det
what
wot
det
1
Used to ask for the identity or nature of something, from an open set of possibilities.
"What time does the train leave?"
"What kind of music do you like?"
pron
1
The thing or things that.
"I told her what happened last night."
"Show me what you bought."
adv
1
Used to add emphasis, showing that something is remarkable in a good or bad way.
"What a beautiful sunset!"
"What a mess this kitchen is."
intj
1
Used informally at the end of a statement to invite agreement, similar to "right?"
"It's freezing out there, what?"
How to Use What
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe most basic question word in English, used to ask about identity, nature, or degree of something.
Common mistake
Don't confuse "what" (asking about a thing) with "which" (choosing from a known, limited set): "What do you want to eat?" vs "Which of these two do you want?"
Common pairings
what if
so what
what for
guess what
Word Forms
whats plural
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Fill the Gap
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_____ time does the train leave?
Etymology
From Old English hwæt, going back to a Proto-Indo-European root for "who/what" — the ancestor of similar words like German was and Latin quod.