Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Use 'Whose' to find out who owns something; it's the possessive cousin of 'Who'.
- Use 'Whose' + Noun to ask about an object (e.g., 'Whose phone is this?')
- Use 'Whose' alone as a pronoun (e.g., 'Whose is this?')
- Never confuse 'Whose' with 'Who's' (Who is/has).
Overview
Whose 에어팟이지?whose는 문장의 주인공이 됩니다. who's와 발음이 완전히 똑같아서 많은 사람들이 빠지는 함정이기도 해요. 하지만 걱정 마세요.Whose pizza is this?이것이 소유권 질문의 핵심이에요.
Whose는 소유에 대해 물을 때 사용하는 의문사예요. 사물과 사람을 연결해 주죠.my, your, his, her 같은 단어를 대체해요. 마치 탐정이 된 것과 비슷해요. 물건은 있는데, 주인을 찾고 있는 거죠.Whose idea was this?라고 궁금해한 적이 있다면, 이미 사용해 본 거예요. 현대 대화에 완벽하게 어울리는 다재다능한 단어죠.
whose는 «내 것과 네 것»의 세상을 항해하도록 도와줍니다.How This Grammar Works
Whose는 소유 의문사 역할을 해요. 이건 그냥 물건에 대한 의문사라는 말을 어렵게 한 것뿐이에요. 보통 명사 바로 앞에 위치해요.Whose + [Noun].Whose is?라고 말하고 사람들이 알아듣길 기대할 수는 없어요. 아이템을 구체적으로 말해줘야 해요. 하지만 모두가 같은 것을 보고 있다면 명사를 생략할 수 있어요.Whose are these?라고 물을 수 있죠. who와 비슷하게 작동하지만, who가 사람을 식별한다면 whose는 그들의 소유물을 식별해요. Who is that guy?라고 묻는 것과
Whose car is that guy driving?라고 묻는 것의 차이예요.
whose는 항상 주인을 찾는 것이지, 단순히 사람을 찾는 게 아니에요.
Formation Pattern
whose로 질문을 만드는 건 아주 구체적인 리듬을 따라요. 이렇게 만들면 됩니다:
Whose.
phone, coffee, dog.
to be를 추가하세요: 한 개일 때는 is, 여러 개일 때는 are를 사용하세요.
this, that, these, 또는 those.
is와 are가 가장 흔해요. 예를 들어, Whose team won the game?도 완벽하게 작동해요.
whose와 명사가 절친인 것처럼 서로 가까이 붙여두기만 하면 돼요.
When To Use It
whose를 사용하세요.- 분실물: 버스에서 지갑을 발견했을 때.
Whose wallet is this?
- 소셜 미디어: 피드에서 사진을 봤을 때.
Whose dog is in this post?
- 기술 문제: 누군가 TV에 화면을 전송하고 있을 때.
Whose Netflix account are we using?
- 음식: 사무실에 배달 음식이 도착했을 때.
Whose Thai food is this?
- 그룹 결정:
Whose turn is it to pay for the Uber?
- 비격식:
Whose is this?(친구난 가족에게 완벽해요). - 중립적:
Whose laptop is this?
(직장이나 학교에서 좋아요). - 격식:
To whom does this belong?
(이건 19세기 소설에 나오는 말처럼 들려요. 웃기거나 아주 고급스러운 척하려는 게 아니라면 피하세요).
Common Mistakes
whose와 who's를 혼동하는 거예요. 발음이 똑같거든요. 귀는 도움이 안 돼요. 머리를 써야 해요.Who's=Who is또는Who has. 예: "Who's coming to the party?"Whose= 소유. 예:Whose party is it?
who is로 바꿀 수 있다면 who's를 쓰세요. 말이 안 된다면 whose를 쓰세요.Whose books is this?라고 하지 마세요. 그건 문법 범죄예요.
Whose books are these?를 사용하세요.
Contrast With Similar Patterns
Whose vs. Who:Who는 주어를 물어봐요. Who broke the vase?
Whose는 주인을 물어봐요. Whose vase did you break?
Whose vs. Which:Which는 그룹 중에서 선택하도록 요청해요. Which phone is yours?(파란 거요, 아니면 검은 거요?).
Whose는 그것이 속한 사람을 물어봐요. Whose phone is that?(마이크 거예요).
whose 끝에 있는 se를 Secret Entity(비밀의 실체)라고 생각하세요. 그 물건에 속한 비밀의 실체(주인)를 찾는 거예요. 아니면 좀 더 간단한 걸 선호한다면: Whose에는 Possess-ive(소유격)처럼 se가 있어요. 네, 좀 억지스럽긴 하지만, 기억에 남는다면 효과가 있는 거죠!Quick FAQ
동물에게 whose를 사용할 수 있나요?
당연하죠!
Whose cat is scratching the sofa?는 완벽하게 괜찮아요. 반려동물은 가족의 일부지만, 문법적으로는 «소유된» 존재니까요.
물리적이지 않은 것들에도 whose를 사용할 수 있나요?
네.
Whose idea was it to go hiking in the rain?아이디어도 소유될 수 있어요.
문장을 whose로 끝내도 되나요?
아니요, 그건 매우 불완전하게 들려요.
The phone is whose?는 구어체 영어에서 강조를 위해 기술적으로 가능할 수는 있지만, 표준은 아니에요. 문장 처음에 쓰는 걸 고수하세요.
whose는 질문에만 쓰나요?
이번 레슨에서는, 네! 문장을 연결하는 데(관계절) 사용할 수도 있지만, 일단 질문부터 마스터하자고요. 차근차근 해봐요, 슈퍼스타!
3. Whose in Questions
| Structure | Example | Usage |
|---|---|---|
|
Whose + Singular Noun
|
Whose coat is this?
|
Asking about one item
|
|
Whose + Plural Noun
|
Whose coats are these?
|
Asking about multiple items
|
|
Whose + Pronoun
|
Whose is it?
|
When the noun is already known
|
|
Whose + Noun + Aux
|
Whose car did you drive?
|
Using past/future tenses
|
The 'Whose' vs 'Who's' Trap
| Word | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Whose
|
Possessive (Ownership)
|
Whose book is this?
|
|
Who's
|
Who is / Who has
|
Who's coming to the party?
|
Meanings
An interrogative word used to ask about the person or thing that possesses or is associated with something.
Interrogative Determiner
Placed directly before a noun to ask about its owner.
“Whose car are we taking to the party?”
“Whose idea was it to go hiking?”
Interrogative Pronoun
Used alone when the noun is already understood from context.
“I found a jacket. Whose is it?”
“There are two pens here. Whose is the blue one?”
Relative Pronoun (Introduction)
Used to link a person to an object in a descriptive sentence.
“That is the man whose car was stolen.”
“I know a girl whose father is a pilot.”
Reference Table
| 대상 | 구조 | 예시 질문 | 답변 예시 |
|---|---|---|---|
|
단수 물건
|
Whose + [명사] + is this?
|
Whose jacket is this?
|
It's Sarah's.
|
|
복수 물건
|
Whose + [명사] + are these?
|
Whose shoes are these?
|
They are mine.
|
|
추상적인 개념
|
Whose + [명사] + was it?
|
Whose idea was that?
|
It was Mark's idea.
|
|
가리키며 묻기
|
Whose is [지시대명사]?
|
Whose is that?
|
That's the teacher's.
|
|
주어와 함께
|
Whose + [명사] + do you have?
|
Whose pen do you have?
|
I have Leo's pen.
|
|
디지털 아이템
|
Whose + [명사] + is that?
|
Whose post is that?
|
It's a viral post.
|
격식 수준 스펙트럼
To whom does this mobile device belong? (Finding a phone)
Whose phone is this? (Finding a phone)
Whose is this? (Finding a phone)
Yo, whose phone? (Finding a phone)
소유 카테고리
실제 물건
- Phone Smartphone
- Keys House keys
추상적 아이디어
- Idea Thought/Plan
- Turn Order/Sequence
디지털 콘텐츠
- Post Social media post
- Account App profile
Whose vs. Who's
동사 선택하기
물건이 단수인가요?
물건이 복수인가요?
자주 묻는 물건들
사무/학습
- • Laptop
- • Pen
- • Notebook
개인 소지품
- • Glasses
- • Wallet
- • Charger
사교 모임
- • Pizza
- • Drink
- • Seat
수준별 예문
Whose pen is this?
Whose bag is that?
Whose is this?
Whose cat is it?
Whose shoes are these?
Whose phone is ringing?
Whose car did you take?
Whose turn is it to cook?
Whose idea was it to come here?
I don't know whose keys these are.
Whose signature do we need on this form?
Whose advice should I follow?
Whose interests are they really protecting?
Whose fault do you think it was?
Whose side are you on in this argument?
Whose house are we staying at in London?
Whose is the responsibility for the climate crisis?
Whose was the hand that wrote these lines?
Whose authority are you acting under?
Whose legacy will be most enduring?
Whose is the voice that cries out in the wilderness?
Whose, if not ours, is the duty to intervene?
Whose very existence is a testament to survival?
Whose was the genius that conceived this plan?
혼동하기 쉬운
They sound identical (/huːz/), leading to frequent spelling errors.
Both can precede a noun, but one asks for identity/choice and the other for ownership.
Learners often try to translate 'Of whom' directly from their native language.
자주 하는 실수
Who is this book?
Whose book is this?
Whose is that car?
Whose car is that?
Whose this?
Whose is this?
Who's bag is this?
Whose bag is this?
Whose are these book?
Whose books are these?
Whose did you see car?
Whose car did you see?
Whose is the pen?
Whose pen is it?
The man who's car is red.
The man whose car is red.
Whose of these is yours?
Which of these is yours?
I wonder whose is it.
I wonder whose it is.
A company who's reputation is good.
A company whose reputation is good.
Whose ever it is, return it.
Whosever it is, return it.
Whose did they say it was?
Whose did they say it was?
문장 패턴
Whose ___ is this?
Whose ___ are these?
Whose ___ did you ___?
I don't know whose ___ it is.
Real World Usage
Whose umbrella is this? It was left in the lobby.
Whose turn is it to take the minutes?
Whose dog is this? Found near Main St.
Whose bag is this? Please do not leave luggage unattended.
Whose is the extra large pizza?
Whose vehicle was involved in the collision?
Who's 함정 조심!
Whose를 쓰세요.명사 생략하기
Whose is this?라고만 해도 충분하답니다.자연스러운 매너
Whose is this?는 아주 정중하고 자연스러운 표현이에요. 굳이 어렵게 To whom does this belong?이라고 할 필요 없어요.
Smart Tips
Always do the 'Who is' check. If 'Who is' fits, use 'Who's'. If not, use 'Whose'.
Remember to use 'are' even if it's just one pair of glasses.
Put the noun immediately after 'Whose'.
Don't be afraid to use 'whose' for non-humans. It's perfectly correct.
발음
Homophones
'Whose' and 'Who's' are pronounced exactly the same: /huːz/.
Question Intonation
In 'Whose' questions, the voice usually goes down at the end.
Falling Intonation
Whose ↘ car is that?
Standard information-seeking question.
암기하기
기억법
Whose has an 'e' for 'Everything belongs to me!'
시각적 연상
Imagine a giant question mark holding a suitcase. The suitcase has a tag that says 'WHOSE?' on it. This reminds you that 'whose' is always looking for the owner of an object.
Rhyme
Whose is for the things you own, Who's is for the person known.
Story
A detective walks into a room and sees a mysterious hat. He doesn't ask 'Who is this hat?' because the hat isn't a person. He asks 'Whose hat is this?' because he wants to find the owner.
Word Web
챌린지
Look around your room right now. Pick 5 objects and ask 'Whose [object] is this?' out loud for each one.
문화 노트
In the UK, you might hear 'Whose is this then?' adding 'then' for emphasis in informal situations.
Americans often use 'Whose is it?' very directly, whereas some other cultures might find it too blunt.
Asking 'Whose is this?' about a gift before it is opened can be seen as impatient; it's better to wait for the card.
Derived from Old English 'hwæs', which was the genitive (possessive) form of 'hwā' (who).
대화 시작하기
Whose advice do you usually listen to?
Whose style do you like more: Batman or Superman?
Whose house would you like to visit for a day?
Whose job in your family is the most difficult?
일기 주제
자주 하는 실수
Test Yourself
Score: /3
연습 문제
8 exercises___ phone is ringing on the table?
I don't know ___ coming to the party tonight.
Find and fix the mistake:
Who's keys are these?
This is Mary's coat.
1. Whose is this? 2. Who's that? 3. Whose car is it?
You see a dog in your garden. You ask your neighbor:
___ idea was it to go to the beach in the rain?
are / whose / shoes / these / ?
Score: /8
Practice Bank
10 exercises___ idea was it to order five pizzas?
Who's jacket are you wearing?
wallet / whose / this / is / ?
이 커피 누구 거예요?
복수형 물건에 대해 어떻게 질문하나요?
알맞은 쌍을 연결하세요:
I don't know ___ car that is.
Whose socks is these?
is / umbrella / that / whose / ?
소유를 묻는 것이 아닌 문장을 고르세요:
Score: /10
자주 묻는 질문 (8)
You can use it for both! While it's the possessive of 'who', it is perfectly normal to say 'a company whose office is in London' or 'a book whose cover is torn'.
Both are correct. 'Whose book is this?' is more specific. 'Whose is this?' is used when you are already holding or pointing at the object.
They are homophones. This is just a coincidence of English history. You must rely on context and grammar to tell them apart when listening.
No, it is neutral. It is used in both very casual conversation and very formal writing.
Yes, that is a common alternative. 'Whose is this?' is usually shorter and more direct.
No. If the noun is obvious, you can use 'whose' as a pronoun: 'I found a wallet. Whose is it?'
Yes, as a relative pronoun: 'He is the actor whose name I forgot.' This is a more advanced (B1) use.
Yes! Use 'is' for singular (Whose is this?) and 'are' for plural (Whose are these?).
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
¿De quién?
English uses one word; Spanish uses a phrase.
À qui / De qui
French uses prepositions (à/de) while English does not.
Wessen
Very similar, but German has more complex case endings for the following nouns.
だれの (Dare no)
Japanese word order puts the verb at the very end.
لمن (Li-man)
Arabic uses a 'To + Who' construction.
谁的 (Shéi de)
Chinese does not use 'do-support' or inversion in questions.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
Learn These First
관련 동영상
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