who
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who
what person or persons: Who was that woman?
Not to be confused with:
whom – objective case of who: To whom are you speaking?
WHO
abbr.
World Health Organization
who
(ho͞o)pron.
1. What or which person or persons: Who left?
2. Used as a relative pronoun to introduce a clause when the antecedent is a person or persons or one to whom personality is attributed: the visitor who came yesterday; our child, who is gifted; informed sources who denied the story.
3. The person or persons that; whoever: Who believes that will believe anything.
Usage Note: According to the traditional rule, who is a nominative pronoun (that is, it acts as the subject of a clause) and whom is an objective pronoun (that is, it acts as a grammatical object). Thus it's correct to say I like the actor who supports the governor, where the relative pronoun who is the subject of supports the governor, or Who supports the governor? where the interrogative pronoun who is the subject of supports the governor. Like other nominative pronouns, who can also serve as the complement of a linking verb, as in We learned who the governor's supporter is, where who is the complement of the linking verb is whose subject is the governor's supporter. In contrast, whom is correct in I despise the governor whom the actor supports and Whom does the actor support? where whom is the object of support, and the governor whom the actor campaigned for (or for whom the actor campaigned), where it is the object of the preposition for. Note that in all these cases, whom is used when it is the object of the verb or preposition, not when it merely comes after the verb or preposition. When the relative pronoun is the subject of an embedded clause, as in I wonder who supports the governor? or I know nothing about who supports the governor, who is correct and whom is an error, because in these instances it is the entire clause, not just the pronoun, that is the object of the verb wonder or the preposition about. · Despite the traditional grammatical distinctions outlined above, in practice whom is uncommon in speech and everyday writing because it has a formal tone. In informal contexts, who often replaces whom, as in Who does the actor support? or I despise the governor who the actor supports. (A common workaround for the problematic choice between formal whom and grammatically questionable who is to replace the relative pronoun with that, converting the governor whom the actor supports into the governor that the actor supports, or to omit it altogether, yielding the governor the actor supports.) Whom survives as the standard form when it is the grammatical object of a preposition that immediately precedes it, as in the governor for whom (not for who) the actor campaigned. · Some usage guides insist that who should be used only for humans, and that which or that must be used for animals, but that is not true when the animal is construed as similar to humans because it is given a name, considered as an individual, or credited with belief and volition. In our 2013 ballot, 76 percent of the Usage Panel accepted the use of who as a relative pronoun in The dogs who obeyed the commands got a treat, and the vast majority (93 percent) accepted it in My spaniel Molly, who is two years old, has just had a litter of puppies. See Usage Notes at else, that, whose.
who
(huː)pron
1. which person? what person? used in direct and indirect questions: he can't remember who did it; who met you?.
2. used to introduce relative clauses with antecedents referring to human beings: the people who lived here have left.
3. the one or ones who; whoever: bring who you want.
[Old English hwā; related to Old Saxon hwē, Old High German hwer, Gothic hvas, Lithuanian kàs, Danish hvo]
Usage: See at whom
WHO
abbreviation for
(Medicine) World Health Organization
who
(hu)pron. possessive whose, objective whom.
1. what person or persons?: Who is he?
2. (of a person) of what character or importance: Who does she think she is?
3. the person that or any person that (used relatively to represent a specified or implied antecedent): It was who you thought.
4. (used relatively in restrictive and nonrestrictive clauses to represent a specified antecedent, the antecedent being a person or sometimes an animal or personified thing): Any kid who wants to can learn to swim.
5. Archaic. the person or persons who.
[before 900; Middle English; Old English hwā, c. Old Saxon hwē, Old High German hwer, Gothic hwas, Latin quis]
usage: Traditional grammar rules say that who is the correct form for the subject of a sentence or clause ( Who said that? The guard who let us in checked our badges), and whom is used for the object of a verb or preposition ( Whom did you ask? To whom are we obliged for this assistance?). This distinction is observed less and less in current English. The usage cited above is characteristic of formal writing and is generally followed in edited prose. In natural informal speech, however, whom is quite rare. whom still prevails as the object of a preposition when the preposition immediately precedes ( all patients with whom you have had contact), but this juxtaposition tends to be avoided in both speech and writing, esp. in questions ( Who is this gift from?) and sometimes by omission of the pronoun altogether ( all patients you have had contact with).
WHO
World Health Organization.
who
whomWho and whom are pronouns.
1. asking for information
You use who when you are asking about someone's identity. Who can be the subject, object, or complement of a verb. It can also be the object of a preposition.
Who invited you?
Who are you?
Be Careful!
When who is the object of a verb or preposition, it is followed by an auxiliary verb, the subject, and then the main verb. When who is the object of a preposition, the preposition must go at the end of the clause. Don't use a preposition in front of who.
Who are you going to invite?
Who did you dance with?
Whom is a formal word which is sometimes used instead of 'who'. Whom can only be the object of a verb or preposition.
Whom shall we call?
By whom are they elected?
Be Careful!
When whom is the object of a preposition, the preposition must go in front of whom. Don't use it at the end of a clause. Don't say, for example 'Whom are they elected by?'
2. used in reported clauses
Who is often used in reported clauses.
She didn't know who I was.
We have to find out who did this.
3. used in relative clauses
Who and whom are used in both defining and non-defining relative clauses.
He's the man who I saw last night.
Joe, who was always early, was there already.
The writer was Philip Pullman, for whom I have great respect.
In relative clauses, you can use either who or which after a collective noun such as family, committee, or group. After who you usually use a plural verb. After which you use a singular verb.
It is important to have a family who love you.
He is a member of a group which does a lot of charitable work.
Be Careful!
When who is the subject of a non-defining clause, don't use another pronoun after it. Don't say, for example, 'He told his mother, who she was very shocked'. Say 'He told his mother, who was very shocked'.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
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| Noun | 1. | WHO - a United Nations agency to coordinate international health activities and to help governments improve health services UN agency, United Nations agency - an agency of the United Nations |
Translations
مَنْمن؟: ضمير إستِفْهام عن الفاعِل العاقِل
kdokterý
hvemsomder
kiu
kukajoka
tko
akiakikaz, akiEgészségügyi Világszervezetki ?
siapayang
hversemsem, er
誰
누구
quaequiquis
kas gikurį
kaskurš
carecine
kto
kdo
vemsom
ใคร
aimà
WHO
N ABBR =World Health Organization → OMS fwho
[huː] PRON1. (in direct and indirect questions) → quién sing, quiénes pl
who is it? → ¿quién es?
who are they? → ¿quiénes son?
who are you looking for? → ¿a quién buscas?
who does she think she is? → ¿quién se cree que es?
I know who it was → (yo) sé quién fue
you'll soon find out who's who → pronto sabrás quién es quién
who is it? → ¿quién es?
who are they? → ¿quiénes son?
who are you looking for? → ¿a quién buscas?
who does she think she is? → ¿quién se cree que es?
I know who it was → (yo) sé quién fue
you'll soon find out who's who → pronto sabrás quién es quién
2. (in exclamations) → quién
guess who! → ¡a ver si adivinas quién soy!
who should it be but Neil! → ¿a que no sabes quién era? ¡Neil!, ¡no era otro que Neil!
guess who! → ¡a ver si adivinas quién soy!
who should it be but Neil! → ¿a que no sabes quién era? ¡Neil!, ¡no era otro que Neil!
3. (relative) → que; (after preposition) → el/la que, quien, el/la cual (more frm)
my cousin who lives in New York → mi primo que vive en Nueva York
the girl who you saw → la chica que viste
the girl who you spoke to has since left the company → la chica con la que or con quien or (more frm) con la cual hablaste ya no trabaja en la empresa
those who can swim → los que saben nadar
he who wishes to → el que desee ...
deny it who may → aunque habrá quien lo niegue
In direct and indirect questions
In exclamations
As relative
"Who" as subject of a verb
"Who(m)" as object of a verb or preposition
"Who(m)" as object of a preposition
my cousin who lives in New York → mi primo que vive en Nueva York
the girl who you saw → la chica que viste
the girl who you spoke to has since left the company → la chica con la que or con quien or (more frm) con la cual hablaste ya no trabaja en la empresa
those who can swim → los que saben nadar
he who wishes to → el que desee ...
deny it who may → aunque habrá quien lo niegue
WHO, WHOM
In direct and indirect questions
• In direct and indirect questions as well as after expressions of (un)certainty and doubt (e.g. no sé), translate who using quién/quiénes when it is the subject of a verb:
Who broke the window? ¿Quién rompió la ventana? She had no idea who her real parents were Ignoraba quiénes eran sus verdaderos padres• When who/whom is the object of a verb or preposition, translate using quién/quiénes preceded by personal a or another preposition as relevant:
Who(m) did you call? ¿A quién llamaste? Who(m) is she going to marry? ¿Con quién se va a casar? You must tell me who you are going to go out with Tienes que decirme con quién/quiénes vas a salirIn exclamations
• Translate using quién/quiénes with an accent as in the interrogative form:
Who would have thought it! ¡Quién lo hubiera pensado!As relative
• When who/whom follows the noun it refers to, the most common translation is que:
Do you recognize the three girls who have just come in? ¿Reconoces a las tres chicas que acaban de entrar? Peter, who was at the match, has told me all about it Peter, que estuvo en el partido, me lo ha contado todo That man (who) you saw wasn't my father El hombre que viste no era mi padre! Personal a is not used before que.
"Who" as subject of a verb
• When who is the subject, que can sometimes be substituted by el cual/la cual or quien (singular) and los cuales/las cuales or quienes (plural). This can help avoid ambiguity:
I bumped into Ian and Sue, who had just come back from Madrid Me encontré con Ian y con Sue, la cual or quien acababa de regresar de Madrid• Only que is possible in cases where subject who can be substituted by that, i.e. where who defines the person in question and the sentence does not make sense if you omit the who clause:
The little boy who won the cycle race is Sarah's nephew El niñito que ganó la carrera ciclista es el sobrino de Sarah"Who(m)" as object of a verb or preposition
• When who(m) is the object of a verb, you can translate it using que as above. Alternatively, especially in formal language, use personal a + quien/quienes or personal a + ((ARTICLE)) + cual/cuales or personal a + ((ARTICLE)) + que:
The woman (who or whom) you're describing is my music teacher La señora que or a quien or a la cual or a la que describes es mi profesora de música"Who(m)" as object of a preposition
• After prepositions, you should usually use que or cual preceded by the article or quien:
This is the girl (who or whom) I talked to you about Ésta es la chica de la que or de la cual or de quien te habléWHO
[ˌdʌbəljuːeɪtʃˈəʊ] n abbr (=World Health Organization) → OMS f(= Organisation mondiale de la Santé)who
[ˈhuː] pron (in questions) → qui
Who said that? → Qui a dit ça?
Who is Jacques Chirac? → Qui est Jacques Chirac?
Who is it? (on phone) → Qui est à l'appareil?; (through door) → Qui est-ce?
Who do you work for? → Pour qui travaillez-vous?
Who said that? → Qui a dit ça?
Who is Jacques Chirac? → Qui est Jacques Chirac?
Who is it? (on phone) → Qui est à l'appareil?; (through door) → Qui est-ce?
Who do you work for? → Pour qui travaillez-vous?
rel pron
(subject of relative clause) → qui
the man who saw us → l'homme qui nous a vus
the man who spoke to us → l'homme qui nous a parlé
those who earn more than £50,000 → ceux qui gagnent plus de 50 000 livres
The woman, who has two children, was sent to prison
BUT La femme, mère de deux enfants, a été incarcérée.
the man who saw us → l'homme qui nous a vus
the man who spoke to us → l'homme qui nous a parlé
those who earn more than £50,000 → ceux qui gagnent plus de 50 000 livres
The woman, who has two children, was sent to prison
BUT La femme, mère de deux enfants, a été incarcérée.
WHO
abbr of World Health Organization → WHO f, → Weltgesundheitsorganisation fwho
pron
(interrog) → wer; (acc) → wen; (dat) → wem; and who should it be but Jeremy? → und wer wars? natürlich Jeremy!; who do you think you are? → was glaubst du or bildest du dir ein, wer du bist?, für wen hältst du dich eigentlich?; “Who’s Who” → „Wer ist Wer“; you’ll soon find out who’s who in the office → Sie werden bald im Büro alle kennenlernen; who are you looking for? → wen suchen Sie?; who did you stay with? → bei wem haben Sie gewohnt?
WHO
[ˌdʌbljuːeɪtʃˈəʊ] n abbr =World Health Organization → O.M.S. f =Organizzazione Mondiale della Sanitàwho
(huː) pronoun (used as the subject of a verb) what person(s)(?). Who is that woman in the green hat?; Who did that?; Who won?; Do you know who all these people are?
relative pronoun1. (used to refer to a person or people mentioned previously to distinguish him or them from others. used as the subject of a verb: usually replaceable by that) (the) one(s) that: The man who/that telephoned was a friend of yours; A doctor is a person who looks after people's health.
2. used, after a comma, to introduce a further comment on a person or people. His mother, who was so proud, gave him a hug.
whoˈever relative pronoun any person or people that. Whoever gets the job will have a lot of work to do.
pronoun1. no matter who. Whoever rings, tell him/them I'm out.
2. (also who ever) used in questions to express surprise etc. Whoever said that?
whom (huːm) pronoun (used as the object of a verb or preposition, but in everyday speech sometimes replaced by who) what person(s)(?). Whom/who do you want to see?; Whom/who did you give it to?; To whom shall I speak?
relative pronoun (used as the object of a verb or preposition but in everyday speech sometimes replaced by who).
1. (used to refer to a person or people mentioned previously, to distinguish him or them from others. able to be omitted or replaced by that except when following a preposition) (the) one(s) that: The man (whom/that) you mentioned is here; Today I met some friends (whom/that) I hadn't seen for ages; This is the man to whom I gave it; This is the man (whom/who/that) I gave it to.
2. used, after a comma, to introduce a further comment on a person or people. His mother, who was so proud of him, gave him a hug.
know who's who to know which people are important.