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¿De qué es el bolso? Es de tela.

¿De qué es el bolso? Es de tela.
What is the bag made of? It is made of fabric.
From Lesson 105:What is it made of? (de madera, redondo)·Spanish (Spain)

Breakdown of ¿De qué es el bolso? Es de tela.

ser
to be
de
of
qué
what
el bolso
the handbag
la tela
the fabric, the cloth

Questions & Answers about ¿De qué es el bolso? Es de tela.

Why does the Spanish question start with De instead of putting it at the end?
In English, it is common to end a question with a preposition, like 'What is the bag made of?'. In Spanish, you can never end a sentence with a preposition. The preposition must always go right before the question word. That is why it is ¿De qué...? (Of what...?).
Why isn't there a word for 'made' in the Spanish sentence?
When talking about the material an object is made from, Spanish simply uses the verb ser (to be) followed by de (of). So, Es de tela literally means 'It is of fabric', which is the most natural way to say 'It is made of fabric' in everyday Spanish.
Why do we use es (from the verb ser) instead of está (from the verb estar) here?
The verb ser is used for permanent, defining characteristics of an object. Since the bag being made of fabric is a core, unchanging property (it will not suddenly turn into leather), you must use es.
What is the difference between un bolso and una bolsa?
They are very similar words, but in Spain, un bolso is a handbag or purse used for personal items. Una bolsa is usually a basic shopping bag, a plastic grocery bag, or a trash bag.

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