How To Say Who Is This In Spanish

So, there I was, strolling down the streets of Barcelona, when my phone rang. I picked it up, and there was this guy on the other end, speaking a mile a minute in Spanish. I could've sworn I heard "¿Quién es este?" but I was clueless. I mean, I knew "¿Quién es?" meant "Who is it?", but "este" threw me off. So, I did what any confused tourist would do - I laughed nervously and said, "Lo siento, no entiendo." (I'm sorry, I don't understand.)

That little incident got me thinking, "How do you actually ask 'Who is this?' in Spanish?" I mean, it's a pretty basic question, right? But it turns out, there's a bit more to it than meets the eye. So, let's dive in, shall we?

¿Quién es este?

Alright, let's break it down. You already know "¿Quién es?" means "Who is it?" Now, "este" is a demonstrative adjective, which means it points out a specific noun. In this case, it's pointing at the person you're talking to. So, "¿Quién es este?" literally translates to "Who is this one?" or "Who is this person?"

Here's a little tip, though. While "¿Quién es este?" is perfectly fine in most situations, it can sound a bit formal or even rude in everyday conversations. Imagine someone calling you and saying, "¿Quién es este?" It might make you raise an eyebrow, right?

¿Quién eres tú?

Now, here's a more casual way to ask the same question - "¿Quién eres tú?" The "tú" form is the informal way to say "you" in Spanish, and it's used in everyday conversations. So, "¿Quién eres tú?" is like saying, "Who are you?" in a friendly, casual tone.

Here's how you might use it. Imagine you're at a party, and someone you don't know very well calls you. You could pick up the phone and say, "¿Hola? ¿Quién eres tú?" (Hello? Who are you?) It's a friendly way to ask who's on the other end of the line.

But what if you want to be extra casual?

Well, my friend, you might want to consider using the "ye" form. It's an informal way to say "you" that's used among friends and family. So, "¿Quién eres ye?" is like saying, "Who are you, dude?" or "Who are you, man?" in English.

Here's a fun fact - "ye" comes from the Spanish "vosotros," which is the informal plural "you." It's used in Spain and some Latin American countries, but not all. So, if you're using it, make sure you're in the right place, or you might get some funny looks!

“Who” in Spanish: ¿QUIÉN?, QUIEN, ¿QUIÉNES? & QUIENES - YouTube

And what about when you want to be extra polite?

Alright, so you're at a fancy event, and you want to ask who's calling, but you don't want to sound too casual. What do you do? You use the formal "usted" form, of course!

"¿Quién es usted?" is the polite way to ask "Who are you?" It's like saying, "Who might you be?" or "And who might you be?" in English. It's a bit old-fashioned, but it can still come in handy in certain situations.

But what if you want to ask about someone else?

Great question! Let's say you're on the phone with a friend, and they mention someone you don't know. You could say, "¿Quién es este/a?" (Who is this/that?) depending on whether you're pointing at someone nearby or talking about someone who's not there.

Here's a quick tip - "Este/a" is used for things that are close to you, while "ese/a" is used for things that are farther away. So, if you're pointing at someone across the room, you'd say, "¿Quién es ese/a?"

So, what did I say to that guy in Barcelona?

Well, after I hung up and looked up "¿Quién es este?" on Google Translate, I realized I'd been laughing nervously at the poor guy. So, the next time he called, I was ready. I picked up the phone and said, "Hola, ¿quién eres tú?" And you know what? He laughed too. Turns out, he was just a friendly local who wanted to practice his English.

And that, my friends, is the story of how I learned to ask "Who is this?" in Spanish. It's a simple question, but it's got a lot of nuances. So, the next time you're in a Spanish-speaking country, or chatting with a Spanish speaker on the phone, you'll know just what to say. ¡Buena suerte!