# Question intonation: rise vs fall

> id: pronunciation.intonation-questions · category: pronunciation · depth: standard · levels: B1 · review: internally_reviewed

**Summary.** Yes/no questions rise at the end (¿Vienes mañana?↗) — intonation is often the ONLY question marker. Question-word questions fall like statements (¿Dónde vives?↘).

Since word order may not change, the final rise carries the whole interrogative load in ¿trabajás acá?↗. Practice minimal pairs: viene mañana↘ (statement) / ¿viene mañana?↗.

Wh-questions start high on the question word and descend: ¿CUÁNto cuesta?↘. A rise on these signals surprise or echo (¿dónde?↗ = 'where did you say?').

Because Spanish word order often doesn't change, the final rise can be the entire question: ¿trabajás acá?↗ differs from trabajás acá↘ by pitch alone. The split to remember: yes/no questions rise at the end, but wh-questions start high on the question word and fall like statements (¿CUÁNto cuesta?↘) — a rise on a wh-question instead signals surprise or an echo.

## Examples
- ¿Tenés cambio? ↗ — Do you have change?
- ¿Cómo llegaste? ↘ — How did you get here?
- ¿Viene mañana?↗ frente a ¿Cuándo viene?↘ — 'Is he coming tomorrow?' (rising) versus 'When is he coming?' (falling).

Related: pronunciation.intonation-statements, grammar.questions.yes-no

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