Spanish Words Starting with Q

There are 424 Spanish words beginning with Q, and a U follows the Q in every single one of them.

The U After Q Is Not Optional

Spanish has no word where Q stands alone. The pair QU always travels together, and before E or I the U is silent, as in QUESO and QUINCE.

That makes the second position settled before you start, so the real choice on this page begins at the third letter.

Common Q Words for Learners

QUESO, QUEDAR, QUINCE, QUIEN and QUÍMICA are among the most useful entries, and they show both the silent U and its behaviour before different vowels.

• Queso
• Quedar
• Quince
• Quien
• Química

QUE and QUI Are the Only Real Branches

Almost everything on this page opens QUE or QUI. A handful of loanwords such as QUANTUM keep a pronounced U, but they are a rounding error against the rest.

For word games this is the page to know, since Q is high scoring in Spanish Scrabble and the QU pairing means you always need both tiles together.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the U in QUESO pronounced

No. Before E and I the U is silent and only marks the hard K sound. In QUANTUM, a loanword, it is pronounced.

How does Spanish write the QUA sound

With CU, as in CUANDO and CUATRO. That is why native Spanish words never open QUA, and the few that do are borrowings.

Why is QUIEN so useful to learn

It is the standard question word for who, and it appears in ordinary conversation constantly.