Hello! This week
on Ask a Teacher, we will answer a question from Zehra, a reader of our
website, about the difference between using the question words WHAT and WHICH.
reader: lector/a;
question words: pronombres interrogativos; what/which: cuál/es;
Question: Hello, Could you
please tell me which one is correct? “WHAT color is missing?” or “WHICH color is
missing?” -- Zehra
is
missing: falta, no aparece. está ausentente;
Answer:
Dear Zehra,
Thank you for your question! Either of these questions could be correct. WHAT
and WHICH can both be used to form a question.
So,
either of these questions could be correct. It
depends on the situation and the
information we are seeking. Let us consider each question word more closely.
either of:
cualquiera de; could be: podría ser; can both be used: ambos
pueden utilizarse; to form: para formar; it depends ON: depende DE
(al verbo "depend" le sigue siempre la preposición ON (no
OF);
we are seeking: (que) estamos buscando; let us consider: analicemos;
more closely: detenidamente;
WHAT
When we ask a question using WHAT, we are asking for information because we do
not know the answer. The information can be about things or actions. For example:
we do not know:
no sabemos, desconocemos;
WHAT is your favorite kind of pizza?
¿CUAL es tu tipo de pizza favorita?
In this example, the person who asks the question does not know WHAT kind of
pizza the other person likes. There can be an unlimited number of possible
answers. This is important when trying to decide between the two question words.
A person answering the pizza question
could say a favorite combination of toppings, like meat
and cheese, or even a favorite style of pizza.
what kind of pizza: cuál tipo de pizza; the other person likes: le
gusta a la otra persona; unliimited number of: ilimitada cantidad de;
when trying to decide: al tratar de decidir; between: entre; could
say: podría mencionar; toppings: capas, rellenos; meat and cheese:
carne y queso; or even: o incluso;
WHICH
We use WHICH to
ask questions about specific information or when we are presenting a set of
choices. We may have some background information that we want to explore more by
using a WHICH question.
specific information:
información concreta o determinada; presenting: ofreciendo; a set of
choices: una serie de opciones o variedades; background information:
información de fondo; to explore: explorar, averiguar; by using:
utilizando;
For example, if I am in a parking lot with my friend and I know she has a car
but am unsure WHICH is hers, I could ask a question using WHICH.
parking lot:
playa de estacionamiento, aparcamiento, parqueadero; but am unsure: pero
no estoy seguro/a; is hers: es el ed su propiedad, es suyo;
WHICH is yours: the blue truck or the red car?
¿CUAL es el tuyo: la camioneta azul o el coche rojo?
Here, the question deals with a limited choice. So we use the question word
WHICH.
deals with:
expone, presenta; a limited choice: una opción limitada;
SUMMARY
(1) We can use an example using geography to easily show the difference between
WHAT and WHICH.
to easily show:
para mostrar fácilmente;
WHAT is the capital of the United States?
¿CUAL es la
capital de los Estados Unidos?
The answer is unknown, and the choices are unlimited.
the answer is
unknown: se desconoce la respuesta; the choices are unlimited: las
opciones son ilimitadas;
(2) WHICH is the capital of the United States: Philadelphia or Washington, DC?
CUAL es la capital de los Estados Unidos: ¿Filadelfia o Washingron,
DC?
There are only two choices.
there are: hay,
existen; only two choices: solamente dos opciones;
IMPORTANT
Using
WHAT suggests that the questioner does not know the answer and that there is no
limit to the number of possible answers.
If you choose WHICH as your question word, you may have prior
knowledge and you are asking for information that is more specific. You may also
be limiting the decision to a few choices.
using WHAT
suggests that: usar (el pronombre) WHAT sugiere que; the questioner:
el interrogador (quien pregunta); you may have prior knowledge: tienes
que tener conocimiento previo, saber de antemano las opciones; asking for:
solicitando, requiriendo; you may also be limiting the decision: asimismo
puedes limiitar la decisión; to a few choices: a unas pocas opciones o
alternativas.
And that’s Ask a Teacher.
I’m Faith Pirlo.
