Adónde

Adónde is a Spanish interrogative adverb meaning “to where” or “where to.” It is used to ask about destination or direction and appears in direct questions, exclamations, and in subordinate clauses that express movement or intention.

The form adónde is a fused combination of the preposition a and the interrogative dónde. It is especially common with verbs of motion such as ir, venir, regresar, partir, and llevar. In questions about location that do not express movement, the separate form dónde is used instead, as in ¿Dónde está? Examples of adónde in use include ¿Adónde vas? (Where are you going?) and No sé adónde fue. In exclamations, it can convey emphasis on destination: ¡Adónde nos llevan!

Adónde functions as the question word for direction or destination and can introduce direct questions, indirect questions, and exclamations. It is widely used in both formal and informal Spanish across dialects, though its use is most natural whenever the sense involves movement toward a destination.

Etymology and orthography: adónde is derived from the combination of a and dónde. It is typically written as a single word with an acute accent on the o, indicating its status as an interrogative/adverbial form. The accented form helps distinguish it from questions about location that do not involve movement.

See also: Dónde, A dónde, Interrogatives in Spanish, Verbs of motion.