Spanish word

alguien

Pronunciation

IPA/ˈalɣjen/

Meaning

  • pronounanyone, someone

Example

¿Hay alguien en casa?

Is there anyone at home?

Illustration for alguien (anyone)

More examples

¿Conoces a alguien de confianza?

Do you know someone trustworthy?

Core concept

An unnamed person seen through frosted glass.

Common phrases

  • buscar a alguien

    look for someone

  • conocer a alguien

    know someone

  • alguien más

    someone else

Similar words

nadie: No person at all; nobody present.
alguno: One unspecified person chosen from a group.
alguien más: Another single person distinct from someone already mentioned.
cualquiera: Any person; no particular individual specified.

Definition in Spanish

Se usa para referirse a una persona no especificada o desconocida; concuerda con el verbo en tercera persona del singular.

Word origin

From Latin aliquem (accusative of aliquis), whose ali- 'other' and quis 'who' fuse and through regular changes yield modern Spanish alguien.

Usage tips

  • Alguien refers only to people and has no plural form, so use algo for things and varias personas or algunas personas for multiple people.

Opposites

Word lists with this word