¿quién es?
The English phrase "who is it?" is translated into Spanish as ¿quién es?
¿quién es? is the standard way to ask for someone's identity when you cannot see them, such as when someone knocks on a door or calls from an intercom.
Which one should you use?
Use ¿quién es? to identify a person, whereas ¿qué es? is used to identify an object or an unknown sound or thing. If you suspect there is more than one person at the door or behind the barrier, use the plural form ¿quiénes son? instead of ¿quién es?
Did you know?
- In a telephone context, instead of asking ¿quién es?, Spanish speakers often use ¿de parte de quién?, which literally asks 'from whose part?'
- In some Spanish-speaking cultures, answering ¿quién es? with your name alone can seem too abrupt. It is common to reply with soy yo meaning 'it is I'.
- The Spanish word quién is a distant relative of the English word 'who'. Both trace their origins back to the same ancient Proto-Indo-European root *kʷos.
Examples in context
- El teléfono suena. ¿Quién llama?The phone is ringing. Who's calling?
- Tocan la puerta, ¿quién es?Someone is knocking on the door, who is it?
- Escucho un ruido, ¿quién es?I hear a noise, who is it?
Example conversation
Sofía is at home and hears a knock on her front door.
- Sofía¿quién es?Who is it?
- AlejandroSoy Alejandro, tu vecino.It's Alejandro, your neighbor.
- SofíaAh, pasa, Alejandro.Ah, come in, Alejandro.
- AlejandroGracias, Sofía.Thank you, Sofía.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries es, quién, CC BY-SA 4.0.
