quem
/ˈkẽj̃/
The Portuguese word for "who" is quem.
quem is a common and versatile way to say 'who' in Portuguese used in both direct and indirect questions.
Meaning: who? (interrogative pronoun) (pron)
Which one should you use?
English speakers often confuse quem with o que. Use quem only when referring to a person and o que when referring to a thing or an action.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some regions of Brazil, Quem que is used as a relaxed way to ask 'who.'
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The pronoun quem is used exclusively for people and can be used with prepositions like de (of/from) or a (to). The phrase Quem foi is used when referring to someone in the past or asking about someone's identity.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈkẽj̃/
Did you know?
- The phrase quem sabe literally means 'who knows' but is frequently used as a synonym for 'maybe' or 'perhaps'.
- The word quem is a direct descendant of the Latin 'quem', which was specifically the accusative case meaning 'whom'.
- While quem refers to people, the word qual is often used in Portuguese where English would still use 'who' or 'which' to pick a person from a specific group.
Examples in context
- Vá ver quem é.Go and see who it is.This example shows how to use quem to identify someone.Tatoeba #937224 by alexmarcelo, translation #276272 by CK
- Eu sei quem é.I know who it is.This example demonstrates using quem in an indirect question.Tatoeba #1396871 by alexmarcelo, translation #2376487 by CK
- De quem é isso?Who does this belong to?This example shows how to use quem with the preposition de to ask about ownership.Tatoeba #893354 by brauliobezerra, translation #662600 by bluepie88
- Quem é você?Who are you?
- Eu não sei com quem ele está falando.I don't know who he's talking to.
- Quem é o chefe desta empresa?Who is the boss of this company?
- Quem é que vai ao cinema comigo?Who is going to the movies with me?
- Quem foi o primeiro presidente do Brasil?Who was the first president of Brazil?
- Quem tá aí?Who's there?
- Quem que vai ao jogo amanhã?Who's going to the game tomorrow?
- Quem é que é o(a) namorado(a) mesmo?Who is the boyfriend/girlfriend again?
- 2743 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Mariana and Rodrigo are at a party and see a stranger.
- MarianaQuem é aquele homem?Who is that man?
- RodrigoNão sei quem é.I don't know who he is.
- MarianaVocê sabe com quem ele está falando?Do you know who he is talking to?
- RodrigoAcho que ele está falando com o dono.I think he is talking to the owner.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “who” translations and entries quem, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries quem, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
