Asking for Advice in Spanish: "What should I do?" and "Any suggestions?"
Learn to ask for advice in Latin American Spanish with ¿Qué hago?, ¿Qué debo hacer? and ¿Alguna sugerencia?, plus polite ways to request help.
By TheaFirst conversations · Yapr Learn
When something goes wrong, you often need advice rather than give it. In Spanish, the most natural question is ¿Qué hago? (literally "What do I do?"). You can also say ¿Qué debo hacer? for "What should I do?" and ¿Alguna sugerencia? for "Any suggestions?" This lesson teaches you to describe a problem briefly, then ask for advice politely. You will practice with a short conversation and common patterns.
By the end, you can…
- ask "What should I do?" in Spanish using ¿Qué hago? and ¿Qué debo hacer?
- ask "Any suggestions?" with ¿Alguna sugerencia? and respond to advice politely
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
¿Qué hago?
What should I do? / What do I do?
keh AH-goh
The most common, natural way to ask for advice in everyday conversation. Use it after describing a problem.
¿Qué debo hacer?
What should I do?
keh DEH-boh ah-SEHR
Slightly more formal or reflective. Debo means "I should/must." Common in Latin America and Spain.
¿Alguna sugerencia?
Any suggestions?
ahl-GOO-nah soo-heh-REHN-syah
A direct way to ask for ideas. Use it when you want options, not just one answer.
Perdí mis llaves.
I lost my keys.
pehr-DEE mees YAH-vehs
A simple past-tense sentence to introduce the problem. Perdí means "I lost."
¿Me puedes ayudar?
Can you help me?
meh PWEH-dehs ah-yoo-DAHR
A polite request for help. In Latin America, puedes is common; in Spain, puedes is also standard.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
To ask for advice, describe the problem first, then ask a question. Common pattern: [Problem] + ¿Qué hago? For example: Perdí mi teléfono. ¿Qué hago? (I lost my phone. What should I do?) You can also use ¿Qué debo hacer? for a slightly more formal tone: No sé qué hacer. ¿Qué debo hacer? (I don't know what to do. What should I do?) If you want options, ask ¿Alguna sugerencia? or ¿Tienes alguna sugerencia? (Do you have any suggestions?).
When to use it
Use ¿Qué hago? with friends, family, or people you know well. It is direct but not rude. Use ¿Qué debo hacer? when you want to sound more thoughtful or when speaking to someone older or in a formal situation. Use ¿Alguna sugerencia? when you want several ideas, for example: Necesito un buen restaurante. ¿Alguna sugerencia? (I need a good restaurant. Any suggestions?) In Latin America, you may also hear ¿Qué me recomiendas? (What do you recommend?) as a friendly alternative.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
Perdí mis llaves. ¿Qué hago?
I lost my keys. What should I do?pehr-DEE mees YAH-vehs. keh AH-goh¿Buscaste en tu mochila?
Did you look in your backpack?boos-KAHS-teh ehn too moh-CHEE-lahSí, pero no están. ¿Alguna sugerencia?
Yes, but they're not there. Any suggestions?see, PEH-roh noh ehs-TAHN. ahl-GOO-nah soo-heh-REHN-syahLlama a la persona que te renta el apartamento.
Call the person who rents you the apartment.YAH-mah ah lah pehr-SOH-nah keh teh REHN-tah ehl ah-pahr-tah-MEHN-tohA little context goes a long way
In many Latin American countries, ¿Qué hago? is perfectly polite in everyday situations. However, when speaking to someone in a position of authority, such as a boss or a professor, ¿Qué debo hacer? or ¿Qué me recomienda? sounds more respectful. In Spain, ¿Qué hago? is also common, but ¿Qué puedo hacer? (What can I do?) is frequently used. Avoid translating "should" literally as deber in every context; Spanish often prefers the simple present or puedo.
One thing to watch for
Using ¿Qué debo hacer? in casual conversation with friends, which can sound overly formal or dramatic.
Try this instead: For everyday advice, use ¿Qué hago? For example: Perdí mi trabajo. ¿Qué hago? (I lost my job. What should I do?) Save ¿Qué debo hacer? for more formal or serious situations.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you ask "What should I do?" in a casual way after saying you lost your phone?
Show a sample answer
Perdí mi teléfono. ¿Qué hago?
This uses the common present-tense question ¿Qué hago? after describing the problem. You could also say ¿Qué puedo hacer? with a similar meaning.
2What phrase would you use to ask for several suggestions about a restaurant?
Show a sample answer
¿Alguna sugerencia?
This directly asks for suggestions. You could also say ¿Tienes alguna sugerencia? or ¿Qué me recomiendas?
3Translate: "I don't know what to do. What should I do?" using a slightly formal tone.
Show a sample answer
No sé qué hacer. ¿Qué debo hacer?
This uses debo for "should," which fits a more thoughtful or formal register. In casual speech, ¿Qué hago? is also correct.
To ask for advice in Spanish, describe the problem and then ask ¿Qué hago? or ¿Alguna sugerencia? Use ¿Qué debo hacer? when you want a more formal tone.
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