Spanish · B2 · Everyday language
Whoever takes part in Spanish
Learn how to make general statements using relative pronouns like 'quien' (whoever/anyone who) to include people in a group or activity without needing to name specific individuals. This is particularly useful for setting rules or giving instructions to children.
What you'll learn
- Master the use of 'Quien' + Subjunctive to express 'whoever' for hypothetical people.
- Learn to structure sentences that apply to anyone meeting a certain condition.
- Expand vocabulary related to participation and responsibility.
Spanish phrases for whoever takes part
Quien termine temprano puede revisar las respuestas.
Whoever finishes early can check the answers.
Uses 'termine' (subjunctive) because the specific person is not yet known.
Quien quiera un turno debería ponerse en la fila.
Anyone who wants a turn should join the queue.
'Hacer fila' or 'ponerse en la fila' are common ways to say 'queue up'.
Quien pida prestado el equipo es responsable de devolverlo.
Whoever borrows the kit is responsible for returning it.
'Pedir prestado' is the verbal phrase for 'to borrow'.
Quien no esté de acuerdo puede sugerir otra solución.
Anyone who disagrees can suggest another solution.
'Estar de acuerdo' means 'to agree'; here it's negated and in subjunctive.
Quien sepa la respuesta debería dejar que los demás piensen primero.
Whoever knows the answer should let the others think first.
'Sepa' is the subjunctive form of 'saber' (to know information).
Quien llegue más tarde aún puede participar.
Anyone who arrives later can still take part.
'Aún' emphasizes that the opportunity still exists.
Quien necesite más espacio puede usar la otra mesa.
Whoever needs more space can use the other table.
A polite way to manage classroom or home workspace.
Quien haga una promesa debería tomársela en serio.
Anyone who makes a promise should take it seriously.
'Tomarse en serio' is a reflexive idiom for taking something to heart.
Hear these phrases and practise them
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Try it free for 7 daysKey words
Quien / Quienes
Whoever / Anyone who
Used at the start of a sentence to refer to an unspecified person or group.
Revisar
To check / To review
Commonly used for checking schoolwork or lists.
Fila
Queue / Line
In some regions, 'cola' is used, but 'fila' is very common in educational settings.
Debería
Should
The conditional form of 'deber', used to give soft advice or instructions.
Free Relative Clauses with 'Quien'
To say 'whoever' or 'anyone who' in Spanish, we often start the sentence with 'Quien'. Because we are talking about a hypothetical person whose identity is unknown at the moment, the verb immediately following 'Quien' must be in the Present Subjunctive.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Structure | Quien + [Subjunctive Verb] + [Main Clause] | Quien ayude recibirá un premio. |
| Plurality | Quienes + [Subjunctive Verb] | Quienes terminen pueden salir. |
More examples
Quien encuentre el juguete debe guardarlo.
Whoever finds the toy must put it away.
Instructional use for chores.
Quien tenga hambre puede servirse una manzana.
Anyone who is hungry can help themselves to an apple.
Giving permission to a group.