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Teaching guidelines +/- 15 minutes

Learn how to ask about time and quantity using Spanish interrogatives like "¿Cuándo?" (When?) and the gendered forms of "¿Cuánto?" (How much/many?): cuánta, cuántos, cuántas. Practice questions such as "¿Cuándo es tu cumpleaños?" and "¿Cuántos libros tienes?" to master these essential expressions.
  1. "Cuánto" inflects according to gender (cuánto, cuánta, cuántos, cuántas)
Pronombre interrogativo (Interrogative pronoun)Uso (Use)Ejemplos (Examples)
¿Cuándo?Tiempo o momento (Time or moment)¿Cuándo es tu cumpleaños? (When is your birthday?)
¿Cuánto?Cantidad o medida  (Quantity or measure)¿Cuánto dinero tienes? (How much money do you have?)
¿Cuánta?¿Cuánta agua bebes al día? (How much water do you drink a day?)
¿Cuántos?¿Cuántos libros tienes? (How many books do you have?)
¿Cuántas?¿Cuántas personas hay en tu familia? (How many people are there in your family?)

Exercise 1: Palabras interrogativas: "Cuánto" y "Cuándo"

Instruction: Fill in the correct word.

Show translation Show answers

Cuánto, Cuánta, Cuándo, Cuántas, Cuántos

1.
¿... es tu cumpleaños?
(When is your birthday?)
2.
¿... libros lees cada mes?
(How many books do you read each month?)
3.
¿... llegas a casa del trabajo?
(When do you get home from work?)
4.
¿... es?
(How much is it?)
5.
¿... termina tu clase de español?
(When does your Spanish class finish?)
6.
¿... agua bebes?
(How much water do you drink?)
7.
¿... compañeras tienes en tu clase?
(How many female classmates do you have in your class?)

Exercise 2: Multiple Choice

Instruction: Choose the correct solution

1. ¿_______ años tienes?

(How old are you?)

2. Mi cumpleaños es en _______.

(My birthday is in _______.)

3. Cumplo _______ años este mes.

(I turn _______ this month.)

4. ¿_______ celebramos la fiesta?

(When do we celebrate the party?)

5. Preparo una tarta para el _______.

(I prepare a cake for the _______.)

6. Tengo _______ para la fiesta de cumpleaños.

(I have _______ for the birthday party.)

Interrogative Words: "Cuánto" and "Cuándo"

This lesson focuses on two important Spanish interrogative words: cuánto and cuándo. These words are used to ask questions, but each has a different function and usage that you'll learn to recognize and apply correctly.

Understanding "Cuándo"

Cuándo is used to ask about time or moment. It helps you find out when something happens.

  • Example: ¿Cuándo es tu cumpleaños? (When is your birthday?)

Understanding "Cuánto" and its Forms

Cuánto asks about quantity or amount and changes form based on the gender and number of the noun it refers to:

  • Cuánto — masculine singular (e.g., ¿Cuánto dinero tienes?)
  • Cuánta — feminine singular (e.g., ¿Cuánta agua bebes al día?)
  • Cuántos — masculine plural (e.g., ¿Cuántos libros tienes?)
  • Cuántas — feminine plural (e.g., ¿Cuántas personas hay en tu familia?)

Summary of Lesson Content

This lesson teaches you how to differentiate and use these interrogative words effectively. You'll learn the contexts where each is appropriate, especially how cuánto adapts to the gender and number of the noun it modifies, which is a key feature in Spanish grammar at the A1 level.

Differences Between English and Spanish Interrogatives

In English, the equivalent of cuándo is simply "when," which does not change form. Similarly, "how much" or "how many" express the quantity that cuánto conveys, but without gender or number agreement since English doesn't have grammatical gender. Spanish requires matching cuánto to the noun's gender and number, adding a layer of detail to your questions.

Key Spanish Phrases to Practice

  • ¿Cuándo es la reunión? — When is the meeting?
  • ¿Cuánta leche necesitas? — How much milk do you need?
  • ¿Cuántos correos electrónicos recibiste? — How many emails did you receive?

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