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# who

pronoun (who, whom, whose)

«who» in the English dictionary: everyday and in Jewish tradition — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. Who asks about a person: «Who is at the door?». [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/who/#m1)
2. Who tells more about a person just named: «The girl who won is my friend». [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/who/#m2)
3. Whom is who when it is the one something is done to: «to whom». [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/who/#m3)
4. Whose asks or tells who something belongs to. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/who/#m4)
5. (casual) «Who cares?» means it does not matter; «who knows?» means nobody knows. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/who/#m5)
6. (rude) «Who do you think you are?» and «who asked you?» are rude put-downs. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/who/#m6)
7. (formal) Exams and letters use «whom», «to whom it may concern», «whosoever» and «the party who». [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/who/#m7)

### In the lessons

who gives and who receives; «who» asks for a person, not a number; phrases: «who is», «who has more», «whose turn», «to whom»; in casual talk «who's coming?», «who cares», «who knows», «who's who»; in rough talk «who asked you?», «who d'you think you are?»; in the exam voice «to whom», «the party to whom the items were transferred», «whosoever»

### Examples

- Today's lesson: Who gives to whom? [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/who/#x1)
- Who has more marbles, Ben or Lily? [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/who/#x2)
- Who is the 5th in the line? [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/who/#x3)
- Who wants another slice of pizza? [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/who/#x4)
- The boy who sits next to me is called Sam. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/who/#x5)
- Whose coat is this? [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/who/#x6)
- Ask a grown-up who you trust. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/who/#x7)
- who's coming tmrw? me, u, jake = 3 [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/who/#x8)
- Who cares if it's 12 or 13, just eat 'em. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/who/#x9)
- Who asked you? Mind your own business. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/who/#x10)
- Identify the party to whom the greater number of items was transferred. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/who/#x11)
- Who knows how many stars there are? [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/who/#x12)
- "Who's there?" asked the old lady. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/who/#x13)

### Note

The giver loses and the receiver gains. «Who» asks for a person, not a number. Trap: «whose» (belonging) and «who's» (who is) sound the same. «whom» is formal; most people say «who». «to whom» in an exam asks for the receiver. «who cares» is not a real question.

## In Jewish tradition

who gives and who receives; «who» asks for a person, not a number; phrases: «who is», «who has more», «whose turn», «to whom»; in casual talk «who's coming?», «who cares», «who knows», «who's who»; in rough talk «who asked you?», «who d'you think you are?»; in the exam voice «to whom», «the party to whom the items were transferred», «whosoever»

### Examples

- And He said: 'Who told thee that thou wast naked? (Torah GEN.3.11, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/W/who/#x1)
- We know not who put our money in our sacks.' (Torah GEN.43.22, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/W/who/#x2)
- And Israel beheld Joseph's sons, and said: 'Who are these?' (Torah GEN.48.8, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/W/who/#x3)
- Who hath enjoined Him His way? (Writings JOB.36.23, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/W/who/#x4)
- Or who laid the corner-stone thereof, (Writings JOB.38.6, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/W/who/#x5)
- Who will lead me unto Edom? (Writings PSA.60.11, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/W/who/#x6)

### Note

The giver loses and the receiver gains. «Who» asks for a person, not a number. Trap: «whose» (belonging) and «who's» (who is) sound the same. «whom» is formal; most people say «who». «to whom» in an exam asks for the receiver. «who cares» is not a real question.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «who» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/who/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«who» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/who.html) on Mova free.
- [Trees and pragmatics of «who» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/W/who/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«who» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/judaism/w/who.html) on Mova free.