cuestionar

Cuestionar is a Spanish verb of regular -ar conjugation that means to question, to challenge the truth, accuracy, or validity of something, as well as to interrogate or scrutinize. It can take a direct object, as in cuestionar una afirmación, or a person, cuestionar a alguien. The sense ranges from doubting a statement to conducting a formal examination or audit.

Origin: from cuestión, "question" or matter to be resolved, and the suffix -ar; ultimately from Latin quaestio. The noun corresponding is cuestión; the noun for the act is cuestionamiento. English cognate: question.

Usage: common in formal, academic, journalistic, and political discourse. In institutional contexts, questions may be directed at data, policies, or officials: "El informe cuestiona la fiabilidad de los datos"; "La oposición cuestionó las cifras presentadas". In everyday speech, it can simply denote doubt or critical consideration: "cuestionar una idea".

Conjugation: as a regular -ar verb, with present: cuestiono, cuestionas, cuestiona, cuestionamos, cuestionáis, cuestionan; preterite: cuestioné, cuestionaste, cuestionó, cuestionamos, cuestionasteis, cuestionaron; subjunctive present: cuestione, cuestiones, cuestione, cuestionemos, cuestionéis, cuestionen; gerund: cuestionando; past participle: cuestionado.

Related terms: cuestionable (adjective), cuestionamiento (n.), cuestionante. Related verbs: preguntar, interrogar, dudar. See also phrase "poner en tela de juicio" meaning to cast into question.