Learn Spanish (Latin America): ¿Cuál es tu nacionalidad?

In English we ask 'What is your nationality?', but in Spanish you use cuál (which usually translates to 'which'). We use cuál es when asking for a specific piece of information from a larger group of possibilities (like names, phone numbers, or nationalities). If you asked ¿Qué es tu nacionalidad?, it would sound like you are asking for the dictionary definition of the word 'nationality'.

Why do we use es instead of está?

We use es, which comes from the verb ser, because nationality is considered a permanent part of your identity. You use ser for things like origin, occupation, and identity, while estar is used for temporary feelings or physical locations.

How do I ask this if I want to be more formal?

You would change the informal word for 'your' (tu) to the formal version (su). The formal question is ¿Cuál es su nacionalidad?.

I noticed nacionalidad ends in -dad. Does that mean it is feminine?

Yes! In Spanish, almost all nouns that end in -dad are feminine (just like la ciudad for 'the city'). You do not see a feminine word like la (the) or una (a) in this sentence, but it is a great pattern to remember for when you need to use adjectives with these words!