You Need to Ask Your Teacher a Question in Spanish | Say It

Use a polite greeting, ask clearly, then end with “gracias” so your teacher knows what you need.

If you’re learning Spanish, the moment you raise your hand can feel like a spotlight. You know the question in your head, but the words come out tangled. This page gives you ready-to-use lines, plus a simple pattern you can reuse for new questions, so you can speak up without freezing.

The trick is to keep your question short, add one courtesy phrase, and pick the right verb form. Once you can do that, you can ask about homework, instructions, vocabulary, or a quiz in a way that sounds natural.

You Need to Ask Your Teacher a Question in Spanish With Better Timing

Most class questions fit into one of four shapes. Learn the shapes, then swap in the topic word you need.

Use a four-part pattern that works for almost anything

1. Get attention: “Profe,” “Señor/Señora,” or “Disculpe.”
2. Signal a question: “Tengo una pregunta.” or “Una duda.”
3. Ask it: one sentence, no extras.
4. Close: “Gracias.”

Put it together like this: “Disculpe, tengo una pregunta. ¿Puede repetir la última parte? Gracias.” It’s short, clear, and easy to say even when you’re nervous.

Pick the right “you” for class

In many classrooms, you’ll hear teachers use tú with students. Students may still choose a more formal style when speaking to a teacher. If you’re unsure, start with usted-style verbs like “¿Puede…?” and “¿Podría…?” They sound polite and fit almost any request.

If you want a quick reference on what “preguntar” means and how it’s used, the RAE dictionary entry for “preguntar” is a solid check for meaning and examples.

Common ways to start a class question

These openers buy you a second to breathe, and they signal that a question is coming.

• “Disculpe, …”
• “Perdón, …”
• “Profe, …”
• “¿Me permite una pregunta?”
• “Tengo una duda.”

Keep the opener light. Don’t stack two or three of them. One is enough.

Question types you’ll use all the time

When you didn’t catch what was said

These lines help when the teacher spoke fast, wrote something while talking, or gave instructions while handing out papers.

• “¿Puede repetir, por favor?”
• “¿Puede hablar más despacio?”
• “¿Qué dijo al final?”
• “No entendí la última parte.”

When you need meaning or spelling

This is the safest kind of question, since it stays narrow.

• “¿Qué significa ‘___’?”
• “¿Cómo se escribe ‘___’?”
• “¿Se escribe junto o separado?”
• “¿Cuál es la diferencia entre ‘___’ y ‘___’?”

When you need a sample sentence

One good sample is worth a full paragraph of notes.

• “¿Me puede dar una oración con ‘___’?”
• “¿Puede usarlo en una frase?”
• “¿Cómo lo diría usted en clase?”

When grammar is the problem

Ask about one piece at a time. Name the tense or the part you’re stuck on.

• “¿Esto va en presente o en pasado?”
• “¿Por qué aquí va ‘ser’ y no ‘estar’?”
• “¿Cuál es el sujeto en esta oración?”
• “¿Esta palabra es un adjetivo?”

Small details that make your Spanish sound clear

Teachers care about clarity more than fancy words. Three details lift your question fast: question marks, stress, and pacing.

Use both question marks in writing

Spanish uses an opening and a closing question mark. If you write only the closing mark, your sentence looks like English. If you’re writing questions on worksheets, it’s worth getting this right. The RAE’s Ortografía básica page on question marks explains the rule and shows correct placement.

Pause before the key word

If your question has a blank you need to fill, pause right before it: “¿Qué significa … ‘conseguir’?” That small pause makes the word stand out and helps your teacher hear it.

Use “¿Puede…?” for requests, “¿Qué…?” for info

“¿Puede…?” asks for an action: repeat, explain, check, write, read. “¿Qué…?” asks for info: meaning, definition, reason, difference. Choosing the right starter keeps your sentence tight.

Table of ready-to-use questions for class

Use the left column to pick the situation, then say the Spanish line as-is. Swap in your own word where you see “___”.

Situation	Spanish line	Extra note
You need repetition	“¿Puede repetir, por favor?”	Add “la última parte” if needed
You need slower speech	“¿Puede hablar más despacio?”	Keep your tone calm
You don’t get the instruction	“No entendí la consigna. ¿Puede explicarla otra vez?”	Point to the line on the paper
You need meaning	“¿Qué significa ‘___’?”	Say the word, then spell it
You need spelling	“¿Cómo se escribe ‘___’?”	Ask if it has accent marks
You want a sample sentence	“¿Me puede dar una oración con ‘___’?”	Write it down as they speak
You’re stuck on ser/estar	“¿Por qué aquí va ‘ser’ y no ‘estar’?”	Read the full sentence aloud
You’re unsure about homework	“¿Para cuándo es la tarea?”	Ask again if dates were said fast
You want feedback on your answer	“¿Está bien si digo ‘___’?”	Offer your sentence, not a single word

How to ask without getting stuck mid-sentence

Even with good phrases, nerves can blank your brain. Use these tactics to keep moving.

Start with what you know, then narrow it

If you can’t form the full question, begin with a label: “Una duda…” or “Una pregunta…” Then add a short fragment: “sobre la tarea,” “sobre este verbo,” “sobre esta palabra.” Your teacher will usually meet you halfway.

Use a rescue line when you forget a word

You don’t need the perfect term. Use a rescue line and keep going.

• “No sé cómo se dice en español.”
• “Se me olvidó la palabra.”
• “¿Cómo se llama esto?”

Point, read, or show your notes

If you’re asking about a worksheet line, point to it. If you’re asking about a sentence you wrote, read it out loud. Clear context beats long explanations.

Asking for permission in Spanish

Classrooms have a set of permission questions that show up again and again. The core is “¿Puedo…?” (Can I…?) or the more polite “¿Podría…?” (Could I…?).

• “¿Puedo ir al baño?”
• “¿Puedo tomar agua?”
• “¿Puedo sacar una foto de la pizarra?”
• “¿Podría entregar la tarea mañana?”

When you want a gentle tone, add “por favor” at the end. For a classroom-friendly explanation of courtesy phrases, the Instituto Cervantes entry on cortesía in ELE terms gives a useful overview of polite wording choices used by learners.

Table of quick swaps to build your own questions

This table shows mix-and-match parts. Pick one starter, one topic, then finish with a clear ask.

Starter	Topic chunk	Finish
“Disculpe, …”	“sobre la tarea”	“¿para cuándo es?”
“Tengo una duda …”	“con este verbo”	“¿cómo se conjuga?”
“Perdón, …”	“con esta palabra”	“¿qué significa?”
“Profe, …”	“en la página ___”	“¿qué hay que hacer?”
“¿Me permite …?”	“una pregunta”	“sobre el examen”
“¿Puede …?”	“otra vez”	“la explicación”
“¿Podría …?”	“hoy”	“revisar mi respuesta”

Mini scripts you can say word for word

Scripts are useful when you want to speak fast and sit back down. Say one, then stop talking.

Vocabulary check

“Disculpe, tengo una pregunta. ¿Qué significa ‘___’? Gracias.”

Clarification on instructions

“Perdón, no entendí la consigna. ¿Puede explicarla otra vez? Gracias.”

Homework deadline

“Profe, una duda sobre la tarea: ¿para cuándo es? Gracias.”

Grammar choice

“Disculpe, ¿por qué aquí va ‘___’? Gracias.”

Practice plan that takes ten minutes

If you want these phrases to come out smoothly, practice them out loud. Silent reading won’t train your mouth.

1. Pick three lines from the first table.
2. Say each line five times, slow at first, then at normal speed.
3. Swap in one real word from your notes.
4. Write one question on paper with both question marks, then read it aloud.

If you want a school-focused explanation of courtesy expressions used in Spanish classes, the Junta de Andalucía resource on expresiones y fórmulas de cortesía lists common phrases and explains what they do in everyday speech.

Once you’ve said the lines enough times, they stop feeling like memorized chunks. They start feeling like your own voice.

Common slip-ups and quick fixes

Most awkward moments come from a few repeat errors. Fixing them gives you cleaner Spanish with less effort.

Mixing up “qué” and “que”

In questions, you’ll often need the accented form: “¿Qué significa…?” If you’re writing, add the accent when it’s a question word. If you’re speaking, stress it a bit more: qué.

Forgetting the subject in your own sentence

If you ask “¿Está bien?” with no context, your teacher has to guess what “it” is. Add one small chunk: “¿Está bien esta frase?” or “¿Está bien si digo…?” Then read your sentence out loud.

Using a long English-style question

English often piles everything into one sentence. In Spanish class, split it into two short lines. Start with “Tengo una duda,” then ask the core question. You’ll sound clearer, and you’ll finish your thought before nerves kick in.

Answering your own question while you ask it

It’s normal to ramble when you’re unsure. Try this rule: one opener, one question, stop. If you still need to add detail, pause and wait for the teacher to respond. You can add one more line after they react.

Pronunciation tips that help your teacher understand you

You don’t need a perfect accent to be understood. You do need clean vowels and steady rhythm.

Say Spanish vowels like five steady sounds

Spanish vowels stay stable. Keep a, e, i, o, u short and clear. This matters in class words like “tarea,” “pizarra,” and “pregunta.”

Hit the stress on the right syllable

If a word has an accent mark, stress that syllable: pre-GUN-ta, ta-RE-a, úl-ti-ma. If there’s no accent mark, many words stress the second-to-last syllable when they end in a vowel, n, or s.

Use a rising tone at the end of a question

Even if your grammar is rough, intonation tells your teacher you’re asking something. Let your voice rise a little at the end, then stop talking and look up.

What to do when you don’t understand the answer

Sometimes the teacher answers in Spanish, and you still feel lost. Don’t nod and hope for the best. Use one of these lines right away.

• “Perdón, no lo entendí. ¿Puede decirlo de otra manera?”
• “¿Puede escribirlo en la pizarra?”
• “¿Puede darme un segundo? Estoy tomando notas.”

If you get a new word in the reply, ask for it on the spot: “¿Cómo se escribe?” Then you can look it up later, and you won’t lose the thread during class.