How to say “What do you think about it?” in Spanish

Introduction

Learning how to ask for someone’s opinion in Spanish is one of the most practical and commonly used conversational skills. Whether you’re traveling through Spain, having a casual conversation with Spanish-speaking friends, or conducting business meetings, knowing how to ask What do you think about it? in Spanish will help you engage in meaningful dialogue and show respect for others’ perspectives. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore the most natural and frequently used Spanish phrases for asking someone’s opinion, along with practical examples and cultural insights that will enhance your speaking confidence.

The Most Common Way: Qué piensas

The most straightforward and widely used way to ask What do you think about it? in Spanish is ¿Qué piensas? This phrase is informal and perfect for conversations with friends, family members, or people your own age. The verb pensar means to think, and when conjugated in the second person singular (tú form), it becomes piensas.

Here’s how you would use it in a conversation:

Person A: Estoy considerando cambiar de trabajo. ¿Qué piensas? (I’m considering changing jobs. What do you think?)
Person B: Creo que deberías hablar primero con tu familia. (I think you should talk to your family first.)

The beauty of ¿Qué piensas? is its simplicity and directness. It’s informal enough to use in everyday situations but still maintains a respectful tone when asking for someone’s thoughts on a particular matter.

The Formal Alternative: Qué piensa usted

When you need to be more formal or professional, you would use ¿Qué piensa usted? This version uses the formal you form (usted) and is appropriate when speaking to strangers, authority figures, elders, or in business contexts. The conjugation changes from piensas to piensa when using the formal register.

Consider this business scenario:

Employee: Señor García, he preparado una propuesta para el nuevo proyecto. ¿Qué piensa usted? (Mr. García, I’ve prepared a proposal for the new project. What do you think?)
Manager: Déjame revisarlo con cuidado. (Let me review it carefully.)

Using ¿Qué piensa usted? demonstrates professionalism and respect, making it the preferred choice in formal settings, job interviews, or when addressing someone you don’t know well.

Adding Specificity: Qué piensas de esto/eso

Sometimes you want to direct someone’s attention to something specific. In these cases, you can add de esto (about this) or de eso (about that) to your question. ¿Qué piensas de esto? is particularly useful when you’re pointing to something tangible or referring to something just mentioned.

Here are some practical examples:

At a clothing store: Acabo de encontrar este vestido. ¿Qué piensas de esto? (I just found this dress. What do you think about it?)

During a meal: Probé esta nueva receta. ¿Qué piensas del sabor? (I tried this new recipe. What do you think of the flavor?)

The addition of de esto or de eso makes your question more specific and helps the listener understand exactly what subject matter you’re seeking their opinion on, avoiding any potential confusion.

Alternative Phrasing: Cuál es tu opinión

Another excellent way to ask for someone’s opinion is ¿Cuál es tu opinión? This literally translates to What is your opinion? and is slightly more formal than ¿Qué piensas? while still remaining friendly and approachable. The word opinión directly refers to someone’s thoughts or perspective on a matter.

This phrase works well in various contexts:

During a group discussion: Hemos estado debatiendo este tema toda la tarde. ¿Cuál es tu opinión al respecto? (We’ve been debating this topic all afternoon. What’s your opinion on it?)

Between colleagues: Estamos eligiendo entre dos proveedores diferentes. ¿Cuál es tu opinión? (We’re choosing between two different suppliers. What’s your opinion?)

¿Cuál es tu opinión? demonstrates that you genuinely value the other person’s perspective and are seeking their informed thoughts rather than a quick reaction.

Formal Version: Cuál es su opinión

Just like with pensar, you can make ¿Cuál es tu opinión? more formal by using ¿Cuál es su opinión? This version is perfect for professional environments, academic discussions, or when addressing someone with whom you should maintain formal distance.

Example in an academic setting:

Professor: Hemos analizado los datos del estudio. ¿Cuál es su opinión sobre los resultados? (We’ve analyzed the study’s data. What’s your opinion on the results?)

The formal version maintains the same grammatical structure as the informal one, but the use of su instead of tu shifts the entire tone to be more respectful and appropriate for formal circumstances.

Expressing Interest in Specific Aspects: Qué te parece

The phrase ¿Qué te parece? is another popular and very natural way to ask someone’s opinion. It literally means What does it seem to you? and is commonly used in everyday Spanish conversation. The verb parecer (to seem) is conjugated as parece and paired with the indirect object pronoun te.

This phrase is particularly useful when you want to know someone’s impression or feeling about something:

About a movie: Acabamos de ver la película nueva. ¿Qué te parece? (We just watched the new movie. What do you think?)

About a plan: Tengo la idea de hacer un viaje a México este verano. ¿Qué te parece? (I have the idea of taking a trip to Mexico this summer. What do you think?)

¿Qué te parece? has a slightly different nuance than ¿Qué piensas? It focuses more on personal impression or feeling rather than analytical thinking, making it perfect for casual, everyday conversations.

The Formal Equivalent: Qué le parece

For formal situations, ¿Qué le parece? serves as the professional version of ¿Qué te parece? The indirect object pronoun changes from te to le to maintain the formal register.

In a professional context:

Client meeting: He diseñado tres opciones diferentes para su proyecto. ¿Qué le parece? (I’ve designed three different options for your project. What do you think?)

This version is equally common in formal settings and shows that you’re seeking the other person’s judgment or impression while maintaining appropriate professional boundaries.

Cultural Considerations and Usage Tips

When asking for opinions in Spanish-speaking cultures, it’s important to remember that direct communication is generally valued, but the degree of formality matters significantly. In Latin American countries, you’ll find that ¿Qué piensas? and ¿Qué te parece? are used very liberally even in somewhat formal settings, while in Spain, there might be slightly more adherence to formal distinctions.

Additionally, native Spanish speakers often ask follow-up questions to clarify or deepen the conversation. After receiving a response to ¿Qué piensas?, you might hear phrases like ¿En serio? (Really?) or ¿Por qué piensas eso? (Why do you think that?), which show genuine interest in the other person’s perspective.

It’s also worth noting that in group settings, you might hear the plural forms: ¿Qué piensan? (What do you all think?) or ¿Qué les parece? (What do you all think?), which follow the same rules but are directed at multiple people.

Common Responses and Follow-Up

Understanding how to respond to these questions is equally important. Common responses include:

Creo que (I think that…)
Me parece que (It seems to me that…)
En mi opinión (In my opinion…)
A mi juicio (In my judgment…)

These response starters will help you engage in the full conversational exchange after you’ve asked your question.

Conclusion

Asking What do you think about it? in Spanish has several natural and nuanced options depending on your context and relationship with the person you’re speaking to. Whether you choose ¿Qué piensas? for casual conversations, ¿Qué te parece? for impressions, or the formal versions with usted for professional settings, you now have multiple tools to confidently seek others’ opinions. Practice these phrases in real conversations, pay attention to how native speakers use them, and remember that asking for someone’s perspective shows genuine interest and respect. As you continue your Spanish learning journey, these question formulations will become second nature, enhancing your ability to engage in meaningful dialogues and build stronger connections with Spanish speakers worldwide.