There are words in Spanish which change their meaning simply when you use a written accent. Let's look at quién vs quien.
Spanish quien without an accent
Quien is a relative pronoun, it is usually translated by who.
For example:
Mi tío, quien ha trabajado siempre muy duro, tiene varias empresas.My uncle, who has always worked very hard, owns several companies.
Spanish quién with an accent
Quién is an interrogative pronoun that is used in direct and indirect interrogative sentences. It is also translated as who.
For example:
As both quién and quien are translated by who, it is sometimes difficult to know which one you need. If you can substitute who by the question words (interrogative) "which person" and the sentence still makes sense, then you need quién (with an accent). Note that this tip is not about making a "good translation" but just about identifying whether you need quien or quién.
For example:
¿Quién quiere un chocolate caliente?
Who/Which person would like a hot chocolate? (It makes sense)
Quien estudia mucho consigue buenos resultados.
Who/Which person studies a lot gets good results. (It doesn't make sense.)
Plural quiénes, quienes
Remember that you can also use them in their plural form: quiénes/quienes
For example:
Mis hermanos, quienes son muy vagos, nunca quieren caminar al centro.My brothers, who are very lazy, never want to walk to town.
- Quién/quiénes are interrogatives and have a written accent.
- Quien/quienes are relative pronouns and do not have a written accent.
Want to make sure your Spanish sounds confident? We’ll map your knowledge and give you free lessons to focus on your gaps and mistakes. Start your Brainmap today »
