Spanish Phrase
¿Quién es el autor invitado esta noche?
Meaning
The sentence asks for the identity of the guest author who will appear or is appearing tonight. It is a direct, polite way to request that information in a formal or semi‑formal setting.
When to use
Use this question at literary events, book fairs, talk shows, or any gathering where a special author is scheduled to speak. It works both in spoken conversation and in written invitations or program notes.
✦Grammar Breakdown
¿Quiéneselautorinvitadoestanoche?
¿Quién (interrogative pronoun)
Used to ask about a person’s identity; it replaces the subject in a question.
Ser vs. Estar
Ser is used for permanent identity (who someone is). Here 'es' links the subject with its definition.
Definite article 'el'
Spanish normally requires the article before a singular, specific noun like 'autor'.
Past participle as adjective
'invitado' functions as an adjective meaning 'guest' and agrees in gender and number with 'autor'.
Temporal phrase 'esta noche'
A simple adverbial phrase indicating when the event takes place; placed at the end of the sentence.
🗨In Conversation
¿Quién es el autor invitado esta noche?
Who is the guest author tonight?
Es María García, la ganadora del Premio Nacional de Narrativa.
It’s María García, the winner of the National Narrative Prize.
✕Common Mistakes
¿Quién está el autor invitado esta noche?
Use 'es' (ser) for identity, not 'está' (estar) which describes location or condition.
¿Quién es autor invitado esta noche?
The article 'el' is required before a singular, specific noun.
Esta noche quién es el autor invitado?
If you place the temporal phrase before the verb, you must keep the question order: 'Esta noche, ¿quién es el autor invitado?'
↔Alternatives
¿Quién será el autor invitado esta noche?
Who will be the guest author tonight?
¿Quién va a ser el autor invitado esta noche?
Who is going to be the guest author tonight?
¿Quién es el escritor invitado esta noche?
Who is the guest writer tonight?
Cultural Tip
In many Spanish‑speaking countries, 'autor' often refers to someone who creates original works (books, essays, poems) and carries a slightly more formal tone than 'escritor'. When addressing a literary audience, using 'autor invitado' signals respect for the guest’s professional status. Also, note that the question word '¿Quién?' always carries an opening inverted question mark, a hallmark of written Spanish.