Are you preparing for your first conversation in Spanish? Learning how to introduce yourself properly is the foundation of making connections in any language. This comprehensive guide will walk you through all the essential Spanish introduction phrases you need to make a great first impression.
The first step in any introduction is the greeting. Spanish offers several options depending on the time of day and level of formality:
Like in English, you would often begin introducing yourself in Spanish by saying hello to the person:
¡Hola!
Hello!
Caption 66, 75 minutos Del campo a la mesa - Part 16
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This simple greeting works in any situation, but you can also use time-specific greetings:
¡Buenos días!
Good morning!
Caption 2, Amaya La historia de Lukas
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Note that in some countries, like Argentina, it is more common to hear the singular version, Buen día. If it's later in the day (from about noon to sunset), you'd more likely hear Buenas tardes (Good afternoon/evening):
Buenas tardes.
Good afternoon.
Caption 31, Cita médica La cita médica de Cleer - Part 1
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And later than that, you might hear Buenas noches (literally "good night"). Note that in contrast to "Good night" in English, Buenas noches can be used as a greeting rather than just to send someone off to bed or say goodbye. That said, "Good evening" might be a more appropriate translation in that context.
Muy buenas noches, bienvenida. -Hola, buenas noches.
Good evening, welcome. -Hello, good evening.
Caption 32, Confidencial: El rey de la estafa Capítulo 5 - Part 2
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After greeting someone, it's customary to ask how they're doing. The phrasing depends on whether you're using the formal or informal "you":
¿Cómo está usted?
How are you?
Caption 25, Cleer y Lida Saludar en español
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Of course, because there are several ways to say "you" in Spanish (usted is the singular, more formal form), this phrase might be adjusted to "¿Cómo estás tú?" or "¿Cómo estás vos?" to address one person informally. And while there are additional ways to say "you" to more than one person in Spanish, for the purposes of today's lesson, we will stick to the singular forms.
Let's see another way to say "How are you?"
¿Y cómo te va?
And how are you?
Caption 38, Los Años Maravillosos Capítulo 8 - Part 1
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The more formal alternative with usted would be: "¿Y cómo le va (a usted)?" However, regardless of the formality of the situation or to how many people you are speaking, you can always use the following simple phrase:
Hola, ¿qué tal?
Hello, how are you?
Caption 1, Amaya Apertura del refugio
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As the person to whom you are speaking will most likely respond by asking you how you are, we should give you some common answers to the aforementioned questions. Let's start with an answer to "¿Cómo está(s)?"
Muy bien, ¿y tú?
Very well, and you?
Caption 17, Español para principiantes Saludos y encuentros
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If you are addressing one another with usted, you would instead say "¿y usted?"
In contrast, if someone asks you '¿Cómo te/le va?" you might answer: "Bien, ¿y a ti?" or "Bien, ¿y a usted?"
Although bien (well) or muy bien (very well) are by far the most common ways to answer the question of how you are, particularly when meeting someone for the first time, if you are interested in learning more about ways to say you are just OK, we recommend this lesson entitled ¿Qué tal? Ni bien ni mal (How Are You? Neither Good Nor Bad).
Now that we have gotten some formalities out of the way, it's time to say your name! Here are three common ways to do so:
Yo me llamo Lida.
My name is Lida.
Caption 12, Cleer y Lida Saludar en español
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Mi nombre es Diego Velázquez.
My name is Diego Velázquez.
Caption 9, Adícora, Venezuela Los fisioterapeutas
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Hola, yo soy Cleer.
Hello, I'm Cleer.
Caption 1, Recetas de cocina Arepas colombianas
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And now, the moment has arrived to ask the other person their name:
¿Y cómo te llamas tú?
And, what's your name?
Caption 11, Cleer y Lida Saludar en español
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¿Cómo se llama usted?
What is your name?
Caption 97, 75 minutos Del campo a la mesa - Part 10
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¿Cuál es tu nombre?
What's your name?
Caption 10, Cleer y Lida Llegando a una nueva ciudad
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The usted form is: "¿Cuál es su nombre?"
When introducing yourself in Spanish, as in English, you should probably say something along the lines of "Nice to meet you." Here are several options:
Mucho gusto, Samuel.
Nice to meet you, Samuel.
Caption 29, Conversaciones en el parque Cap. 3: ¿De quién es esta mochila?
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Un placer, Mónica,
A pleasure, Monica,
Caption 3, Escribiendo un libro Algunos consejos sobre cómo comenzar - Part 1
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Hola, guapa. -Hola. -Encantada. -Encantada de conocerte.
Hello, beautiful. -Hello. -[A] pleasure. -[A] pleasure to meet you.
Caption 8, 75 minutos Gangas para ricos - Part 2
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And, if someone says one of those things to you, you might respond by saying "Igualmente" or "Yo también" (Me too).
Hola Cristóbal, encantada. -Igualmente.
Hello, Cristobal. Pleased [to meet you]. -Me too.
Caption 35, 75 minutos Del campo a la mesa - Part 2
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Now let's see how to combine all these elements into complete introductions:
"¡Hola! ¿Qué tal? Me llamo Carlos. ¿Y tú, cómo te llamas? [...] Mucho gusto, Laura. ¿Cómo estás? [...] Yo estoy muy bien, gracias."
Translation: "Hello! How are you? My name is Carlos. And you, what's your name? [...] Nice to meet you, Laura. How are you? [...] I'm very well, thank you."
"Buenos días. Mi nombre es Ana Gómez. ¿Cómo se llama usted? [...] Encantada de conocerle, Señor Martínez. ¿Cómo está usted? [...] Estoy bien, gracias. ¿Y usted?"
Translation: "Good morning. My name is Ana Gómez. What is your name? [...] Pleased to meet you, Mr. Martínez. How are you? [...] I'm well, thank you. And you?"
Learning how to introduce yourself in Spanish opens doors to meaningful conversations and connections. Practice these phrases until they become second nature, and soon you'll be ready to move beyond introductions to having more in-depth conversations.
If you'd like to hear many of these phrases in the context of both informal and formal conversations, we recommend the video Saludar en español (Greeting in Spanish). We hope you have enjoyed this lesson on how to introduce yourself in Spanish, and don't forget to leave us your suggestions and comments.
Have you ever needed to make a phone call in Spanish and felt unsure about what to say? Whether you're calling a friend, making a business call, or answering an unexpected ring, knowing the right vocabulary and expressions is essential. In this lesson, we'll cover everything you need to confidently handle phone conversations in Spanish: from essential verbs and key vocabulary to common phrases and different ways to answer the phone across Spanish-speaking countries.
This is the fundamental verb for making a phone call. Here's how to use it in different contexts.
When you are about to call someone:
Un momento, voy a llamar por teléfono.
One moment, I'm going to call [them].
Caption 6, Ariana - Cita médica
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When you want to say that you called someone:
Cuando llamé por teléfono, era para hablar con Lucio.
When I called on the phone, it was to talk to Lucio.
Caption 23, Yago - 14 La peruana
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When you want to indicate that someone called someone:
La primera vez que tu papá me llamó, no fue a la casa.
The first time your dad called me, it was not to the house.
Caption 42, Los Años Maravillosos - Capítulo 5
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Of course, when you call someone, you expect an answer. Let's see this verb in action.
Disculpa, estaba en una reunión y no pude responder tu llamada.
Sorry, I was in a meeting and I couldn't answer your call.
You can also use the verb contestar (to answer) in this situation:
Que pena, discúlpame.
I'm sorry, excuse me.
Tengo que contestar esta llamada.
I have to answer this call.
Captions 8-9, Confidencial: El rey de la estafa - Capítulo 3 - Part 1
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This is the verb you use when you need to end a phone call or get off the phone.
When you want to tell someone that you need to go:
Oye, tengo que colgar porque vamos a comer.
Listen, I have to hang up because we're going to eat.
Captions 56-57, Los Años Maravillosos - Capítulo 8
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When you want to say that someone hung up on you or someone else:
Una mina llamó por teléfono a tu celular.
A girl called your cell phone.
Elena atendió, ella preguntó por vos y entonces Elena le dijo,
Elena answered, she asked for you and then Elena said to her,
"¿Quién habla?"
"Who is it?"
Y la mina colgó.
And the girl hung up.
Captions 43-45, Yago - 11 Prisión
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From the example above, you can also see that the verb atender (to respond) is another verb you can use instead of responder (to answer).
Of course, you talk over the phone so if you want to express that action, you can say it like our friend Silvia from El Aula Azul:
Estoy hablando por teléfono.
I'm talking on the telephone.
Yo hablo por teléfono.
I talk on the telephone.
Captions 49-50, El Aula Azul - Actividades diarias: En casa con Silvia
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A phone call is about listening to someone else so this is a very important verb especially when you want to make sure the other person is able to listen to you.
Me puedes escuchar?
Can you hear me?
You can also use the verb oir (to hear) in this context:
¿Qué tal?
How are you?
Muy bien.
Very well.
Y ahora que te oigo, de maravilla.
And now that I hear you, wonderful.
Captions 33-35, Confidencial: El rey de la estafa - Capítulo 3 - Part 13
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Beyond verbs, there are important nouns and terms you need to know when making or receiving calls in Spanish.
• La llamada - the call
This is the most basic noun you'll use constantly.
Una llamada telefónica también puede ser apropiada.
A phone call could also be appropriate.
Caption 21, Aprendiendo con Silvia Pésame y condolencias - Part 2
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• El teléfono - the telephone
The general term for any phone.
• El celular (Latin America) / El móvil (Spain) - the cell phone / mobile phone
When talking about a smartphone, use celular throughout Latin America and móvil in Spain.
¿Nos podrías hacer una foto con mi móvil?
Could you take a picture of us with my cellphone?
Caption 9, Raquel Expresiones para un festival de música.
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yo acabo de recibir una llamada de ese celular.
I just received a call from that cell phone.
Caption 40, Confidencial: Broma pesada Capítulo 5 - Part 1
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• El mensaje - the message
Essential for when you need to leave or receive information.
• El buzón de voz / El contestador - the voicemail / answering machine
Where messages are left when you can't answer.
• El número (de teléfono) - the (phone) number
Cleer, ¿me podría dar su número de teléfono?
Cleer, could you give me your phone number?
Caption 36, Cleer y Lida Conversación telefónica - Part 2
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• La señal - the signal
Important when discussing connection quality.
• La línea - the line
As in "the line is busy."
• Número equivocado - wrong number
• Línea ocupada - busy line
• Llamada perdida - missed call
• Conferencia telefónica - conference call
• Llamada de larga distancia - long-distance call
One of the most common questions learners have is: how do you actually answer the phone in Spanish? In English, we simply say "hello," but in Spanish, there are several options that vary by country.
Literally, bueno means "fine" or "well." However, in this context, you can take bueno as a simple "hello." This way of answering the phone is very common in Mexico.
This is the Spanish equivalent of "hello" and works universally across all Spanish-speaking countries.
Literally, this means "yes." It's a very normal way of answering the phone in Spanish, particularly in some Latin American countries.
The translation of this is "tell me" or "speak." This is a very common way of answering the phone in Spain.
This way of answering the phone is very popular in Colombia, Peru, and other South American countries. It works as a simple "hello."
Some people prefer to answer the phone according to the time of day, so you can say buenos días (good morning), buenas tardes (good afternoon), or buenas noches (good evening/night).
Now let's look at common phrases you'll hear and use during phone conversations in Spanish.
• ¿Está [nombre]? - Is [name] there?
• ¿Puedo hablar con [nombre]? - May/Can I speak with [name]?
• ¿Se encuentra [nombre]? - Is [name] available?
¿Puedo hablar con Emilia, por favor?
May I speak with Emilia, please?
Caption 42, Extr@: Extra en español Ep. 6: El día de la Primitiva - Part 7
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• ¿De parte de quién? - Who's calling? / Who may I say is calling?
• Un momento, por favor - One moment, please
• Te lo/la paso / Se lo/la paso - I'll put him/her on
• Ahora se pone - He/she will be right with you
• No se encuentra / No está - He/she is not here
• Está ocupado/a - He/she is busy
¿De parte de quién?
May I ask whose calling?
Caption 46, Los Años Maravillosos Capítulo 8 - Part 4
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Ah, un momento por favor.
Oh, one moment please.
Caption 11, Cita médica La cita médica de Cleer - Part 1
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• No te escucho bien - I can't hear you well
• Se está cortando - The call is breaking up / You're cutting out
• No hay señal - There's no signal
• Habla más fuerte, por favor - Speak louder, please
• No cuelgues - Don't hang up
• Espera un momento - Wait a moment
• Creo que marcaste el número equivocado - I think you dialed the wrong number
• ¿Con quién quiere hablar? - Who do you want to speak with?
• Aquí no vive esa persona - That person doesn't live here
• ¿Le puedo dejar un mensaje? - Can I leave him/her a message?
• ¿Quiere dejar un recado? - Would you like to leave a message?
• Por favor, dígale que llamé - Please tell him/her that I called
• ¿Me puede devolver la llamada? - Can he/she call me back
• Tengo que colgar - I have to hang up
• Te llamo después / Te llamo luego - I'll call you later
• Hablamos pronto - We'll talk soon
• Cuídate - Take care
• Nos hablamos - We'll talk (to each other)
Now that you know all the essential vocabulary, verbs, and phrases for phone calls in Spanish, you're ready to handle any phone conversation with confidence. Remember that answering customs vary by country, so don't be surprised if you hear different greetings depending on where you're calling. The key is to practice these expressions and pay attention to how native speakers use them in real conversations.
Whether you're making a business call, chatting with a friend, or dealing with a wrong number, you now have all the tools you need to navigate phone conversations successfully in Spanish.
Got questions about phone vocabulary or want to share how phone customs work in your Spanish-speaking country? We'd love to hear from you—reach out with your experiences and any questions you might have!
Do you know how to say the names of professions in Spanish? Do you know the Spanish words for professions such as 'lawyer' or 'journalist'? Today, we will talk about job titles and professions in Spanish so get ready to see how to write and pronounce some of the most common occupations out there. However, before we jump into our list of professions in Spanish, let's see how to ask a very basic question when it comes to jobs.
When we want to find out what someone does for a living, we usually use questions like: what do you do for work?, what do you do for a living? or simply, what do you do? There are also different options in Spanish:
¿A qué te dedicas?
What do you do?
Soy profesor de fotografía.
I'm a photography teacher.
Captions 12-13, 75 minutos - Gangas para ricos
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Oye, y ¿en qué trabajas?
Hey, and what do you do [for a living]?
Estoy trabajando actualmente en una firma de abogados.
I'm working currently at a law firm.
Captions 82-83, Ricardo - La compañera de casa
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Ahora, ¿y qué haces tú?
Now, what do you do?
Bueno, yo soy mecánico.
Well, I'm a mechanic.
Captions 18-19, Encuentro Volkswagen en Adícora - Escarabajos en la playa
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You can also use that kind of question even if you are a student:
Bueno, Cristina, ¿tú a qué te dedicas?
Well, Cristina, what do you do for a living?
Estoy estudiando en Sevilla.
I am studying in Seville.
Captions 60-62, Clara y Cristina - Saludar
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Now, let's take a look at some of the most common professions in Spanish. Remember to listen to the audioclips so you can hear how to pronounce the word. Also, keep in mind that the names of most professions change with the gender so make sure to take a look at the rules that we will mention about that.
When the masculine noun ends in o, the feminine noun ends in a. There are several professions in Spanish that fall into this group:
1. El abogado | La abogada (The lawyer)
Es un abogado joven que recién se está metiendo en la política.
He's a young lawyer who has recently been getting involved in politics.
Caption 57, Muñeca Brava - 45 El secreto
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2. El arquitecto | La arquitecta (The architect)
Bueno, yo soy Leif, eh... soy arquitecto y llevo trabajando en Londres cuatro años.
Well, I am Leif, um... I am an architect and have been working in London for four years.
Captions 2-3, Leif - El Arquitecto Español y su Arte
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3. El cajero | La cajera (The cashier)
4. El carpintero | La carpintera (The carpenter)
5. El ingeniero | La ingeniera (The engineer)6
6. El psicólogo | La psicóloga (The psychologist)
When the noun ends in a consonant, you just need to add an a at the end to form the feminine noun.
7. El administrador | La administradora (The administrator)
Pero si quiere, yo con mucho gusto hablo con el administrador para que nos ayude.
But if you want, I'll gladly talk to the administrator so he can help us.
Captions 16-17, Confidencial: El rey de la estafa - Capítulo 3
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8. El director | La directora (The director)
9. El editor | La editora (The editor)
10. El doctor | La doctora (The doctor)
Consultorio de la doctora Castaño, buenos días.
Doctor Castaño's office, good morning.
Caption 5, Cita médica - La cita médica de Cleer
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If you take the previous 3 nouns, you can see that there are various nouns ending in 'or' that are identical in English and Spanish.
11. El escritor | La escritora (The writer)
12. El profesor | La profesora (The teacher)
Yo soy profesora de español.
I am a Spanish teacher.
Caption 12, El Aula Azul - Actividades Diarias
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There are also some nouns that end in -ista, -ia and -e, that stay them same for both male and female. However, in order to make the distinction, you need to change the article accordingly. Let's see some examples:
13. El estudiante | La estudiante (The student)
14. El dentista | la dentista (The dentist)
Por ejemplo: el estudiante, la estudiante. El dentista, la dentista.
For example: the male student, the female student. The male dentist, the female dentist.
Captions 32-33, Isabel - El Género Gramatical - Masculino y Femenino
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15. El periodista | La periodista (The journalist)
"El periodista escribe el artículo para el periódico".
"The journalist writes the article for the newspaper."
Caption 22, Lecciones con Carolina La voz pasiva - Part 3
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Before we go, let's take a look at the following list of professions in Spanish so you can have a handy reference for this topic.
1. The administrator: El administrador | La administradora
2. The architect: El arquitecto | La arquitecta
3. The cashier: El cajero | La cajera
4. The carpenter: El carpintero | La carpintera
5. The dentist: El dentista | la dentista
6. The director: El director | La directora
7. The doctor: El doctor | La doctora
8. The editor: El editor | La editora
9. The engineer: El ingeniero | La ingeniera
10. The journalist: El periodista | La periodista
11. The lawyer: El abogado | La abogada
12. The psychologist: El psicólogo | La psicóloga
13. The student: El estudiante | La estudiante
14. The teacher: El profesor | La profesora
15. The writer: El escritor | La escritora
That's it for today. We know there are hundreds of more occupations and job titles out there. However, we hope this lesson will help you to remember the names of some of the most well-known professions in Spanish. That being said, we would like to invite you to find 10 professions more in our library of videos, and don’t forget to send us your feedback and suggestions.
Let's continue our series on the use of the verbs ser and estar, now focusing on some examples using the subjunctive to express wishes, or to refer to hypothetical situations. The present subjunctive for the first person singular yo (I) is esté for the verb estar and sea for the verb ser. Here're some examples of first person singular sea and esté:
Mamá quiere que [yo] sea doctor / Mom wants me to be a doctor.
Mi hermana piensa que es mejor que [yo] sea dentista / My sister thinks it's best for me to be a dentist.
Lola me pide que [yo] esté tranquilo / Lola asks me to be calm.
Imagino que es mejor que no [yo] esté preocupado / I imagine it's better for me not to beworried.
Note that it's very common to use the pronoun que (that) before the subjunctive. In fact, some Spanish speakers learn to conjugate the subjunctive altogether with this pronoun, like: que yo sea, que tú seas, etc. or que yo esté, que tú estés, etc. to differentiate it from the indicative.
The forms sea and esté are also used for the third person singular, which is very convenient since you can use it to talk about wishes or hypothetical situations pertaining to other people, things, and ideas. For example:
Entonces, para que sea una sorpresa también.
So, for it to be a surprise also.
Caption 12, 75 minutos - Gangas para ricos - Part 10
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Quiero comprar un barco que sea capaz de... de hacer travesías largas.
I want to buy a boat that is capable of... of making long voyages.
Captions 72-73, 75 minutos - Gangas para ricos - Part 20
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Y que ya no sea Belanova el grupo de bajo, computadora y voz.
So that Belanova won't be the group of the bass, computer and voice any longer.
Caption 13, Belanova - Entrevista - Part 4
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And with esté:
Ya la llamaremos cuando la doctora esté disponible.
We'll call you when the doctor is available.
Caption 42, Cita médica - La cita médica de Cleer - Part 1
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Son tres modos que se usan para pedirle a alguien que esté alerta.
There are three ways that are used to ask someone to be alert.
Caption 27, Carlos comenta - Confidencial - Vocabulario y expresiones
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Para que la aceituna esté en condiciones para envasar el lunes.
So that the olives are in condition for packing on Monday.
Caption 35, 75 minutos - Del campo a la mesa - Part 19
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Finally, there's a very common and useful expression that uses sea: o sea, which is used to clarify or explain something. This expression translates as "in other words," "meaning," and other similar phrases.
O sea, que te vas a quedar sin marido durante tres meses.
In other words, you are going to be without a husband for three months.
Caption 27, 75 minutos - Del campo a la mesa - Part 3
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The Spanish verb atender ("to serve," "to see to," "to attend to," among other uses) is a common source of confusion since it doesn't always mean what it sounds like it should to English speakers. Let's see some examples.
The verb atender meaning “to serve” or “to attend” can be very useful in any context that involves providing or receiving a service:
Quisiera saber si la doctora Castaño me podría atender hoy.
I would like to know if Doctor Castaño could see me today.
Caption 9, Cita médica - La cita médica de Cleer - Part 1
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Most of the time this verb is accompanied by the preposition a, but not always. In the following example, the preposition a was omitted:
Por el momento ustedes se pueden ir un rato a hablar con sus amigos, a atender la visita...
For the moment you can go for a while to talk with your friends, to serve your guests...
Caption 40, Cocinando con Miguelito - Pollo sudado - Part 2
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This can be done because the expression la visita is depersonalized. But it's very different when the object of the verb atender is an individual or group of individuals, in which case you must always use the preposition a:
Mi ocupación es atender a la gente.
My job is to serve people.
Caption 67, Perdidos en la Patagonia - El Aeropuerto - La Sala de Esperas
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The omission of the preposition a occurs more frequently when the verb atender means "to respond to," "to meet," "to answer to," or "to look after" something. For example:
Por ahí lo llamo, se da cuenta que soy yo, no atiende el teléfono.
I might call him, he realizes that it's me, he doesn't answer to the phone.
Caption 47, Yago - 10 Enfrentamientos - Part 6
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Y de pronto los que atienden [un] negocio...
And suddenly those who look after a business...
Caption 10, Festivaliando - Mono Núñez - Part 12
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You always need to use the preposition a before atender when it means "to pay attention.” In the following example, Raquel uses the contraction al (a + el):
No tendrás dudas si atiendes al contexto de lo que se dice.
You will have no doubt if you pay attention to the context of what is said.
Caption 14, Raquel - Diminutivos y aumentativos
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The verb atender is also frequently combined with personal pronouns (used instead of direct and indirect objects):
Voy a tratar de dejarme que me atiendan, que me hagan lo que necesite.
I am going to try to let them take care of me, do to me whatever I need.
Caption 23, Transformación - Estética
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It's also common to reiterate the object of the verb in these expressions, even when a pronoun has already been used. For example, it's not incorrect to say dejar que me atiendan a mí (let them take care of me). Saying Es mejor que el doctor la atienda a ella primero is as correct as saying Es mejor que el doctor la atienda primero (It's better if the doctor sees her first). Here's an interesting example:
No sé, como nervios [de] que lo atiendan a uno y sentirse tan bien atendido.
I don't know, like nerves that one is taken care of and to feel so well taken care of.
Caption 20, Transformación - Estética
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¡Gracias por atender a esta lección!
One of our latest videos includes an example of an interesting way to pose a question:
¿En qué le puedo ayudar?
How can I help you?
Caption 6, Cita médica - La cita médica de Cleer
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In this example, the combination of the preposition en (in, on) and the interrogative word qué (literally “in what”) means how (cómo). Even though the expression cómo puedo ayudarle (how can I help you) exists in Spanish, using en qué instead is a very common choice for native speakers, especially when the expression is meant to be a greeting. In fact, it can be argued that there's a subtle difference between saying ¿en qué puedo ayudarle? (literally "what can I help you with") and ¿cómo puedo ayudarle? (how can I help you): the first one is a polite greeting, while the second one is a general question. Compare the following examples:
Hola ¿en qué puedo ayudarle? - Quiero ordenar a domicilio.
Hi, how can I help you? -I want to order for delivery.
¿Cómo puedo ayudarle, tía? - Ayúdame a rebanar el pan.
How can I help you, Aunt? -Help me slice the bread.
But that’s not the only meaning of en qué. Here’s a notable example:
Oye, y ¿en qué trabajas?
Hey, and what do you do [for a living]?
Caption 82, Ricardo - La compañera de casa
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En qué can also be used to ask about a location. It's roughly equivalent to dónde (where):
¿En qué lugar se enamoró de ti?
In what place did he fall in love with you?
Caption 7, Marc Anthony - Y cómo es él
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En qué can also be used to talk about time. It's roughly equivalent to cuándo (when):
¿En qué momento sucedió?
When (in what moment) did it happen?
There are many fixed questions that use en qué. The question en qué consiste is worth learning:
¿En qué consiste tu trabajo, Paco?
What does your job consist of, Paco?
Caption 42, 75 minutos - Del campo a la mesa
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Finally, there are also idiomatic expressions that use en qué. For example, en qué quedamos (literally "in what we agreed”):
¿En qué quedamos? ¿Va a tener una herencia o no?
What did we settle on? Is he going to have an inheritance or not?
Caption 46, Muñeca Brava - 30 Revelaciones
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