quién
“quién” means “who” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
who
Also: whom
📝 In Action
¿Quién es esa persona?
A1Who is that person?
¿Con quién vas al cine?
A1Who are you going to the movies with?
No sé quién llamó por teléfono.
A2I don't know who called on the phone.
¿Quiénes son tus actores favoritos?
A2Who are your favorite actors?
who
Also: whom
📝 In Action
Mi tía, quien es doctora, vive en Madrid.
B1My aunt, who is a doctor, lives in Madrid.
Es la persona a quien debes agradecer.
B2She is the person whom you should thank.
Los estudiantes con quienes trabajé eran muy inteligentes.
B2The students with whom I worked were very smart.
Quien ríe último, ríe mejor.
C1He who laughs last, laughs best.
🔀 Commonly Confused With
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: quién
Question 1 of 3
Which sentence is correct for asking about the owners of the dogs?
📚 More Resources
📚 Etymology▼
From the Latin word 'quem', which was a form of 'qui', meaning 'who'. Over time, it evolved into the Spanish 'quién'. The accent mark was added later to distinguish the question word from the connector word.
First recorded: Around the 10th century
Cognates (Related words)
💡 Master Spanish
Take your Spanish to the next level. Read 200+ illustrated and narrated Spanish stories tailored to your level with the Inklingo app!
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the absolute simplest rule for the accent on 'quién'?
If it means 'who?' as part of a question (even an indirect one like 'I wonder who...'), it has an accent. If it means 'who' as a connector (like 'the man who...'), it does not have an accent.
Can I just always use 'que' instead of 'quien' (without an accent)?
In casual conversation, you often can, and you'll be understood. For example, 'la chica con que hablé'. However, it sounds much more natural and correct in Spanish to use 'quien' after words like 'a, con, de, para' when talking about people. So, 'la chica con quien hablé' is the better choice.
Why does Spanish have 'quién' and 'quiénes'? English just has 'who'.
Spanish likes for its words to agree in number. Just like you say 'el chico' (one boy) but 'los chicos' (many boys), Spanish does the same with this question word. If you're asking about multiple people, the question word itself becomes plural. It's an extra detail that makes the language very precise.