cuál

== Spanish == === Alternative forms === qual (pre-1815) cuálo (dialectal, nonstandard) === Etymology === Inherited from Old Spanish qual, from Latin quālis (“which”). === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ˈkwal/ [ˈkwal] Rhymes: -al Syllabification: cuál === Determiner === cuál m or f (masculine and feminine plural cuáles) (chiefly Latin America) what; which Synonym: qué ¿Cuáles gatos adoptaste del refugio? ― Which cats did you adopt from the shelter? === Pronoun === cuál m or f (masculine and feminine plural cuáles) (see usage notes) which one, what, which ==== Usage notes ==== Qué and cuál are used in interrogative sentences and should not be confused with que and cual. Usually, qué and cuál are translated into English as what and which, respectively. There are a few exceptions to this general rule that often trip up learners. In questions with the verb ser (“to be”), qué is used to ask about definitions of things: If the question with ser is not about a definition, cuál is used: If qué was used here, the question would be understood to be about the literal definition of the name, like asking "What does your name mean?". More examples: Before a noun, qué and cuál are interchangeable and synonymous (except in exclamations, such as "¡Qué lástima!" (What a pity!), where only qué is used). In Spain, however, cuál is rarely used before a noun, and qué is typically used instead. ==== Related terms ==== ==== See also ==== === Further reading === “cuál”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8.1, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 15 December 2025 “cuál”, in Diccionario panhispánico de dudas [Panhispanic Dictionary of Uncertainties] (in Spanish), 2nd edition, Royal Spanish Academy; Association of Academies of the Spanish Language, 2023, →ISBN “qué”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8.1, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 15 December 2025 “qué”, in Diccionario panhispánico de dudas [Panhispanic Dictionary of Uncertainties] (in Spanish), 2nd edition, Royal Spanish Academy; Association of Academies of the Spanish Language, 2023, →ISBN