"Quien" is a pronoun used in Spanish.
/ˈkjen/
"Quien" is a relative pronoun used to refer to people in both restrictive and non-restrictive clauses. It is commonly used to introduce a relative clause and is often used in questions as well.
The word "quien" is frequently used in both oral and written contexts, particularly in formal speech and writing such as literature, legal documents, and academic texts.
Quien quiera ayudar, puede hacerlo.
(Whoever wants to help can do so.)
No sé a quien invitaste a la fiesta.
(I don't know who you invited to the party.)
Quien no arriesga, no gana.
(Who doesn't take risks doesn't win.)
While "quien" itself is not a frequently used term in idiomatic expressions, it can often appear as part of broader phrases or constructions in Spanish.
Quien ríe último, ríe mejor.
(He who laughs last, laughs best.)
Dime con quién andas y te diré quién eres.
(Tell me who you hang out with, and I'll tell you who you are.)
Quien mucho abarca, poco aprieta.
(He who covers too much, holds little.)
Quien tiene un amigo, tiene un tesoro.
(He who has a friend has a treasure.)
Quien busca, encuentra.
(He who seeks, finds.)
The word "quien" comes from the Latin word "quī, quae, quod," which means "who." This is reflective of its role as a pronoun referring to individuals.
This emphasizes the role of "quien" in inquiring about identity or introducing clauses related to people.