who
gb/hˈu/ us/hˈu/
A1
English
~ 100
ki, aki
A1
1
ki
A1
Usage pattern:
who [verb/clause]
Who is coming to the meeting?
Ki jön a megbeszélésre?
I don't know who called me.
Nem tudom, ki hívott fel.
She’s the one who helped me with my homework.
Learner examples
Who is your teacher?
Ki a tanárod?
I don’t know who is at the door.
Nem tudom, ki van az ajtónál.
He is the man who lives next door.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'who' and 'whom'. 'Who' is used for subjects, while 'whom' is used for objects.
Meaning
person being referred to
Collocations
who is
|who are you
|know who
Synonyms
whom (More formal and used as the object of a verb or preposition.)
Themes
communication
|grammar
|daily life
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Used to talk about the person someone means or is asking about.
Used to refer to the person or people that the speaker is talking about or asking about.
A2
2
aki
A2
Usage pattern:
[noun] who [verb/clause]
The woman who lives next door is a doctor.
A nő, aki a szomszédban lakik, orvos.
Students who study hard usually do well.
Azok a diákok, akik keményen tanulnak, általában jól teljesítenek.
He’s someone who really cares about his friends.
Learner examples
The boy who plays football is my friend.
A fiú, aki focizik, a barátom.
I know a man who can help you.
Ismerek egy férfit, aki tud segíteni.
People who eat too much sugar can get sick.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes omit 'who' in relative clauses, making sentences incomplete.
Meaning
person doing an action
Collocations
the one who
|people who
|those who
Synonyms
that (Can also introduce defining clauses, but less personal when referring to people.)
Themes
communication
|grammar
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Used to talk about a person that does something in a sentence.
Used to introduce a clause giving more information about a person who performs an action or has a role in a situation.
Grammar
Dictionary form
who
IPA
GB/hˈu/
US/hˈu/
Syllables & stress
who (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (who)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: who
- Plural: whos
Word family
Expressions
guess who
1/ɡˈɛs hˈu/
fixed phrase
informal
identify person by guessing
Said when you want someone to guess which person you are talking about, often for fun or surprise.
Examples
- Guess who I saw at the mall today?
- Guess who’s coming to dinner tonight!
who knows
1/hˈu nˈoʊz/
fixed phrase
informal
express uncertainty
Used to say that no one can be sure about something.
Examples
- Who knows what will happen tomorrow?
- Maybe she will come back, but who knows?
who's who
1/hˈuz hˈu/
fixed phrase
list of notable people
A list or description of important people in a group or area.
Examples
- The guide gives you an idea of who's who in the company.
- He quickly learned who's who in the art world.