A1

what English

Learners of English as a second language usually know the word what once they have reached the level A1 – Beginner. English words by learner level A1 A2 B1 B2 C1 C2

Meaning what meaning

What does what mean?

Definitions in simple English

what Pronoun

— What is used to ask for information about things. What did you see? What do you mean?

— What is used to add a clause with more information. I don't know what you mean. I'll tell you what to do. I'll see what I can do to help.

— What is used when you want to describe something instead of naming it. Take what you can find. Can I see what you did? I could change it if that's what you want.

what Determinative

— What is used to ask about the member(s) of a group. What book did you buy?

— What is used to add a clause to identify the member(s) of a group. I don't know what problems you mean. I'll tell you what button to push. I'll see what food I can give.

what Adjective

— used to show that you feel strongly about something. What a great book this is!

what pronoun

— (interrogative) Which thing, event, circumstance, etc.: used interrogatively in asking for the specification of an identity, quantity, quality, etc.

— That which; those that; the thing that.

— (relative, nonstandard) That; which; who.

— nonstandard relative pronoun

what adverb

— (usually followed by "with," but also sometimes "would" or "might," especially in finance) In some manner or degree; in part; partly. See also what with

— Such.

— (obsolete) Why.

— (now, rare) Used to introduce each of two coordinate phrases or concepts; both…and.

— why (see also [[why]])

what interjection

— An expression of surprise or disbelief.

— What do you want? An abrupt, usually unfriendly enquiry as to what a person desires.

— What did you say? I beg your pardon?

— part of speech initiating a sentence

what determiner

— Which one(s); which kind of.

— How much; how great (used in an exclamation).

— how much! (in an exclamation)

what noun

— (obsolete, uncountable) Something; thing; stuff.

— (countable) The identity of a thing, as an answer to a question of what.

— (countable) Something that is addressed by what, as opposed to a person, addressed by who.

Synonyms what synonyms

What other words have the same or similar meaning as what?

what English » English

which

how

who

something

that

what kind of

why

whatever

huh

where

that which

what sort of

eh

whom

what kind

that is

say what

when

whatsoever

seriously

pardon

no way

hey

any

alas

wow

with what

whereby

what the fuck

what sort

what is the matter

what is it

what for

what do you want

what did you say

what are the items

what amount

what a

this is

thing

such and such

such

speak

sorry

someone

so what

so far as

so

remedy

really

Topics what topics

What do people use what to talk about?

Grammar Part of speech Pronouns

Indefinite pronouns

• What pronouns express indefinite reference of a thing?
  thing what something anything everything nothing each thing whatever whichever
• What pronouns express indefinite reference of a reason?
  reason why for what reason for some reason for any reason for each and every reason for no reason why ever

Grammar Part of speech Pronouns

Question words

• What pronouns are used in questions?
  who what when where how why

Language and thought Want Influence

Advise

• What words refer to needing advice?
  need advice don't know what to do
• What words refer to not knowing what to advise?
  don't know what to tell you

Language and thought Emotion Feel bad Afraid

Worried

• What words refer to feeling worried?
  worry (v) feel worried be worried feel anxious be anxious be afraid feel afraid feel scared feel unsure agonize over wonder what is going to happen uneasy fret brood lose sleep not like the look of not like the sound of
• What do people say when they don't need to worry anymore?
  Thank God! Thank goodness! What a relief!

Language and thought Communication Say Ask

Answer

• What words refer to not having an answer or not knowing what to answer?
  have no answer lack answer not know what to answer don't know how to answer don't know what to say don't have an answer can't answer

Social behavior Law Justice

Deserve

• What words indicate that someone deserves the problems they are having?
  deserve had it coming get what you deserve serve someone right get your just deserts get what was coming to you your punishment fits the crime

States Quantity Number Cardinal numbers

Two

• What words indicate that something is two times the amount of something else?
  twice double twice as much (as) two times as much (as) two times what double what

States Quantity Number

Multiples

• What words indicate that something is two or three times the amount of something else?
  twice as much (as) two times as much (as) two times what double what

States Quantity Enough

Remain, remainder

• What words refer to the remainder?
  the remains remnants leftovers ruins what is left of what remains of the rest the remainder the last of residue

Grammar General words

Thing

• What words are used to refer to something when you can't remember what it is called?
  what's its name thingy thingamajig whatchamacallit whatsit such and such
• What words are used to end a list of things to indicate that there are more things in the list?
  et cetera etc. and what not and so forth and the like and on and on ... [ellipsis]

Grammar General words

General adjectives

• What question words ask for an adjective in the answer?
  what kind of what sort of

Grammar Connected with, related Dependency relations

Basis

• What words indicate that one thing is the basis for another?
  basis foundation on the basis of in view of by virtue of be the basis of form the basis of on what basis? What do you base your...on?

Language and thought Want Influence

Suggest

• What words do people use when suggesting something?
  I suggest can I suggest can I make a suggestion let's how about what about why don't you you could always we may as well we might as well

Language and thought Communication Say Voice

Speak poorly

• What words refer to not knowing what to say?
  not know what to say be speechless tongue-tied cat's got your tongue

Social behavior Behavior Love

Not care

• What do people say when they don't care?
  for all I care who cares? so what? not my problem not my concern that's your problem that's your lookout tough!

Social behavior Conflict Peace

Repent

• What words refer to an effort to make up for doing wrong?
  make amends make up for set things right make restitution pay back what was taken return stolen goods

States Time Relative time Before

After

• What words refer to the events that happen after an event?
  sequel aftermath what follows

Grammar

General words

• What words can be used in the place of any word?
  blank ... (ellipsis) you know what I mean

Grammar General words

Do

• What words refer to the thing that is done?
  deed thing to do something to do what you do act (n) action activity event behavior accomplishment achievement attainment execution exercise function (n) job implementation measure performance practice (n) task undertaking work (n) workmanship feat exploits operation

Grammar General words Thing

Situation

• What words refer to the true situation rather than the situation that people think exists?
  the picture the score what's going on

Grammar Semantic constituents related to verbs Epistemic moods

Sure

• What words indicate that someone is certain about something?
  be sure be certain be positive know know very well swear I could have sworn have no doubt confident convinced satisfied (that) I bet I'd put money on it say what you like

Grammar Semantic constituents related to verbs Epistemic moods Unsure

Seem

• What words indicate that someone or something is not what it seems to be?
  deceptive deceptively not be what you/it seem

Grammar Connected with, related Coordinate relations

And, also

• What words indicate that you are adding something new to what you just said?
  and also furthermore moreover what's more besides by the way incidentally

Grammar Connected with, related Discourse markers

Markers of identificational and explanatory clauses

• What words are used to introduce an explanation?
  what I mean is that is to say let me add allow me to explain it's like

Grammar Name

Name of a person

• What words are used to refer to someone when you can't remember what they are called?
  what's his/her name whatchamacallit whatsit so and so

Grammar Name

Name of a thing

• What words are used to refer to something when you can't remember what it is called?
  what's its name thingy thingamajig whatchamacallit whatsit such and such

Examples what examples

How do I use what in a sentence?

Simple sentences

I just don't know what to say.

So what?

I don't know what you mean.

I don't know what to do anymore.

You can probably guess what happens though.

You'd be surprised what you can learn in a week.

What do you mean you don't know?!

I don't know what to say to make you feel better.

When you can't do what you want, you do what you can.

What made you change your mind?

What is it?

What's that?

What is this?

What's this?

What is that?

I don't know what to say.

I simply don't know what to say.

I simply don't know what to tell.

So fuckin' what.

Then what?

What's your point?

That was probably what influenced their decision.

I've always wondered what it'd be like to have siblings.

This is what I would have said.

If anyone was to ask what the point of the story is, I really don't know.

If I wanted to scare you, I would tell you what I dreamt about a few weeks ago.

What did you answer?

Movie subtitles

What a wacko!

What the. How can this place be your territory?

What is this. So is he saying that he's a dog? Wha?

What a weird person I meet as I live. Ugh, disgusting.

Have you no idea what you want in a women?

That's what I'm sayin!

What should we do?

What am I going to do?

What's the matter?

What would her parents feel?

What about Minjoo?

What'd you do all that time Not knowing how to swim.

What is it, Sonia?

What do you expect to do?

Ah, what are you doing C.C.?

That's not what I mean. You're.

What are you going to do from now on?

What? You won't answer anyone's questions at all, but you'll ask me questions, huh?

Lelouch, is this what you wanted to see?

Then, what are you now?

What is it?

Ah, what indeed.

What's with that person?

What are you saying?

So what if he's an honored Britannian?

What do you mean by comrade?

Such a convenient world. What can you do to.

What does a special envoy want?

What do they open?

Well, I'll see what I can do.

I'm only giving the kids what they want.

What are screws?

What's a catcher?

What are you talking about?

What makes you say that? Because I betrayed Nick, and he's the only guy who can stand up to freakin' Frankie.

What, you got your period right now?

Know what, pal D Don't worry about paying me back.

So here's what I need you to do.

What if she rips me off again? Don't worry about it.

What is that?

Frankie was up to something- - I could feel it-- And I needed to find out what.

What. what are you eating?

News and current affairs

So what could justify another huge increase in gold prices from here?

After all, medieval alchemists engaged in what we now consider an absurd search for ways to transform base metals into gold.

So, yes, there are solid fundamentals that arguably support today's higher gold price, although it is far more debatable whether and to what extent they will continue to support higher prices in the future.

PARIS - As the economic crisis deepens and widens, the world has been searching for historical analogies to help us understand what has been happening.

As a visiting professor at Harvard and MIT, I am getting a good preview of what the world could look like when the crisis finally passes.

Yet what appealed to the outside world was not always an asset in the rough and tumble of Israeli politics.

Despite the high-born image Eban projected, he was an extremely vulnerable person: what some occasionally discerned as traits of vanity may have had their origins in his humble origins.

Almost everyone agreed that the old paradigm of neoclassical economics was broken, but there was no agreement on what can replace it.

Iran may ask what right others have to demand that it forego nuclear weapons.

What was unusual here was not the cop's heavy-handedness.

This political power, not the requirements of energy policy, is what makes giving up nuclear energy so difficult.

WAGENINGEN, NETHERLANDS - Born in 1957, the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is now more than 50 years old, and the European Commission is proposing what it calls a health check for its middle-aged child.

America's business scandals showed how accounting rules can be bent and abused to provide a misleading picture of what is really happening in a company.

The Bush Administration, not to be left behind, has shown how public accounting rules can be bent so as to provide a misleading picture of what is really happening in a national economy.

What was true for the alchemists of yore remains true today: gold and reason are often difficult to reconcile.

What, for example, will happen to a country as central and vulnerable as Egypt when hundred of thousands of Egyptians working in the Gulf are forced to return to their homeland as a result of the crisis in the oil-producing countries?

Two of them offset each other, but the third threatens what America needs most in the coming years: economic growth.

By having made such a big issue out of what was in fact a relatively minor event Gates could be accused of trivializing much worse instances of abuse.

And what happens in 2009 may jeopardize some of the positive results of 1989, including the peaceful reunification of Europe and the triumph of democratic principles over nationalist, if not xenophobic, tendencies.

It is and would be wrong to make opposition to terrorism the centerpiece of what responsible governments do in the world.

What is to be done?

But what may be most important, particularly in the Arab and Islamic communities, is to end any acceptance of terrorism.