Spanish Phrase
¿Qué hicieron tus padres?
Meaning
This question asks someone to describe the actions or activities their parents performed in the past, often referring to a specific event or period. It can be used to learn about family history, habits, or experiences.
When to use
Use this phrase when you want to inquire about a person's parents' past actions, such as during a conversation about childhood memories, family traditions, or a recent story they shared.
✦Grammar Breakdown
¿Quéhicierontuspadres?
Interrogative ¿Qué?
Used to ask "what"; it triggers a question structure and is followed by a verb in the appropriate tense.
Preterite "hicieron"
Third‑person plural preterite of "hacer"; used for actions completed in the past.
Possessive "tus"
Second‑person informal possessive adjective; matches the plural noun "padres".
Subject‑verb agreement
The verb "hicieron" agrees with the plural subject "padres".
🗨In Conversation
¿Qué hicieron tus padres durante las vacaciones de verano?
What did your parents do during the summer holidays?
Fueron a la playa y también hicieron un viaje a la montaña.
They went to the beach and also took a trip to the mountains.
✕Common Mistakes
¿Qué hacían tus padres?
Use the preterite "hicieron" for completed actions; avoid the imperfect "hacían" unless you mean habitual past actions.
¿Qué hicieron sus padres?
If speaking formally, replace "tus" with "sus" to show respect.
↔Alternatives
¿Qué actividades realizaban tus padres?
What activities did your parents do?
¿Qué solían hacer tus padres?
What did your parents usually do?
¿Qué hacían tus padres?
What were your parents doing?
Cultural Tip
In many Spanish‑speaking families, asking about parents' past actions is a way to show respect and interest in family heritage. Be mindful of the register: using "tus" is informal; with strangers or elders you would switch to "sus" (¿Qué hicieron sus padres?).