Quién (en. Who)
[kien]
Meaning & Definition
EnglishSpanish
noun
Pronoun used to ask about a person's identity.
Who is the author of this book?
¿Quién es el autor de este libro?
Relative pronoun that refers to people.
The woman, who came yesterday, is my friend.
La mujer, quien vino ayer, es mi amiga.
Etymology
From Latin 'qui', meaning 'who' or 'the one who'.
Common Phrases and Expressions
who knows
Expression that denotes uncertainty about a truth.
quién sabe
who would have thought
Phrase used to express surprise about something unexpected.
quién lo diría
who understands you
Used to denote confusion regarding someone's intentions.
quién te entiende
Related Words
who
Plural form of who, used to ask about several people.
quiénes
who
Singular form that is sometimes used without the accent in informal contexts.
quien
whoever
Pronoun used to refer to any person.
quienquiera
Slang Meanings
In some informal contexts, it is used to refer to someone unknown.
If there's a problem, ask whoever.
Si hay algún problema, pregúntale a quién.
Colloquial use to refer to a person who is not trustworthy.
Don't trust him, he's a who.
No confíes en él, es un quién.