Whose: Meaning, Pronunciation, and Usage Guide

Meaning 1：belonging to which person (whose)

whose 🔊

/huːz/

pron.

Used to ask which person something belongs to, or to connect a clause that shows possession to the person or thing you just mentioned.

Whose charger is this? A person asking about ownership in a living room

belonging to which person 🔊

➕

/bɪˈlɔːŋɪŋ tə wɪtʃ ˈpɜːrsən/

pron.

Used to ask about ownership or association; it is the possessive form of 'who' and 'which'.

📁 Category：Behaviors & Actions 🔖 Level：初级

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

From Old English 'hwæs', genitive of 'hwa' (who).

💡 Mnemonic

Think of 'who' + possessive 's' (like his/her). Whose = the 'who' ownership.

📖 Example

The teacher picked up a book from the floor and asked, "Whose is this?" 🔊 The teacher picked up a book from the floor and asked, "Whose is this?"

🔗 Collocations

whose book – the book belonging to which person?

whose responsibility – the responsibility belonging to which person?

whose idea – the idea belonging to which person?

🔄 Synonyms

of whom (prep. phrase) – used to ask which person something belongs to in a more formal way

which person's (pronoun phrase) – used to ask about possession or association

🌱 Derivatives

whosever (pron.) – belonging to whichever person

📖 Cultural Story

The possessive form 'whose' has been used since Old English times. Unlike modern 'who's' contraction, 'whose' retains its distinct genitive function. It appears in formal and informal contexts.