Definition and meaning of English word "who"
who
/huː/
Meaning
NounWhat person or people; which person or people; asks for the identity of someone; used in a direct or indirect question.
How to use
The interrogative pronoun 'who' is used to ask about the identity of someone. A common mistake learners make is confusing 'who' with 'whom', which is used as an object. For example, 'Who ate the cake?' is correct, but 'Whom did you give the cake to?' is also correct.
🇬🇧 English
who
Example
Who is it?
Who are you?
Your personal vocabulary
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Common phrases
- who is who— used to ask about someone's identity
- who's on first— a phrase used to ask about someone's name
- who cares— used to express indifference
This concept in other languages
Frequency rank: #391 in English
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does the English word "who" mean?▼
The English word "who" means "who" in English.
How do you pronounce the English word "who"?▼
You can hear the correct audio pronunciation of the word "who" by clicking the play button next to the word at the top of this page.
Can I see an example sentence with "who"?▼
Yes, here is a practical example: "Ask for identity" (which translates as "who").
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