Spanish Phrase
¿Qué tengo que preguntarle al médico?
Meaning
The speaker is asking for a list of questions they should bring to a medical appointment. It conveys a sense of preparation and responsibility for one’s own health.
When to use
Use this sentence right before a doctor’s visit, when you’re making a checklist of topics such as symptoms, medication, test results, or follow‑up care. It works both in casual conversation with friends and in a more formal setting with a healthcare professional.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Quétengoquepreguntarlealmédico
Qué
Interrogative pronoun meaning “what”. It introduces a question about information.
tengo
First‑person singular present of tener (“to have”). In the construction tener + que it expresses obligation.
que (obligation)
When placed after tener, que functions as a modal verb meaning “must/have to”.
preguntarle
Infinitive preguntar (“to ask”) + indirect object pronoun le (“to him/her”). The pronoun is required because the doctor is the person being asked.
al
Contraction of a + el, meaning “to the”. It links the verb to the noun médico.
médico
Noun meaning “doctor”. In most Spanish‑speaking countries it is gender‑neutral, but can be made feminine médica if needed.
🗨In Conversation
¿Qué tengo que preguntarle al médico?
What should I ask the doctor?
Puedes preguntar sobre tus síntomas, la medicación que te recetó y los pasos a seguir después de la consulta.
You can ask about your symptoms, the medication he/she prescribed, and the next steps after the appointment.
✕Common Mistakes
¿Qué tengo que preguntar al médico?
The verb preguntar requires an indirect object pronoun when the person being asked is explicit; use preguntarle instead of just preguntar + noun.
¿Qué tengo que preguntar al médico?
Missing the pronoun le makes the sentence sound incomplete; the correct form is preguntarle .
¿Qué Tengo que preguntarle al médico?
Do not capitalize qué inside the sentence; only the initial letter of the whole question is capitalized.
↔Alternatives
¿Qué debo preguntarle al médico?
What should I ask the doctor?
¿Qué preguntas debería hacerle al médico?
What questions should I ask the doctor?
¿Qué cosas tengo que preguntar al doctor?
What things do I have to ask the doctor?
Cultural Tip
In many Spanish‑speaking countries patients are encouraged to be proactive and ask about treatment options, side‑effects, and follow‑up appointments. Using the polite usted form (e.g., ¿Qué tengo que preguntarle al doctor, señor?) shows respect, especially with older doctors or in formal clinics.