(y) a quién le importa
The English phrase 'who cares' can be translated into Spanish as (y) a quién le importa. If unsure, use (y) a quién le importa. Wiktionary also lists (y) qué importa.
Meaning: reply to an unimportant statement (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Spanish |
|---|
| (y) a quién le importa |
| (y) qué importa |
This phrase is used as a reply to an unimportant statement.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase a quién le importa literally translates to 'to whom it matters'.
Which one should you use?
There is a distinction between the two forms provided: a quién le importa focuses on the person who would be affected by the matter, whereas qué importa focuses on the matter itself. The latter is more equivalent to the English 'what does it matter' or 'it doesn't matter'.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The form (y) a quién le importa is informal. Depending on your tone, using this phrase can sound dismissive or even rude, much like the English 'who cares'.
How does it change in a sentence?
In the phrase a quién le importa, the word le is an indirect object pronoun that is grammatically required even if the person is not specified.
Did you know?
- The Spanish word importar shares a root with the English word 'import', as both relate to the value or weight of something being brought in or considered.
- In many Spanish-speaking countries, the phrase is often accompanied by a shoulder shrug and a facial expression of indifference to truly convey the intended dismissiveness.
- If you want to sound even more dismissive, you can say qué más da, which functions similarly to 'who cares' or 'whatever'.
Examples in context
- La situación de los países en desarrollo no es su prioridad. ¿A quién le importa?The situation of developing countries is not their priority. Who cares?
- El equipo de marketing decidió cambiar la campaña publicitaria, y los demás departamentos no mostraron ningún interés. ¿A quién le interesa?The marketing team decided to change the advertising campaign, and the other departments showed no interest. Who cares?
- Perdieron otra vez en el juego. ¿Y a quién le importa?They lost the game again. Who cares?
Sources
- Wiktionary, “who cares” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
