What is that
Use this for something that is far away from both you and the person you're speaking to.
A shorter, more conversational way to ask, like 'And that?' or 'What about that?'.
A slightly more emphatic way to ask, literally 'What thing is that?'. Used to express curiosity or surprise.
Excuse me, what is that in the display case?
Look at the sky. What is that over there?
The dish looks interesting. What is that?
I see you have something new on your desk. And that?
The phrase '¿Qué es eso?' is the standard, universally understood way to ask 'What is that?' across the entire Spanish-speaking world.
No significant variation. '¿Qué es eso?' is standard. The distinction between 'eso' (that, near the listener) and 'aquello' (that, far from both) is often more strictly observed in formal education.
You might hear '¿Qué es eso, che?' in casual conversation. The 'che' is a very common filler word used to get someone's attention, similar to 'hey' or 'man'.
'¿Qué es eso?' is the most common phrase. In some informal contexts, you might hear shortened versions like '¿Y eso?' frequently.
Saying '¿Cuál es eso?' instead of '¿Qué es eso?'. — When asking for a definition or to identify an unknown object, always use '¿Qué...?'. '¿Cuál...?' is used to choose from a known set of options, meaning 'Which one...?'. For example: '¿Qué es eso?' (What is that?) vs. '¿Cuál prefieres?' (Which one do you prefer?).
Confusing 'eso' with 'esto'. — These words depend on distance. Use '¿Qué es esto?' for 'What is this?' (something in your hand or very close to you). Use '¿Qué es eso?' for 'What is that?' (something a bit further away, perhaps closer to the person you're talking to).
Forgetting the accent mark on 'qué'. — In questions and exclamations, the word 'what' is always written 'qué' with an accent. Without it, 'que' means 'that' or 'which' in a statement (e.g., 'El libro que leo' - 'The book that I am reading').
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