Word
what
US/ˈhwət/
UK/wˈɒt/
Definition
pron. the word you use to ask for information about a thing or an action. You use it when you do not know what something is or what is happening.
pron. an interrogative pronoun used to request specific information about an object, event, or situation. It functions as the subject, object, or complement in a clause.
Examples
“What is your favorite color?”
“The manager asked what the team needed to finish the project by Friday afternoon.”
“In philosophical inquiry, the question of what constitutes a meaningful life often leads to a discussion of personal values versus societal expectations.”
Examples
simple
“What is your favorite color?”
contextual
“The manager asked what the team needed to finish the project by Friday afternoon.”
complex
“In philosophical inquiry, the question of what constitutes a meaningful life often leads to a discussion of personal values versus societal expectations.”
Usage
Functions as an interrogative pronoun or a relative pronoun; when used as a relative pronoun, it often means 'the thing that'.
Pitfall
I don't know what is the time.
I don't know what the time is.
In indirect questions or noun clauses, the subject must come before the verb.
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *kʷ- Proto-Indo-European *kʷís Proto-Germanic *hwat Proto-West Germanic *hwat Old English hwæt Middle English what English what From Middle English what, from Old English hwæt (“what”), from Proto-West Germanic hwat, from Proto-Germanic hwat (“what”), from Proto-Indo-European kʷód (“what”), neuter form of kʷós (“who”). Cognate with Scots what, whit (“what”), North Frisian wat (“what”), Saterland Frisian wat (“what”), West Frisian wat (“what”), Dutch wat (“what”), Low German wat (“what”), German was (“what”), Danish hvad (“what”), Norwegian Bokmål hva (“what”), Swedish vad (“what”), Norwegian Nynorsk kva (“what”), Icelandic hvað (“what”), Latin quod (“what, which”). Its use as a particle of contradiction or objection in colloquial Singaporean and Malaysian English is analogous to Cantonese 喎 /㖞 (wo³, etymology 2, sense 3). It is possible that this was historically reinforced by the dated use of what as a sentence-final question tag in British English.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Related words
Idioms
02. come what may
03. do exactly what it says on the tin
04. do what
07. give what for
08. guess what
09. it is what it is
Show all 42
11. look what the cat's dragged in
12. not know what one is missing
13. or what
14. pick up what someone is putting down
16. say what
17. see what sticks
18. smell what someone is stepping in
20. throw things at the wall and see what sticks
22. what can I say
24. what did your last slave die of
25. what do you say
26. what for
27. what happens twice happens thrice
29. what is more
30. what it takes
31. what not
32. what of it
34. what the Devil
38. what you see is what you get
39. what, me worry
40. what's what
41. you know what
42. you what
Grammar
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.A1 MoversIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.2.0–3.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 1.0–1.50–23TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.120–224
- Frequency
- Very common
- Level
- A1 · BeginnerOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/what