whom
gb/hˈum/ us/hˈum/
B2
English
~ 800
kit, akit
B2
FORMAL
1
Usage pattern:
[preposition] whom [clause]
To whom should I address the letter?
Kinek címezzem a levelet?
She is the woman with whom I spoke yesterday.
Ő az a nő, akivel tegnap beszéltem.
The man whom you met is my uncle.
For whom are you buying this gift?
He is a teacher whom many students admire.
Learner examples
To whom did you speak?
Kivel beszéltél?
The man whom I saw was tall.
A férfi, akit láttam, magas volt.
She is the girl with whom I work.
For whom is this book?
He is someone whom I trust.
Common mistake:
Learners often use 'who' when 'whom' is correct in formal writing. In everyday speech, 'whom' is less common, but in formal contexts using 'whom' correctly is important.
Meaning
object form of 'who'
Collocations
to whom
|with whom
|for whom
|by whom
Synonyms
who ('Who' can sometimes be used instead of 'whom', especially in informal speech, but it is grammatically the subject form.)
Antonyms
who (The subject form of the pronoun, used for the person doing the action.)
Themes
grammar
|language
|communication
|education
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Used to talk about the person who gets an action, not the one who does it.
Used instead of 'who' when referring to the person that is the object of a verb or preposition.
Grammar
Dictionary form
whom
IPA
GB/hˈum/
US/hˈum/
Syllables & stress
whom (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (whom)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: whom
- Plural: whoms
Word family
Expressions
to whom it may concern
1/tə hˈum ˈɪt mˈeɪ kənsˈɚn/
fixed phrase
formal
formal letter salutation for unknown recipient
A formal way to start a letter when you do not know the name of the person you are writing to.
Examples
- To Whom It May Concern: I am writing to apply for the advertised position.
- The letter began with 'To Whom It May Concern' because they did not know the hiring manager’s name.