Spanish · B2 · Everyday language
A Voice for Every Participant in Spanish
Teaching children about fair participation involves discussing rights and responsibilities. In Spanish, we use relative clauses starting with 'quien' or 'el que' to express the concept of 'whoever' or 'anyone who', creating general principles for group behavior and cooperation.
What you'll learn
- Express general principles using 'quien' or 'el que' to mean 'whoever'.
- Discuss participation, shared decisions, and group responsibilities.
- Formulate logical conditions for fair play and social agreements.
Spanish phrases for a voice for every participant
Quien se suma al proyecto, también tiene voz en cómo se desarrolla.
Whoever joins the project also gets a say in how it develops.
Uses 'quien' as a relative pronoun to represent a general person.
Quien pida prestada la cámara, es responsable de devolverla sana y salva.
Whoever borrows the camera is responsible for returning it safely.
The subjunctive 'pida' is used here to refer to a hypothetical person.
Cualquiera que no esté de acuerdo con el plan, puede proponer una alternativa.
Anyone who disagrees with the plan can suggest an alternative.
'Cualquiera que' is a common way to say 'anyone who'.
Quien necesite ayuda, debería poder pedirla sin que se burlen de él.
Whoever needs help should be able to ask without being teased.
Focuses on the right to seek assistance respectfully.
Quien comete un error, sigue mereciendo ser tratado con respeto.
Anyone who makes a mistake still deserves to be treated respectfully.
Emphasizes unconditional respect within a group.
Quien acepte un plazo, debería avisar si este se vuelve poco realista.
Whoever agrees to a deadline should speak up if it becomes unrealistic.
Discusses accountability and communication regarding tasks.
Cualquiera que quiera más independencia, también necesita oportunidades para practicar la toma de decisiones.
Anyone who wants more independence also needs opportunities to practise making decisions.
Links freedom with the responsibility of practice.
Quien comparta una foto grupal, necesita el permiso de las personas que aparecen en ella.
Whoever shares a group photo needs permission from the people in it.
A modern rule regarding digital participation and privacy.
Hear these phrases and practise them
Tildi plays every phrase out loud, tests you in five-minute lessons and builds them into bedtime stories from your own picture books.
Try it free for 7 daysKey words
tener voz
to have a say / to have a voice
Commonly used in contexts of voting or decision-making.
sano y salvo
safe and sound
Used for both people and objects returned in good condition.
plazo
deadline / period of time
Refers to the time limit for a task.
burlarse
to tease / to mock
A reflexive verb; requires 'de' for the object of the teasing.
Free Relative Clauses with 'Quien'
Spanish uses 'Quien' or 'El que' to create general statements similar to English 'Whoever'. While German uses a specific 'wer... der...' structure, Spanish simply starts the sentence with the relative pronoun. If the person is hypothetical or not yet identified, the subjunctive is often used.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| General Fact | Quien + Indicative | Quien quiere, puede. |
| Hypothetical Rule | Quien + Subjunctive | Quien llegue tarde, no entrará. |
| Alternative Form | Cualquiera que + Subjunctive | Cualquiera que sepa la respuesta, puede hablar. |
More examples
Quien limpia la mesa, elige la música.
Whoever cleans the table chooses the music.
A simple house rule using the relative clause structure.
El que no quiera jugar, puede leer un libro.
He who (anyone who) doesn't want to play can read a book.
'El que' is a very common alternative to 'Quien' in speech.