Spanish Phrase
¿Qué está causando esto?
Meaning
The sentence asks for the cause of a situation that the speaker is observing. It can refer to anything from a strange sound, a problem at work, or an unexpected event. The progressive form emphasizes that the cause is currently in effect.
When to use
Use this question when you notice something unusual and want to know the immediate reason behind it. It works in both formal and informal settings, but in casual conversation native speakers often prefer "¿Qué provoca esto?".
✦Grammar Breakdown
Quéestácausandoesto
Qué (interrogative)
The word "qué" with an accent is the interrogative pronoun meaning "what". It always carries the accent in questions, direct or indirect.
Estar + gerundio
The construction "estar + gerund" forms the present progressive, indicating an action that is happening right now.
Causando (gerund of causar)
"Causar" means "to cause"; its gerund "causando" expresses the ongoing act of causing something.
Esto (demonstrative pronoun)
"Esto" refers to something close to the speaker, equivalent to "this" in English.
🗨In Conversation
¿Qué está causando esto?
What is causing this?
El ruido proviene del motor que está fallando.
The noise comes from the engine that is malfunctioning.
✕Common Mistakes
Que está causando esto?
Missing the accent on "qué" turns it into a relative pronoun, which makes the sentence ungrammatical as a question.
¿Qué está causa esto?
The verb must be in gerund form after "estar"; use "causando" not "causa".
¿Qué está causando esto?
In many Latin American contexts, speakers prefer the simple present "¿Qué causa esto?"; using the progressive can sound overly formal.
↔Alternatives
¿Qué provoca esto?
What is provoking this?
¿Cuál es la causa de esto?
What is the cause of this?
¿Qué es lo que está provocando esto?
What is it that is causing this?
Cultural Tip
In Spanish, the accent on "qué" is mandatory in questions; omitting it changes the word to the relative pronoun "que". While "causando" is grammatically correct, native speakers more often use "provocando" or the noun phrase "la causa de" in everyday speech. Also, remember that the progressive is less common in some Latin American dialects for static situations, so you might hear "¿Qué causa esto?" instead.