Asking "Where?"
When asking about locations in Spanish, choose the question word based on whether you mean a current location, an origin, or a destination. All three forms have an accent mark on the ó.
| Question word | Meaning | Use |
|---|---|---|
| dónde | where | Current location |
| de dónde | from where | Origin |
| adónde | to where | Destination |
Use dónde by itself to ask "where" something or someone is located.
| Where is the beach? | ¿Dónde está la playa? |
Origins: De dónde
To ask where someone is from or where they are returning from, add the preposition de (from) to make de dónde (from where).
| Where are you from? | ¿De dónde es usted? |
| Where is the doctor returning from? | ¿De dónde regresa el doctor? |
Destinations: Adónde
When asking about a destination ("to where"), combine a and dónde to make adónde. Use this with verbs of motion like ir (to go), viajar (to travel), and regresar (to return).
| Where is she going today? | ¿Adónde va ella hoy? |
| Where are you traveling to? | ¿Adónde viajan ustedes? |
When answering an adónde question, use the preposition a (to) before the destination.
| I am going to the beach. | Voy a la playa. |
If the destination is masculine (uses el), the preposition a and the article el combine into the contraction al (to the).
| I am returning to the country. | Regreso al país. |