CEFR A1
What you will learn
- Form a direct yes/no question without an auxiliary equivalent to English do.
- Choose and accent an A1 question word for person, thing, place, manner, quantity or reason.
- Place no and negative words correctly before or after the conjugated verb.
Before you start
- Have studied “The present tense: three endings to start speaking”.
- Have studied “One English “to be”, three Spanish choices”.
The idea
A yes/no question can keep the same words as a statement. Speech uses question intonation; writing frames the whole question with “¿” and “?”. Spanish does not insert an auxiliary equivalent to English do. An information question begins with a stressed question expression such as “qué”, “quién” or “dónde”. These forms carry a written accent when they ask or exclaim, including in indirect questions.
The basic negative places “no” immediately before the conjugated verb: “No trabajo aquí”. If “nada”, “nadie” or “nunca” comes after the verb, Spanish keeps “no”: “No veo a nadie”. This is standard negative concord, not the meaning of a positive English double negative.
If the negative word itself comes before the verb, it supplies the negative force and “no” disappears: “Nadie trabaja hoy”, “Nunca bebo café”. The position determines the pattern.
A1 question-word reference
| question expression | asks for | agreement |
|---|---|---|
| qué | a thing, class or action | invariable |
| quién | a person | active A1 form |
| cuánto / cuánta / cuántos / cuántas | quantity | gender and number before a noun |
| dónde | place | invariable |
| cómo | manner or basic state | invariable |
| de dónde | origin | invariable |
| por qué | reason | two words; qué is accented |
How it sounds
- ¿Por qué está cerrada la tienda? Nadie trabaja el domingo.A reason question begins with the two-word expression “por qué”. The question has opening and closing question marks. In the answer, “nadie” comes before the verb, so no additional “no” is used.
Check objective 1Another case
A proposed answer is “¿Que hora es?” for this case: “Which written question correctly asks for the time indicated by the clock?”. Choose the only valid form.
A proposed answer is “Qué hora es.” for this case: “Which written question correctly asks for the time indicated by the clock?”. Choose the only valid form.
Answer available without interaction
Answer: ¿Qué hora es? — A direct question needs both question marks, and interrogative qué carries an accent.
A direct question needs both question marks, and interrogative qué carries an accent.
Answer: ¿Qué hora es? — A direct question needs both question marks, and interrogative qué carries an accent.
A direct question needs both question marks, and interrogative qué carries an accent.
Check objective 2Another case
A proposed answer is “Donde” for this case: “Ask for the location of the key in the scene: ¿Donde está la llave?”. Choose the only valid form.
A proposed answer is “Cuál” for this case: “Ask for the location of the key in the scene: ¿Cuál está la llave?”. Choose the only valid form.
Answer available without interaction
Answer: Dónde — The missing information is a place, so the interrogative is dónde with a written accent.
The missing information is a place, so the interrogative is dónde with a written accent.
Answer: Dónde — The missing information is a place, so the interrogative is dónde with a written accent.
The missing information is a place, so the interrogative is dónde with a written accent.
Check objective 3Another case
No people appear in the scene. Complete the two slots in order with an independent reference to people: “No hay [1].” / “[2] aparece en la escena.”
No people appear in the scene. Complete the two slots in order with an independent reference to people: “No hay [1].” / “[2] aparece en la escena.”
Answer available without interaction
Answer: nadie / Nadie — After the verb, nadie combines with no: “No hay nadie”. Before the verb, nadie supplies the negative force by itself.
After the verb, nadie combines with no: “No hay nadie”. Before the verb, nadie supplies the negative force by itself.
Answer: nadie / Nadie — After the verb, nadie combines with no: “No hay nadie”. Before the verb, nadie supplies the negative force by itself.
After the verb, nadie combines with no: “No hay nadie”. Before the verb, nadie supplies the negative force by itself.
When it doesn't hold
What breaks the rule, said out loud. Hiding it is what makes you feel cheated in the exam.
What your own language pushes you to say
Wrong ¿Haces tú vivir aquí? Tengo nada.
Right ¿Vives aquí? No tengo nada.
The Spanish verb carries the person ending, and a postverbal negative word normally appears with no before the verb.
Challenge: apply every rule
Solve every case and justify each choice: 1) A proposed answer is “¿Que hora es?” for this case: “Which written question correctly asks for the time indicated by the clock?”. Choose the only valid form. 2) A proposed answer is “nadie / Nadie” for this case: “Ask for the location of the key in the scene: ¿nadie / Nadie está la llave?”. Choose the only valid form. 3) A proposed answer is “Dónde” for this case: “No people appear in the scene. Complete both sentences: “No hay Dónde.” / “Dónde aparece en la escena.””. Choose the only valid form.
Answer available without interaction
- Form a direct yes/no question without an auxiliary equivalent to English do.
- Choose and accent an A1 question word for person, thing, place, manner, quantity or reason.
- Place no and negative words correctly before or after the conjugated verb.
Answer: ¿Qué hora es? · Dónde · nadie / Nadie
A direct question needs both question marks, and interrogative qué carries an accent. The missing information is a place, so the interrogative is dónde with a written accent. After the verb, nadie combines with no: “No hay nadie”. Before the verb, nadie supplies the negative force by itself.
Curriculum alignment and sources
- A1 can understand and use carefully delivered simple questions and very short positive or negative reactions. · CEFR descriptors search
- A1 inventory: affirmative and negative declaratives, literal direct total and partial questions, qué/quién/cuánto, dónde/cómo, por qué, and basic negative polarity words. · Plan Curricular del Instituto Cervantes: Gramática, inventario A1-A2
- A1 functions include asking for identity, things, place, origin, activity, quantity, time and reason with simple exponents. · ic-pcic-a1-a2-funciones
Continue along this corridor
Practise this: “No tengo nada”: two negatives are rightPractise this: You do not say “yo” every timeThe present tense: three endings to start speakingOne English “to be”, three Spanish choicesMe gusta: the sentence turns round