whoever

who·ev·er

 (ho͞o-ĕv′ər)

pron.

1. Whatever person or persons: Whoever comes will be welcomed.

2. Who: Whoever could have dreamed of such a thing? See Usage Notes at whatever, who.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

whoever

(huːˈɛvə)

pron

1. any person who; anyone that: whoever wants it can have it.

2. no matter who: I'll come round tomorrow, whoever may be here.

3. an intensive form of who, used in questions: whoever could have thought that?.

4. informal an unknown or unspecified person: give those to John, or Cathy, or whoever.

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

who•ev•er

(huˈɛv ər)

pron. possessive whos•ev•er, objective whom•ev•er.

1. whatever person; anyone that: Whoever did it should be proud.

2. no matter who: I won't do it, whoever asks.

3. who? what person? (used to express astonishment): Whoever told you that?

[1125–75]

Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.

whoever

1. used in statements

You use whoever to refer to any person involved in the kind of situation you are describing.

You can have whoever you like to visit you.

Whoever is the last to leave should lock the door.

You also use whoever to refer to someone whose identity you do not know.

Whoever answered the telephone was a very charming woman.

You also use whoever to say that the identity of someone will not affect a situation.

Whoever you vote for, prices will go on rising.

2. used in questions

Whoever is sometimes used when asking questions, in order to express surprise.

Whoever could that be, calling so late?

However, many people consider this form to be incorrect, and it is better to write who ever as two separate words.

Who ever told you that?

Collins COBUILD English Usage © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 2004, 2011, 2012

Translations

أي شَخْصٍ ، لا يَهِمُّ منكُل من، أيّاً كانكُلُّ مَنْ

kdokoli

der endhvemhvem der endhvem som helstuanset hvem

wer auch immerwer denn nurwer

οποιοσδήποτε

quienel quequienquieraquienquiera quesea quien sea

kuka tahansa

n'importe quiquiconque

tkogod

akárkiaki csakugyan ki?

hverhver semsama hver

chiunque

誰でも

누구든~하는 사람

wie

alle somenhver somhvem i all verdenhvem som ennuansett

krokolwiek

quem quer queseja quem for

кто бы ни

ten, kto

kdokdorkoli

vem som än

ใครก็ตาม

hangi kişiistediğin kişikimkim ...-sekim olursa olsun

bất cứ ai

任何人无论谁究竟是谁

whoever

[huːˈevəʳ] PRON

1. (= no matter who, anyone that) it won't be easy, whoever does it → no será fácil, no importa quién lo haga
whoever finds it can keep it → quienquiera que lo encuentre puede quedarse con él, el/la que lo encuentre que se lo quede
I'll talk to whoever it is → hablaré con quien sea
ask whoever you like → pregúntaselo a cualquiera

2. (= the person that) whoever said that is an idiot → quien haya dicho eso es un imbécil, quienquiera que haya dicho eso es un imbécil

3. (in questions) → quién
whoever told you that? → ¿quién te dijo eso?

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

whoever

[huːˈɛvə^r]

pron

(subject of clause) whoever finds it → quiconque le trouve
Whoever wins this year is going to be famous for life → Quiconque gagnera cette année sera célèbre pendant toute sa vie.
Everybody here, whoever they are, is at risk of being taken hostage → Chacun ici, qui que ce soit, court le risque d'être pris en otage.
Whoever was responsible for this crime is a dangerous man → Qui que soit l'auteur de ce crime, il s'agit d'un homme dangereux.

[+ object of clause] whoever he marries → qui que soit celle qu'il épousera
ask whoever you like → demandez à qui vous voulez
You can ask whoever you like to visit you → Vous pouvez demander à qui vous voulez de vous rendre visite.
with whoever → avec qui
We should be free to negotiate with whoever we want → Nous devrions être libres de négocier avec qui nous voulons.

(for emphasis) → qui donc
Whoever told you that? → Qui a bien pu vous dire ça?, Qui donc vous a dit ça?

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

whoever

pron → wer (auch immer); (acc) → wen (auch immer); (dat) → wem (auch immer); (= no matter who) → einerlei or ganz gleich or egal (inf) → wer/wen/wem; whoever told you that? → wer hat dir das denn (bloß) gesagt?

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

whoever

[huːˈɛvəʳ] pron

a. (the person that, anyone that) → chiunque + sub, chi; (no matter who) → chiunque + sub
whoever said that was an idiot → chiunque l'abbia detto or chi l'ha detto è un idiota
whoever finds it → chiunque lo trovi
ask whoever you like → chiedi a chiunque
it won't be easy, whoever does it → non sarà facile, chiunque lo faccia
whoever she marries → chiunque lei sposi

b. (in questions) → chi (mai)
whoever told you that? → chi (mai) te l'ha detto?

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

who

(huː) pronoun

(used as the subject of a verb) what person(s)(?). Who is that woman in the green hat?; Who did that?; Who won?; Do you know who all these people are? wie من؟: ضمير إستِفْهام عن الفاعِل العاقِل кой quem kdo wer hvem ποιοςquién, quiénes kes چه کسى kuka quiמי कौन tko ki(k)? siapa hver chi だれが (사람에 관해 물어) 누구, 어떤 사람(들) kas kas siapa wiehvemkto څوك، چا: كوم يو (وګړى quem cine кто kto kdo ko vem ใคร kim, kimler 誰 хто?; котрий? کون ai 谁

relative pronoun

1. (used to refer to a person or people mentioned previously to distinguish him or them from others. used as the subject of a verb: usually replaceable by that) (the) one(s) that: The man who/that telephoned was a friend of yours; A doctor is a person who looks after people's health. wat ضَمير صِلَة يَعود إلى العاقِل الفاعل بِمَعْنى: الذي، التي، الذين، اللواتي който que který der/die/das der ο οποίος, πουque kes که joka quiש- जो koji az aki yang sem, er che ～するところの …하는(인) 사람 kuris (tas) kurš yang diesomktóry څوك que care который ktorý ki koji som บุคคลซึ่ง ...-en/an, ki o (關係代詞)該人、這些人 який, котрий جو chỉ người đã nhắc tới trước đó （限制性关系代词）…人

2. used, after a comma, to introduce a further comment on a person or people. His mother, who was so proud, gave him a hug. wat ضَمير يأتي في بدايَة جُمْلَة الصِّلَه غَيْر المُحَدِّدَه който que který der/die/das der ο οποίοςque kes کسیکه که joka quiש- जो koja aki yang sem, er che そしてその人は 그리고(그러자, 그러나) 그 사람은 kuris, -i kas yang diesomktóry څوک چی que care тот, кто ktorý ki koji som บุคคลที่ ki o (關係代詞，在逗號之後)他、她、他們、她們 який, котрий جو bổ nghĩa thêm cho người được nhắc trước đó （非限制性关系代词）他、她、他们、她们

whoˈever relative pronoun

any person or people that. Whoever gets the job will have a lot of work to do. wie ook al كُل من، أيّاً كان който и да е quem ten, kdo wer auch immer hvem der end όποιος, οποιοσδήποτεquien, quienquiera que, el que kes iganes هر کسی kuka tahansa la personne qui מִי שֶׁ- जो भी tko god akárki, bárki, aki csak barang siapa hver sem chiunque; chi ～する人はだれでも (…하는 사람은) 누구든지 kas, kad ir kas jebkurš, kas sesiapa yang wie ... ook den som; alle/enhver som ktokolwiek هر څوک quem acela care тот кто ten, kto kdorkoli ko god den (de) som, var och en som ใครก็ตาม; ไม่ว่าใครก็ตามที; ผู้ใดก็ตาม; ใครทำก็ตาม (her) kim(i)...-se (關係代詞)無論是誰 хто б не جو کوءی بھی bất kỳ ai （引导名词从句）无论谁，任何人

pronoun

1. no matter who. Whoever rings, tell him/them I'm out. wie ook al أي شَخْصٍ ، لا يَهِمُّ من без значение кой seja quem for que kdokoli wer auch immer hvem, der end; hvem som helst όποιοςquienquiera que, cualquiera que ükskõik kes هر کی kuka hyvänsä quiconque מִי שֶלא יִהיֶה जो भी bez obzira tko bárki siapa saja sama hver chiunque だれが～しようとも 누가 …하더라도 kad ir kas (ja) kāds; vienalga, kurš siapa saja wie ... ook hvem som enn, samme hvemktokolwiek هر څوک seja quem for que oricine кто бы ни ktokoľvek kdorkoli bilo ko vem som än ใครก็ตาม; ไม่ว่าใครก็ตามที; ผู้ใดก็ตาม; ใครทำก็ตาม kim olursa olsun 無論是誰 хто б не, який би не کوءی بھی bất kỳ ai 无论谁

2. (also who ever) used in questions to express surprise etc. Whoever said that? wie ook al تُسْتَعْمَل في الإسْتِفهام للتعْبير عن المُفاجأَه بِمَعنى: مَن هو الذي؟ кой quem kdopak wer hvem ποιος στην ευχή; quienquiera que, cualquiera que kes küll چه کسی؟ kuka kumma qui donc מי? जो कोई tko god ugyan ki? siapa hver (í ósköpunum) chiunque 一体だれが 도대체 누가 kas gi kas tad siapa yang wie ... in godsnaam hvem i all verdenktóż څوك quem oare cine кто бы kto kdo vendar ko vem i all sin dar/all (världen) ...? ใครก็ตาม; ไม่ว่าใครก็ตามที; ผู้ใดก็ตาม; ใครทำก็ตาม kim, hangi kişi 究竟是誰 хто ж? کس نے ai vậy nhỉ 究竟是谁

whom (huːm) pronoun

(used as the object of a verb or preposition, but in everyday speech sometimes replaced by who) what person(s)(?). Whom/who do you want to see?; Whom/who did you give it to?; To whom shall I speak? vir wie ضَمير إسْتِفْهام للسُّؤال عن المَفعول به العاقِل بِمَعْنى: من кого quem komu, koho, kým wen, wem hvem ποιον a quién/quiénes kellele, keda چه کسى را ketä, keitä, kenet, kenelle que, quiמי, למי किसको, जिसको kome kit?, kiket? siapa hvern chi だれを 누구를(에게) ką, kam ko; kuru; kam; kuram siapa wiehvemkogo, komu د who مفعولي حالت: چاته چې... كوم ته چې quem pe cine; cu cine; cui кого; кому komu, koho, s kým koga, komu kome vem ใคร ทำหน้าที่เป็นกรรม kimi, kime (受格)誰 кого, кому کس سے với ai （宾格）谁

relative pronoun

(used as the object of a verb or preposition but in everyday speech sometimes replaced by who).

1. (used to refer to a person or people mentioned previously, to distinguish him or them from others. able to be omitted or replaced by that except when following a preposition) (the) one(s) that: The man (whom/that) you mentioned is here; Today I met some friends (whom/that) I hadn't seen for ages; This is the man to whom I gave it; This is the man (whom/who/that) I gave it to. aan wie ضَمير صِلَه للتَّعْبير عن المَفْعول به العاقِل بِمَعْنى: الذي، التي، الذين، اللواتي когото que / quem / os quais / as quais který den/die/das, dem/der der; som; hvem ποιον que, quien, quienes keda که jonka, joita que, quiאשר, ש- जिसको kome, kojem aki(ke)t; aki(k)nek yang hvern, sem chi ～するところの …하는 바의 (사람) kuris kuru; kuram yang die, wiehvemktóry څوک que care; pe care; căruia, căreia который ktorý ki koji som ผู้ซึ่ง kimi, kime (關係代詞受格)他、她、他們、她們 кого, який جو người mà （关系代词）他、她、他们、她们

2. used, after a comma, to introduce a further comment on a person or people. His mother, who was so proud of him, gave him a hug. wat تُسْتَعْمَل في جُمْلَة الصِّلَه غَيْر المُحَدِّدَه който que který den/die/das der τον οποίοque, quien, quienes keda, kes کسیکه که jonka, jotka qui, queש- जिसको koji akit yang hvern, sem che, cui そしてその人を 그리고 그 사람을(에게) kurį kuru; kuram yang die, wiesom którego itd. څوک چی que pe care с которым ktorý ki koji som ผู้ที่ ki o, ki ona (關係代詞受格，在逗號之後)他、她、他們、她們 який جو người mà （宾格）他、她、他们、她们

know who's who

to know which people are important. weet wie's wie يَعْرِف من هو الشَّخْص المُهِم знам кой е важен conhecer quem é importante / conhecer quem é quem znát vlivné osoby wissen, wer wichtig ist vide hvem, der er hvem έχω υψηλές γνωριμίες saber qué personas son importantes teadma kes on kes قابلیت تشخیص افراد مهم tietää merkkihenkilöt connaître les personnes influentes לַדָעָת מִי חָשוּב महत्वपूर्ण लोग znati tko je tko tudja, hogy ki kicsoda mengenal orang yang penting vita hverjir eru merkilegir (conoscere le persone importanti) 誰が偉いか分かる 누가 누구인지를 알다 žinoti, kurie žmonės naudingi zināt/pazīt īsto[] cilvēku[] orang yang penting de weg weten vite hvem som er hvem wiedzieć kto tu rządzi قابلیت تشخیص conhecer os importantes a şti care persoane sunt im­por­tante знать кто есть кто poznať vplyvné osoby vedeti, kdo je kdo znati ko je ko veta vem som är vem รู้จักว่าใครเป็นใครบ้าง kim kimdir bilmek 認識重要人物 знати, хто є значною персоною یہ جاننا کہ کون کتنا اہم ہے những nhân vật quan trọng 知道各人的身份和地位

Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.

whoever

→ كُلُّ مَنْ kdokoli uanset hvem Wer auch immer οποιοσδήποτε quien, sea quien sea kuka tahansa n'importe qui tkogod chiunque 誰でも 누구든~하는 사람 wie uansett krokolwiek quem quer que, seja quem for кто бы ни vem som än ใครก็ตาม istediğin kişi bất cứ ai 任何人

Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009