Spanish word

quién

Pronunciation

IPA/kjen/

Meaning

  • pronounwho

Example

No sé quién es.

I don't know who it is.

Illustration for quién (who)

More examples

No sé con quién voy.

I don't know with whom I'm going.

Core concept

Silhouette of a person with a question mark above the head.

Common phrases

  • con quién

    with whom

  • a quién

    to whom

  • para quién

    for whom

Similar words

qué: Asks what thing or matter is being referred to.
cuál: Asks which one among several options is intended.
quiénes: Asks which people are being referred to.
quien: Links a previously mentioned person to additional information about them.

Definition in Spanish

Se emplea para preguntar la identidad de una persona o quién realiza una acción, tanto en preguntas directas como en indirectas.

Word origin

The Spanish quién comes from Latin quis (accusative quem) through medieval Old Spanish quien.

Usage tips

  • The acute accent on quién marks interrogative use and stays even in indirect questions, while the relative pronoun is written without an accent as quien.

Opposites

Word lists with this word