Who vs. What
Difference Between Who and What
Whopronoun
(interrogative) What person or people; which person or people; asks for the identity of someone. (used in a direct or indirect question)
Who is that? (direct question)I don't know who it is. (indirect question)Whatpronoun
(interrogative) Which thing, event, circumstance, etc.: used interrogatively in asking for the specification of an identity, quantity, quality, etc.
Whopronoun
(interrogative) What is one's position; asks whether someone deserves to say or do something.
I don't like what you did, but who am I to criticize you? I've done worse.Whatpronoun
That; which; who.
Whopronoun
(relative) The person or people that.
It was a nice man who helped us.Whatpronoun
That which; those that; the thing that.
He knows what he wants.What goes up must come down.Keep up with what your friends are doing.Whopronoun
Whoever, he who, they who.
Whatpronoun
Whatever.
I will do what I can to help you.Whonoun
A person under discussion; a question of which person.
Whatadverb
(usually followed by "with") In some manner or degree; in part; partly. See also what with
What with singing and joking, the time passed quickly.Whonoun
a United Nations agency to coordinate international health activities and to help governments improve health services
Whatadverb
Such.
What a pity.What a beautiful day!Whatadverb
(obsolete) Why?
Whatadverb
Used to introduce each of two coordinate phrases or concepts; both…and.
Whatadverb
(Singlish) lang=en used to contradict an assumption
Whatinterjection
An expression of surprise or disbelief.
What! That’s amazing.Whatinterjection
Response that enquires what the asker desires (usually said unhappily).
Whatinterjection
clipping of what do you say?
It’s a nice day, what?Whatinterjection
What did you say? I beg your pardon?
Whatdeterminer
Which; which kind of.
What shirt are you going to wear?What time is it?What kind of car is that?Whatdeterminer
How much; how great (used in an exclamation).
What talent he has!What a talent!Whatdeterminer
(relative) Whatever
Write down what things come into your mind.Whatnoun
Something; thing; stuff.
Whatnoun
(countable) The identity of a thing, as an answer to a question of what.
Whatnoun
(countable) Something that is addressed by what, as opposed to a person, addressed by who.
