quem
1. used to ask about the identity of a person or people
Who is that man over there?
Quem é aquele homem ali?
2. used to refer to a person or people previously mentioned
She is the woman who helped us yesterday.
Ela é a mulher que nos ajudou ontem.
3. used in relative clauses to introduce information about a person
The person who called you is my brother.
A pessoa que te ligou é meu irmão.
4. used to ask which person or people from a group
Who wants coffee?
Quem quer café?
WHO is one of the five basic interrogative words in English, essential for basic communication. In Brazilian Portuguese, 'quem' serves the same function and is equally fundamental. The pronoun is gender-neutral and does not change based on the person being asked about, making it simpler than some Romance languages. In both American and Brazilian cultures, the question 'Who?' is often the first question asked to understand a situation.
Related Idioms & Phrases
Who's who - understanding who the important or influential people are
Who cares - expression of indifference
Who do you think you are - expression of indignation
Quem é quem - expressão de identificação de pessoas importantes
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