sé quién eres
/se kjen eɾes/from spelling rules
The phrase sé quién eres is the Spanish way to say "I know who you are".
A statement used to tell someone that you recognize their identity.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of sé (I know), quién (who) and eres (you are).
Which one should you use?
While sé quién eres is used for a single person informally, you must use sé quiénes son if you are addressing a group of people to say "I know who they are" or "I know who you all are".
How does it change in a sentence?
The form sé quién eres is used when addressing one person informally. To use the formal "you", replace eres with es usted to get sé quién es usted. If you want to add emphasis to the person being addressed, you can add the pronoun tú at the end of the phrase to say sé quién eres tú.
Did you know?
- In Spanish, the verb saber used in sé quién eres specifically denotes knowing a fact or a piece of information. To say you are personally acquainted with someone, you would use the verb conocer instead.
- The word eres is a linguistic fossil from the Latin future tense. While it currently means 'you are', it actually originates from the Latin 'eris', which meant 'you will be'.
- Adding the pronoun tú to the end of the phrase to say sé quién eres tú can turn a simple statement into a dramatic or confrontational threat.
Examples in context
- Sé quién eres.I know who you are.This sentence is useful for stating that you know the identity of the person being addressed using sé quién eres.Tatoeba #1520840 by marcelostockle, translation #1520797 by Spamster
- Señor García, sé quién es usted. Ha sido un honor trabajar con alguien tan talentoso y dedicado como usted.Mr. García, I know who you are. It has been an honor to work with someone as talented and dedicated as you.
- Hola, Luis. Sé quién eres. No pensé que te vería por aquí. ¿Qué has estado haciendo últimamente?Hi, Luis. I know who you are. I didn't think I'd see you here. What have you been up to lately?
- Oye, Juan. Te conozco. No intentes engañarme con esa historia. Sé perfectamente quién eres.Hey, Juan. I know you. Don't try to deceive me with that story. I know perfectly well who you are.
- No trates de engañarme, sé quién eres.Don't try to trick me, I know who you are.
- Aunque uses una máscara, sé quién eres.Even if you wear a mask, I know who you are.
Example conversation
Mateo meets Lucía at a party where they have never met in person.
- MateoHola, soy Mateo. Creo que sé quién eres.Hi, I'm Mateo. I think I know who you are.
- Lucía¡Hola! Sí, nos conocemos por internet.Hi! Yes, we know each other from the internet.
- MateoExacto, sé quién eres por tus fotos.Exactly, I know who you are from your photos.
- LucíaQué alegría conocerte en persona, Mateo.What a pleasure to meet you in person, Mateo.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries eres, quién, sé, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
