que/quem/onde/quando/como/quanto/por que
Question Words
Portuguese uses specific words to start questions, similar to English 'Who', 'What', 'Where', etc. Some stay the same, while others change to match the gender or number of the noun they describe.
How It Works
In Portuguese, interrogatives are divided into two main types: Pronouns and Adverbs. Unlike English, prepositions (like de, com, em) must always come before the question word (e.g., De onde você é?).
- Que / O que: Used for 'What'. Use que before a noun (Que livro?) and o que when it stands alone (O que você quer?).
- Qual / Quais: Used for 'Which' or 'What' when choosing from a set. It changes to quais for plural nouns.
- Quem: Used for 'Who'. It always refers to people.
- Onde: Used for 'Where'. Note the difference between static location and movement with onde vs aonde.
- Quando: Used for 'When'.
- Como: Used for 'How'.
- Quanto: Used for 'How much/many'. This word must agree with the noun: quanto, quanta, quantos, or quantas.
- Por que: Used for 'Why'. In Brazilian Portuguese and formal writing, there are four different ways to write this. In European Portuguese, porque is often used for both 'why' and 'because'.
In conversation, you will often hear the phrase é que added after these words (e.g., 'Onde é que você mora?'). This is an emphatic particle that makes the question sound more natural, especially in European Portuguese.
Examples (4)
- O que você está fazendo?
What are you doing?
Word by Word: The what you are doing?
In Brazilian Portuguese, 'O que' is the standard way to say 'What' when it is not followed by a noun.
- Aonde eles foram ontem à noite?
Where did they go last night?
Word by Word: To-where they went yesterday at night?
We use 'aonde' instead of 'onde' because the verb 'ir' (to go) implies movement toward a destination.
- Quantas pessoas vêm para o jantar?
How many people are coming to dinner?
Word by Word: How-many people come for the dinner?
'Quantas' is feminine and plural to match the noun 'pessoas'.
- Com quem você está falando?
Who are you talking to?
Word by Word: With whom you are talking?
If a verb requires a preposition (like 'falar com'), that preposition must move to the front of the question word.
Common Mistakes
Using 'O que' directly before a noun.
O que carro você tem?Que carro você tem?When 'what' acts like an adjective modifying a noun, use 'Que' alone. Use 'O que' only as a standalone pronoun.
Forgetting the accent on 'quê' or 'por quê' at the end of a sentence.
Você não veio por que?Você não veio por quê?When 'que' or 'por que' appears at the very end of a sentence, the 'e' becomes stressed and requires a circumflex accent.
How It Connects
Related Patterns
- que / qualQue vs. Qual
Explains the specific difference between 'what' (que) and 'which' (qual) when choosing from a set.
Level 1 - quanto/quanta/quantos/quantasQuanto Agreement
Details how the word for 'how much' changes based on gender and number.
Level 2 - por que/por quê/porque/porquêFour Ways to Write Por Que
Explains the four different spellings of 'why' and 'because' in Portuguese, primarily used in Brazil.
Level 2 - onde / aondeOnde vs. Aonde
Clarifies when to use the static 'where' versus the directional 'to where'.
Level 2 - onde é que/quando é queEmphatic É Que
Explains the common conversational habit of adding 'é que' to questions for emphasis.
Level 3 - de quemWhose (De Quem)
Shows how prepositions like 'de' are placed before the question word to ask 'whose'.
Level 1
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
- tão + Adjective + quanto/comoComparative of EqualityLevel 1
- Proclisis (Pronoun Before Verb)Level 2
- quando + PreteriteQuando (Interruption)Level 2
- aondeContraction AondeLevel 3
- Subject-Verb Inversion in QuestionsLevel 3
- queRelative Pronoun QueLevel 3
- que + SubjunctiveOrdens IndiretasLevel 3
- de vez em quandoFrom Time to TimeLevel 5
Words in This Pattern
Practice que/quem/onde/quando/como/quanto/por que in Bubblegum
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