Spanish · Greetings & Essentials
"Who?" in Spanish: ¿quién?
¿quién?
Who in Spanish is ¿quién? (KYEN). Plural is ¿quiénes? Accent the é. Use quién for one person; quiénes for more.
At the door
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How to pronounce ¿quién?
Say it
KYEN
/ˈkjen/
KYEN — like ken with a y. Stress quién fully.
"Who?" in Spanish: quick reference
| Spanish | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| ¿quién? | who? One person. | One person. |
| ¿quiénes? | who? (plural) More than one person. | More than one person. |
| ¿quién es? | who is it? Identifying someone. | Identifying someone. |
| ¿de quién es? | whose is it? Ownership. | Ownership. |
How to use ¿quién? in real life
- 1At the door
¿Quién llama?
Who's calling / knocking?
Quién for one unknown person.
- 2Group photo
¿Quiénes vienen a la fiesta?
Who is coming to the party?
Quiénes for a group.
- 3Lost bag
¿De quién es esta mochila?
Whose backpack is this?
De quién marks ownership.
Mistakes English speakers make with ¿quién?
Incorrect: Quien es? (no accent or marks)
Correct: ¿Quién es?
Question quién needs the accent and ¿ ?.
Incorrect: ¿Quién son ellos?
Correct: ¿Quiénes son ellos?
Plural people need quiénes, not quién.
Good to know
Phone culture still uses ¿quién habla? or ¿de parte de quién? when answering. Quiénes feels natural for teams and guest lists; English speakers often forget the plural form.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Figuring out a guest list
ChatPal
¿Quién trae el pastel?
Who is bringing the cake?
You
Ana. ¿Quién lleva las bebidas?
Ana. Who is bringing the drinks?
ChatPal
Luis. ¿Quiénes faltan por confirmar?
Luis. Who still needs to confirm?
You
Solo Marta y Pedro.
Only Marta and Pedro.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Who?" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Who?" in Spanish
Quién or quiénes?
Quién is singular. Quiénes is plural.
Why the accent?
Quién asks who. Quien without accent links clauses.
How do I say whose?
De quién / de quiénes.
Is this formal?
¿Quién? is neutral. Soften with disculpe for strangers.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
Keep reading
- Y in Spanish AlphabetY in spanish alphabet. Learn how y works in the Spanish alphabet, from its names (ye and i griega) to its dual consonant and vowel pronunciation
- How to Practice Speaking Spanish with AI the Smart WayLearn how to practice speaking Spanish with AI using practical routines, realistic scenarios, and feedback loops that actually build real-world fluency.
