Which to use
“quién” and “quienes” are a confusable Spanish pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #355
- “quién” frequency rank
- #472
- “quienes” frequency rank
- 827
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | quién | quienes |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Qué persona. | Forma del plural de quien. |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set quién and quienes apart are highlighted. They share 4 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
A purely visual mix-up. quién ([ˈkjẽn]) and quienes ([ˈkjenes]) are said differently, so reading them aloud is the quickest way to catch the wrong one. On the page they stay close: they differ by 2 letter(s) in length. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 827, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
quién is recorded at frequency rank #355, classified as apron, pronounced [ˈkjẽn]. quienes is at rank #472, tagged as apron, pronounced [ˈkjenes].
Glosses for this pair are partially populated in our dataset, but the full side-by-side definitions above should still guide you to the right choice.
With a confusion score of 827, this pair ranks #322,912 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of quién vs quienes
Shared letters: inqu. Private to "quién": é. Private to "quienes": es.
"quién" · 5 letters · shape CVVVC · "quienes" · 7 letters · shape CVVVCVC
Known mistypes of this pair
- quienes ← qiuenes · qquienes · queines · quieens · quieness · quiennes · quiense · quinees
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "quién" and "quienes" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "quién" or "quienes"?
Remembering quién vs quienes
The fastest way to pick the right one every time.
- Read both glosses above and match the meaning you intend, only context separates this pair.
- See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “quién” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable