Mi color favorito) es verde.

18. ¿Qué clase de música/deporte/comida te gusta (or le gusta a Ud.)?

“What type/kind of music/sport/food do you like?” Notice this is the backwards verb like in #s 5
& 14. To answer using this verb, say something like  Me gusta la comida italiana. Or  Me
gustan todos los deportes. (The “n” on the verb is because the word “deportes” is plural.)
You could also use the verb “Prefiero” if you wanted to say “I prefer rock music.”)  Prefiero
la música rock. (That still answers the question even though it uses a different verb.)

19. ¿Te gusta (or Le gusta a Ud.) viajar?

“Do you like to travel?” See #10 about backwards verbs.  Sí, me gusta viajar. Or No, no
me gusta viajar. (“Yes, traveling is pleasing to me.” You don’t use “yo” here because it is a
“backwards sentence.)

http://kjspanish.weebly.com/gustar--other-backwards-verbs.html

20. ¿Adónde viajas? (or ¿Adónde viaja Ud.)

“To where do you travel?” Use the you form of viajar here.  Viajo a Charleston, S.C. or 
No viajo.

21. ¿Qué te gusta hacer?

“What do you like to do?” LITERALLY: “What is pleasing to you to do?” So, you must start this
question a little differently. It is what I call a “backwards sentence.” You need to start with “Me
gusta” then the activity you like to do. For example:  Me gusta jugar el basquetbol.
(Literally, “Playing basketball is pleasing to me.”) *Notice that when you have two verbs
together back-to-back, the second verb stays in the infinitive (the original form with the –r,
unconjugated). This is the same in English: I like TO TRAVEL. My sister likes TO SWIM.

http://kjspanish.weebly.com/gustar--other-backwards-verbs.html

22. ¿Que haces en tu tiempo libre?

“What do you do in your free time?” This question calls for similar information to #21 but is
easier to answer because it’s not using the backwards verb “gustar.” You simply answer with
the yo form of whatever activity you do.  Miro la televisión. Voy a la casa de una
amiga.
 23. ¿Qué deseas hacer? OR ¿Que quieres hacer?

This asks “What do you want/wish/desire to do?” In Spanish, just like in English, when
you have two verbs together, back-to back, the second verb stays in the infinitive (“to” +
verb) form. So, you will put the first verb in the “yo” form (Deseo) & add (without
changing, conjugating) an activity you’d like to do.  Deseo jugar fútbol. Deseo leer.
Deseo hablar con mis amigos.

Present tense notes & practice: http://kjspanish.weebly.com/present-indicative-tense.html