Learn Portuguese (Portugal): Qual é o preço?

Qual é o preço?

What is the price?

Breakdown of Qual é o preço?

ser

to be

qual

which / what (which one)

o preço

the price

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Questions & Answers about Qual é o preço?

Why does this sentence use Qual instead of the Portuguese word for "what"?

In English, we ask "What is the price?" But in Portuguese, when asking for specific information from a category (like a price, a name, or a date), you use Qual (which). You only use O que (what) to ask for a definition, like "O que é um preço?" (What is a price?).

Could I use Quanto (how much) to ask this?

Not with the noun preço (price). You can ask "Quanto custa?" (How much does it cost?) or "Quanto é?" (How much is it?). But if you include the actual word preço, you must ask "Qual é o preço?" (What is the price?).

Does Qual change if the noun is feminine or plural?

It changes for plural, but not for gender. If you were asking about multiple prices, Qual becomes Quais and the verb changes to match: "Quais são os preços?" (What are the prices?). But whether the word is masculine like o preço or feminine like a data (the date), it stays Qual in the singular.

Why do we need the article o before preço?

In Portuguese, it is standard to include the definite article (o or a, meaning "the") before the noun in these types of questions. You are asking for a specific thing, so it translates literally as "Which is the price?".