whose

whosepronoun

American /huz/ British /huːz/ Whose sounds exactly like who's (short for who is or who has); only the spelling and the meaning tell them apart.

very commondefining vocabulary

used alone to ask or say which person or thing something belongs to
Whose stands alone when the thing it asks about is already clear from what was just said: There's a phone on the table. Whose is it?
- There's a phone on the table. Whose is it?
- I found a set of keys, but I don't know whose they are.
- Two coats are left on the hooks. Whose are these?
- Whose is the umbrella by the door?

Word family

whose (the determiner, used before a noun)
who

Usage

Before a noun, whose is a determiner, a separate entry: whose coat is this? This entry covers whose standing alone, without a following noun. Do not confuse whose with who's, the short form of who is or who has.

Common mistakes

Who's is this? Whose is this?
Whose shows ownership; who's is short for who is or who has.

See also whose (whose before a noun: whose coat is this?)

For translators

Pronunciation trap Whose and who's sound exactly the same, like who with a z sound added; only the spelling and meaning tell them apart.

whosedeterminer

American /huz/ British /huːz/ Whose sounds exactly like who's (short for who is or who has); only the spelling and the meaning tell them apart.

very commondefining vocabulary

who owns itused before a noun to ask or say which person or thing something belongs to
Whose asks about ownership (Whose coat is this?) or, in a relative clause, shows that something belongs to the person or thing just named (the woman whose car broke down).
- Whose keys are these on the table?
- I don't know whose idea it was originally.
- That's the man whose dog barks all night.
- Whose turn is it to cook dinner?

Word family

whose

Usage

Standing alone, without a following noun, whose is a pronoun: Whose is this? — a separate entry, whose. Do not confuse whose with who's, the short form of who is or who has.

Common mistakes

Who's coat is this? Whose coat is this?
Whose shows ownership; who's is short for who is or who has.

See also whose (whose standing alone, without a noun: Whose is this?)

For translators

Pronunciation trap Whose and who's sound exactly the same, like the word who with a z sound added; only the spelling and meaning tell them apart.