Q is the eighteenth letter and the fourteenth consonant of the Spanish alphabet. It is an average-frequency letter in Spanish, always followed by a silent u, which is in turn usually followed by e and i.
Quizá mañana nieve.
It may snow tomorrow.¿Qué quieres cenar hoy?
What do you want for dinner today?
The letter Q may only appear in initial or middle position in the word:
- Words starting with Q: quince (fifteen), quebrar (to break), quena (quena).
- Words with Q in them: aquí (here), parque (park), equipo (team).
Pronunciation tip: The letter Q is pronounced exactly the same as the Spanish letter k, and much like the English /k/ sound in “kiss” or “quiver”, though softer. Unlike in English, to articulate the Spanish /k/ sound, the tongue hits the palate not as strongly and with less airflow release, making it a softer sound:
- The letter Q is always followed by u, which is silent before e or i, but is not before a, e, i and o in words of foreign origin: quorum, quantum, quid.
- Some words may be written both with q and k: quinesiólogo/kinesiólogo (physical therapist), querosén/kerosén (kerosene), quimono/kimono (kimono).
- See also: Spanish alphabet
Spanish nouns that start with Q
| queso cheese | quebrada gorge | quilate karat |
| química chemistry | quietud stillness | quinta country house |
| quince fifteen | quimera chimera | quitaesmalte nail polish remover |
| queja complaint | quemazón burning | quesadilla quesadilla |
| quinoto kumquat | quiebra bankruptcy | quinquenio quinquennium |
| quincena fortnight | quilla keel | quinoa quinoa |
| quirófano operating room | quemadura burn | querubín cherub |
| quehacer task, chore | quiniela grid pool | quejido groan |
| quitamanchas stain remover | químico chemist | quiosquero news vendor |
| quinteto quintet | querella libel | quiste cyst |
Pasaremos el fin de semana en una quinta fuera de la ciudad.
We’ll spend the weekend at a country house outside the city.No me gusta hacer los quehaceres de la casa.
I don't like doing household chores.En la quietud de la noche se escuchó a alguien pidiendo ayuda.
In the stillness of the night, someone was heard calling for help.Un quinteto de cuerdas interpretó el himno nacional.
A string quintet performed the national anthem.
- See also: Spanish nouns
Spanish adjectives that start with Q
| quieto still | quebequés Quebecois | quinientos five hundred |
| querido dear | quincenal biweekly | quíntuple quintuple |
| quinto fifth | quilométrico endless | quintillizo quintuplet |
| quince fifteen | quiteño of/from Quito | querellante plaintiff |
| químico chemical | quijotesco quixotic | quisquilloso picky |
| quemado burned | quimérico chimerical | quejumbroso whiny |
| quirúrgico surgical | quinceavo fifteenth | querendón affectionate |
Hoy es el quinceavo aniversario de la empresa.
Today is the company’s fifteenth anniversary.Todavía le quedan amigos queridos en su ciudad natal.
He still has dear friends in his hometown.Este Iphone me costó quinientos dólares.
This iPhone cost me five hundred dollars.El niño come poco; es muy quisquilloso con la comida.
The boy eats little; he is very picky with food.
- See also: Spanish adjectives
Spanish verbs that start with Q
| querer to want | quejarse to complain | quebrantar to break, violate |
| quemar to burn | quitar to take away | querellar to take legal action |
| quebrar to break | quedar to remain | quintuplicar to quintuple |
Spanish verbs with Q in them
| adquirir to acquire | equivocar to be wrong | blanquear to whiten |
| bloquear to block | enloquecer to go crazy | desquitar to get even |
| maquillar to make up | llorisquear to sob | saquear to loot |
| esquiar to ski | coquetear to flirt | maquinar to plot |
| tranquilizar to calm down | enriquecer to make rich | liquidar to pay off (debt) |
| obsequiar to give, present | delinquir to commit a crime | noquear to knock out |
| aquietar to calm | inquietar to worry, disturb | asquear to sicken |
| conquistar to conquer | chasquear to snap | equiparar to equate |
| esquivar to dodge, evade | equilibrar to balance | flaquear to falter |
| requerir to require | equivaler to be equal to | desquiciar to drive crazy |
No te inquietes, todo irá bien.
Don’t worry, everything will be fine.La cuenta está mal, se han equivocado.
The check is wrong, they’ve made a mistake.¿A cuántos dólares equivalen diez euros?
How many dollars are ten euros worth?Mis amigos siempre van a esquiar en invierno.
My friends always go skiing in winter.
- See also: Spanish verbs
Spanish adverbs with Q in them
| quizás perhaps | equitativamente fairly, equally | equivocadamente wrongly |
| siquiera at least | equívocamente equivocally | antiquísimamente anciently |
| tranquilamente calmly | exquisitamente exquisitely | inequívocamente unequivocally |
Quizás mañana hagamos un pícnic; depende del clima.
Maybe we’ll have a picnic tomorrow; it depends on the weather.¿Por qué no repartimos las tareas equitativamente?
Why don’t we divide the tasks fairly?Me gusta sentarme a leer tranquilamente debajo de un árbol.
I like to sit and read quietly under a tree.Quédate conmigo un rato siquiera.
Stay with me for a while, at least.
- See also: Spanish adverbs
More everyday Spanish words that start with Q
Some more everyday Spanish words that start with Q include:
qué
what
que / that
quién / who
quienquiera / whoever
quitapenas / worry doll
quimioterapia / chemotherapy
quinquenal / five-year
¿Qué deseas beber?
What would you like to drink?
¿A quién has invitado a tu fiesta?
Who have you invited to your party?
Las muñecas quitapenas se colocan debajo de la almohada.
Worry dolls are placed under the pillow.
Quienquiera que venga será bienvenido.
Whoever comes will be welcome.
You may also like:
Practice: Spanish words with Q
References
- Wordreference.com, “quijotesco,” accessed November 15, 2024, https://www.wordreference.com/
- Oxford Spanish Dictionary, 3rd edition on CD-ROM, Oxford University Press.
- Merriam-Webster Dictionary, accessed November 15, 2024, under “equivocally,” https://www.merriam-webster.com/
- Real Academia Española, Diccionario de la lengua española, under “puertorriqueño,” accessed November 18, 2024, https://dle.rae.es/
- Enciclopedia del Lenguaje, “Palabras con Q,” by Carla Giani. Last updated October 25, 2024, https://lenguaje.com/
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