How to Ask for Someone's Opinion Politely in Spanish
Learn five natural Latin American Spanish ways to ask 'What do you think?' and similar questions that invite another person's view, with pronunciation and usage notes.
By LiamCulture & nuance · Yapr Learn
Asking for someone's opinion is one of the most useful things you can do in a conversation, and Spanish has several set phrases for it. This lesson teaches you how to invite another person's view politely, from a casual 'What do you think?' to a more formal request. You will not practice giving your own opinion here; the focus is entirely on asking, so you can hand the conversation to the other person smoothly and respectfully.
By the end, you can…
- ask 'What do you think?' in several natural Spanish ways.
- choose a polite or casual question depending on who I am speaking to.
- invite someone's view about a plan, an idea, or a decision.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
¿Qué piensas?
What do you think?
keh PYEHN-sahs
The most direct everyday question. Use it with friends, family, and people you already know well. In Spain you will also hear ¿Qué piensas? with the same meaning.
¿Qué opinas?
What's your opinion? / What do you think?
keh oh-PEE-nahs
Slightly more formal than ¿Qué piensas? and very common in Latin America for asking someone's view on a topic or decision.
¿Tú qué crees?
What do you think? / What do you believe?
too keh KREH-ehs
A warm, conversational option. The pronoun tú at the beginning adds emphasis, like 'What do you think?' in English.
¿Qué te parece?
What do you think of it? / How does it seem to you?
keh teh pah-REH-seh
Use this when you are showing or describing something specific, such as a plan, a price, or an idea. It literally means 'How does it seem to you?'
¿Me puede dar su opinión?
Could you give me your opinion?
meh PWEH-deh dar soo oh-pee-NYOHN
A polite, formal question using usted. Good with strangers, older people, clients, or in professional settings.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
Many of these questions follow a simple pattern: question word + verb. ¿Qué piensas? and ¿Qué opinas? use the tú form of the verb, which is standard in Latin America for one person you know. For formal situations, switch to ¿Qué piensa? or ¿Qué opina? with usted. If you want to name the topic, add de + noun: ¿Qué piensas de la propuesta? ('What do you think of the proposal?') or ¿Qué te parece el precio? ('What do you think of the price?').
When to use it
Choose ¿Qué piensas? or ¿Tú qué crees? with friends and family. Use ¿Qué opinas? when you want a slightly more measured tone, for example at work with a colleague. Use ¿Qué te parece? when there is something concrete to react to, like a plan or a menu. Save ¿Me puede dar su opinión? for formal contexts with usted. Mixing these levels is not rude, but matching them to the situation sounds more natural.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
Vamos a cambiar la fecha de la reunión. ¿Qué te parece?
Let's change the date of the meeting. What do you think?BAH-mohs ah kahm-BYAR lah FEH-chah deh lah reh-YOON. keh teh pah-REH-sehMe parece bien, pero prefiero preguntarle a Ana. ¿Tú qué crees?
It seems fine to me, but I prefer to ask Ana. What do you think?meh pah-REH-seh BYEHN, PEH-roh preh-FYEH-roh preh-goon-TAR-leh ah AH-nah. too keh KREH-ehsBuena idea. ¿Qué opinas de hacerla el viernes?
Good idea. What do you think about doing it on Friday?BWEH-nah ee-DEH-ah. keh oh-PEE-nahs deh ah-SEHR-lah el BYEHR-nehsEl viernes es mejor para todos. ¿Le preguntamos al jefe?
Friday is better for everyone. Shall we ask the boss?el BYEHR-nehs ehs meh-HOR pah-rah TOH-dohs. leh preh-goon-TAH-mohs ahl HEH-fehA little context goes a long way
In much of Latin America, tú is the normal way to address one person you know, while usted marks respect or distance. In parts of Argentina, Uruguay, and Central America, vos replaces tú in casual speech, so you may hear ¿Qué pensás? or ¿Vos qué creés? instead. Recognizing these forms is useful even if you speak with tú.
One thing to watch for
Using ¿Qué piensas? with a boss or a stranger in a formal setting.
Try this instead: With someone you address as usted, use the usted form: ¿Qué piensa? or the fuller ¿Me puede dar su opinión? For example, to a client: ¿Qué opina de nuestra propuesta? This keeps the polite register consistent.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1You are chatting with a close friend about a movie. Which question fits best: ¿Qué piensas? or ¿Me puede dar su opinión?
Show a sample answer
¿Qué piensas?
With a close friend, the informal tú form is natural. ¿Me puede dar su opinión? uses usted and sounds far too formal for this situation.
2You want to ask a colleague's view on a specific plan you just described. Which phrase is the best fit?
Show a sample answer
¿Qué te parece?
¿Qué te parece? is used when there is something concrete to react to, such as a plan. ¿Qué opinas? is also possible, but ¿Qué te parece? highlights the specific proposal.
3How would you politely ask a client for their opinion using usted?
Show a sample answer
¿Me puede dar su opinión?
This uses usted and the polite request me puede dar. ¿Qué opina? would also be correct and slightly shorter, and both keep a respectful tone.
To ask for an opinion, start with ¿Qué piensas? or ¿Qué opinas? for everyday use, ¿Qué te parece? for something specific, and ¿Me puede dar su opinión? when you need to be formal with usted.
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