Spanish Phrase
¿Qué materias tienes?
Meaning
Literally, 'What subjects do you have?' It is used to ask someone which school subjects they are currently enrolled in or studying.
When to use
Use this question when you want to know a classmate's schedule, discuss study plans, or simply chat about school subjects.
✦Grammar Breakdown
¿Quémateriastienes?
Interrogative pronoun ¿Qué?
Used to ask 'what?' and always carries an accent on the 'e' in questions.
Noun plural materia(s)
Means 'subject' in an academic context; plural form 'materias' refers to multiple subjects.
Verb tener (tienes)
Second‑person singular present of 'tener' (to have). In questions the verb follows the subject‑noun phrase.
Question marks
Spanish requires both opening (¿) and closing (?) question marks.
🗨In Conversation
¿Qué materias tienes este semestre?
What subjects do you have this semester?
Tengo matemáticas, historia y biología.
I have math, history, and biology.
✕Common Mistakes
Que materias tienes?
Missing accent on 'Qué' changes the meaning; the accent signals an interrogative.
¿Qué materia tienes?
Singular 'materia' asks about only one subject; use plural 'materias' when you mean multiple subjects.
¿Qué materias tiene?
Verb form 'tiene' is third‑person singular; it does not match the implied 'tú' (you).
↔Alternatives
¿Qué asignaturas tienes?
What subjects do you have?
¿Qué materias estudias?
What subjects are you studying?
¿Qué materias llevas?
What subjects are you taking?
Cultural Tip
In many Spanish‑speaking countries 'materia' is the everyday word for a school subject, while 'asignatura' sounds more formal, often used in university catalogs or official documents. Be aware that the verb 'tener' can sound a bit informal; native speakers sometimes prefer 'llevar' (llevar una materia) when referring to the subjects they are enrolled in.