Spanish Phrase
¿Quién eres?
Meaning
Literally “Who are you?” – a direct question asking for a person’s identity, usually their name or role. It is informal and assumes a familiar relationship with the listener.
When to use
Use this phrase when you meet someone for the first time in a casual setting, or when you need to clarify who a person is in a conversation. In formal contexts you would switch to "¿Quién es usted?" or, more politely, "¿Cómo se llama?".
✦Grammar Breakdown
¿Quiéneres?
Interrogative pronoun
"Quién" means "who" and is used to ask about a person's identity.
Verb ser (2nd person singular)
"Eres" is the present‑tense form of the verb "ser" for the informal subject "tú"; the subject pronoun is usually omitted.
Accent on "quién"
The accent distinguishes the interrogative pronoun from the relative pronoun "quien" (without accent).
🗨In Conversation
¿Quién eres?
Who are you?
Soy María, la nueva asistente del proyecto.
I’m María, the new project assistant.
✕Common Mistakes
Quien eres?
Missing the accent on "quién" changes it from an interrogative pronoun to a relative pronoun, making the sentence ungrammatical.
¿Quién es tú?
The verb must agree with the subject; use "eres" for "tú" and "es" for "usted".
¿Quién eres usted?
Mixing informal verb form with the formal pronoun is inconsistent; choose either "¿Quién eres?" (tú) or "¿Quién es usted?" (usted).
↔Alternatives
¿Cómo te llamas?
What’s your name?
¿Quién es usted?
Who are you? (formal)
¿Cuál es tu nombre?
What is your name?
Cultural Tip
In many Spanish‑speaking countries "¿Quién eres?" can feel a bit blunt. Native speakers often prefer "¿Cómo te llamas?" or "¿Cuál es tu nombre?" for a softer introduction. Reserve "¿Quién eres?" for situations where you really need to know the person’s role (e.g., "¿Quién eres? – Soy el encargado de seguridad").