Which one should you use?
In standard, neutral conversation, it is very common to omit the pronoun and simply ask ¿Quién es? to mean "Who is (he/she/it)?" Including the pronoun él specifically adds emphasis to the person you are discussing.
Is it said differently in some regions?
Different regions use specific colloquial terms for "guy" or "dude": In Spain, you can say ¿Quién es ese tío? to mean "Who is that guy?" In Mexico, ¿Quién es ese vato? is used as informal slang. In Argentina, ¿Quién es ese pibe? can mean "Who is that dude?"
How does it change in a sentence?
The pronoun él (he) is often omitted in Spanish questions because the verb es (is) already implies the subject in many contexts. Using ¿Quién es? is a more concise and common way to ask the question when the subject is understood from the situation.
Did you know?
- The use of the word tío in Spain to mean 'guy' when asking ¿Quién es ese tío? literally translates to 'uncle'.
- While él means 'he', removing the accent mark turns the word into el, which is the definite article for 'the'.
- The Spanish word él for 'he' actually comes from a Latin word meaning 'that one'. This suggests that when you say 'who is he?', you are etymologically pointing to someone by saying 'who is that one?'
Example conversation
Mateo and María are at a party and see a stranger.
- Mateo¿quién es él?Who is he?
- MaríaEs un amigo de mi hermano.He is a friend of my brother.
- MateoParece muy simpático.He seems very nice.
- MaríaSí, es un buen chico.Yes, he is a good guy.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries es, quién, él, CC BY-SA 4.0.
