33. WHAT IS AN INTERROGATIVE ADJECTIVE?

An interrogative adjective is a word tat asks a question about a noun.

IN ENGLISH

The words which and what are called interrogative adjectives when

they come in front of a noun and are used to ask a question about tat

noun.

Which instructor is teaching the course?

What courses are you taking?

IN SPANISH

There are two interrogative adjectives: qué which corresponds to the

English which or what and the forms of cuánto meaning how much or

how many.t

1. to say “which book” or “what dress” in Spanish, you use the fol-

lowing strUcture: which or what + noun —* qué + noun

Qué is invariable; that is, it does not change form to agree in

number and gender with the noun it modifies.

tQué revista lees?

What magazine are you reading?

~Qué libros quieres?

Which books do you want?

2. to ask “how many students” or “how much time” in Spanish, you

use the following structure: how much or how many + noun —*

cuánto + noun

Cuánto has four forms to agree in gender and number with the

noun it modifies.

How much money do you need?

El dinero (money) is masculine singular

so the word for “how much” must be masculine singular.

~Cudnto dinero necesitas?

masc. sing.

tIn certain areas of the Spanish-speaking world cull and culles can function as interrogative adjectives:

~Cull libro quieres? (Which book do you want?). However, qué is the interrogative adjective

which/what used in standard Spanish.

How much soup do you want?

La sopa (soup) is feminine singular

so the word for “how much” must be feminine singular.

~Cuânta sopa quieres?

fern. sing.

How many records do you have?

Los discos (records) is masculine plural

so the word for “how many” must be masculine plural.

&CuIntos discos tienes?

masc. p1.

How many suitcases are you bringing?

Las maletas (suitcases) is feminine plural

so the word for “how many” must be feminine plural.

LCudntas maletas traes?

fern. p1.

Careful

The word “what” is not always an interrogative adjective. It can also

be an interrogative pronoun. When it is a pronoun, what (qué) is not

followed by a noun.

What is on the table?

interrogative pronoun

tQué hay en la mesa?

The expression “how many” is not always an interrogative adjective.

It can also be an interrogative pronoun. When it is a pronoun, how

many (cuánto) is not followed by a noun.

How man doyouneed?

interrogative pronoun

~Cuántos necesitas?

It is important to distinguish interrogative adjectives from interroga-

tive pronouns because somefimes different words are used in Spanish

(see What is an Interrogative Pronoun?, p. 153).