Which vs. What — What's the Difference?
Edited by Tayyaba Rehman — By Fiza Rafique — Updated on September 21, 2023
Which is used to select from a specific set of options, while What is used to inquire about something more generally or from an open set of possibilities.
Difference Between Which and What
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Which is primarily used when the choices are known, limited, or specific. What, conversely, is used when the choices are unknown, unlimited, or more general. Both are interrogative pronouns used to formulate questions, but they serve different functions in shaping the inquiry.
In the sentence "Which book do you want?" the word Which implies that there are specific books to choose from. What, however, doesn't make that implication. If you say "What book do you want?" it could be any book, even one not yet mentioned.
In terms of grammar, Which often precedes nouns to provide more specific context. For example, "Which car do you own?" Here, What would serve as a more general inquiry: "What car do you own?" Both seek to identify the car, but Which assumes a predefined set of cars under consideration.
Which is also used as a relative pronoun to provide additional information about a noun in a sentence, like "The book, which is red, is on the table." What doesn’t serve this function; it's not used as a relative pronoun.
Comparison Chart
Usage
Specific set of options
Open set of possibilities
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Preceding Nouns
Often precedes nouns
Can stand alone
Relative Pronoun
Can be used as such
Not used as such
Example Sentence
Which book do you want?
What book do you want?
Flexibility
Less flexible
More flexible
Compare with Definitions
Which
Employed to specify a particular item in a list or set.
I have two pens; which one is yours?
What
Used to ask for information about something.
What is your name?
Which
Used to ask for a choice among specific alternatives.
Which flavor of ice cream do you prefer?
What
Employed to inquire about the nature, class, or type of something.
What breed is your dog?
Which
Utilized as a relative pronoun to provide additional information.
The car, which is red, belongs to me.
What
Employed to ask for specification from a general category.
What sport do you play?
Which
Used to inquire about one among several known items.
Which college did you attend?
What
Asking for information specifying something
What is your name?
I'm not sure what you mean
Which
Used to introduce non-defining relative clauses.
The painting, which was sold, fetched a high price.
What
The thing or things that (used in specifying something)
What we need is a commitment
Which
What particular one or ones of a number of things or people
Which part of town do you mean?.
What
(in exclamations) emphasizing something surprising or remarkable
What some people do for a crust!
Which
Any one or any number of; whichever
Use which door you please.
What
Asking for information specifying something
Do you know what excuse he gave?
What time is it?
Which
Being the one or ones previously mentioned or implied
It started to rain, at which point we ran.
What
(referring to the whole of an amount) whatever
He had been robbed of what little money he had
Which
(interrogative) What, of those mentioned or implied.
Which song shall we play?
They couldn't decide which song to play.
Which one is bigger?
Show me which one is bigger.
What
(in exclamations) how great or remarkable
What a fool she was
What luck!
Which
The/Any ... that; whichever.
You may go which way you please.
What
To what extent?
What does it matter?
Which
Designates the one(s) previously mentioned.
He once owned a painting of the house, which painting would later be stolen.
Yesterday, I met three men with long beards, which men I remember vividly.
For several seconds he sat in silence, during which time the tea and sandwiches arrived.
I'm thinking of getting a new car, in which case I'd get a red one.
What
Used to indicate an estimate or approximation
See you, what, about four?
Which
(interrogative) What one or ones (of those mentioned or implied).
Which is which?
By now, you must surely know which is which.
Which is bigger, the red one or the blue one?
I'm unable to determine which is bigger.
Which of these do you want to keep?
What
Used for emphasis or to invite agreement
Pretty poor show, what?
Which
The/Any ones that; whichever.
Please take which you please.
What
Which one or ones of several or many
What college are you attending? You should know what musical that song is from.
Which
(relative) Introduces a relative clause giving further information about something previously mentioned.
He walked by a door with a sign, which read: PRIVATE OFFICE.
I found my camera, which I thought I'd lost, under the bed.
No art can be properly understood apart from the culture of which it is a part.
He had to leave, which was very difficult.
What
Whatever
They soon repaired what damage had been done.
Which
Used of people (now generally whom, that; which remains possible with words also referred to by it like baby, child).}}
What
How great; how astonishing
What a fool!.
Which
Of what sort or kind; what; what a; who.
And which they weren and of what degree.
What
How much; in what respect; how
What does it matter?.
Which
A relative pronoun, used esp. in referring to an antecedent noun or clause, but sometimes with reference to what is specified or implied in a sentence, or to a following noun or clause (generally involving a reference, however, to something which has preceded). It is used in all numbers and genders, and was formerly used of persons.
And when thou fail'st - as God forbid the hour! -Must Edward fall, which peril heaven forfend!
God . . . rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.
Our Father, which art in heaven.
The temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.
What
That
I don't know but what I'll go.
Which
A compound relative or indefinite pronoun, standing for any one which, whichever, that which, those which, the . . . which, and the like; as, take which you will.
Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called?
What
Used to express surprise, incredulity, or other strong and sudden excitement.
What
Chiefly British Used as a tag question, often to solicit agreement.
What
(interrogative) Which, especially which of an open-ended set of possibilities.
What colour are you going to use?
What time is it?
What kind of car is that?
What
(relative) Which; the ... that.
I know what colour I am going to use.
That depends on what answer is received.
What
(relative) Any ... that; all ... that; whatever.
He seems to have lost what sense he had.
What money I earn is soon spent.
What
Emphasises that something is noteworthy or remarkable in quality or degree, in either a good or bad way; may be used in combination with certain other determiners, especially 'a', less often 'some'.
This shows what beauty there is in nature.
You know what nonsense she talks.
I found out what a liar he is.
What
Used to form exclamations.
What nonsense!
Wow! What a speech.
What some lovely weather we've been having!
What beautiful children you have.
With what passion she sings!
What
(interrogative) Which thing, event, circumstance, etc.: used in asking for the specification of an identity, quantity, quality, etc.
What is your name?
Ask them what they want.
What
(fused relative) That which; those that; the thing(s) that.
He knows what he wants.
What is amazing is his boundless energy.
And, what's even worse, I have to work on Sunday too.
What
(fused relative) Anything that; all that; whatever.
I will do what I can to help you.
What is mine is yours.
What
That; which; who.
'Ere! There's that bloke what I saw earlier!
What
(interrogative) In what way; to what extent.
What does it matter?
What do you care?
What
Used before a prepositional phrase to emphasise that something is taken into consideration as a cause or reason; usually used in combination with 'with' (see what with), and much less commonly with other prepositions.
What
An expression of surprise or disbelief.
What! That’s amazing!
What
What do you want? An abrupt, usually unfriendly enquiry as to what a person desires.
What? I'm busy.
What
Clipping of what do you say? Used as a type of tag question to emphasise a statement and invite agreement, often rhetorically.
It’s a nice day, what?
What
What did you say? I beg your pardon?
— Could I have some of those aarrrrrr mmmm ...
— What?
— What?
What
Indicating a guess or approximation, or a pause to try to recall information.
I must have been, what, about five years old.
What
Something; thing; stuff.
What
(countable) The identity of a thing, as an answer to a question of what.
What
(countable) Something that is addressed by what, as opposed to a person, addressed by who.
What
As an interrogative pronoun, used in asking questions regarding either persons or things; as, what is this? what did you say? what poem is this? what child is lost?
What see'st thou in the ground?
What is man, that thou art mindful of him?
What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!
What
As an exclamatory word: - (a) Used absolutely or independently; - often with a question following.
What, could ye not watch with me one hour?
What
Used adjectively, meaning how remarkable, or how great; as, what folly! what eloquence! what courage!
What a piece of work is man!
O what a riddle of absurdity!
What
As a relative pronoun
What
Sometimes prefixed to adjectives in an adverbial sense, as nearly equivalent to how; as, what happy boys!
What partial judges are our love and hate!
What
Used substantively with the antecedent suppressed, equivalent to that which, or those [persons] who, or those [things] which; - called a compound relative.
With joy beyond what victory bestows.
I'm thinking Captain Lawton will count the noses of what are left before they see their whaleboats.
What followed was in perfect harmony with this beginning.
I know well . . . how little you will be disposed to criticise what comes to you from me.
What
Whatever; whatsoever; what thing soever; - used indefinitely.
Whether it were the shortness of his foresight, the strength of his will, . . . or what it was.
What
Used adjectively, equivalent to the . . . which; the sort or kind of . . . which; rarely, the . . . on, or at, which.
See what natures accompany what colors.
To restrain what power either the devil or any earthly enemy hath to work us woe.
We know what master laid thy keel,What workmen wrought thy ribs of steel.
What
Used adverbially, in part; partly; somewhat; - with a following preposition, especially, with, and commonly with repetition.
What for lust [pleasure] and what for lore.
Thus, what with the war, what with the sweat, what with the gallows, and what with poverty, I am custom shrunk.
The year before he had so used the matter that what by force, what by policy, he had taken from the Christians above thirty small castles.
What time the morn mysterious visions brings.
What
Used adverbially in a sense corresponding to the adjectival use; as, he picked what good fruit he saw.
What
Why? For what purpose? On what account?
What should I tell the answer of the knight.
But what do I stand reckoning upon advantages and gains lost by the misrule and turbulency of the prelates? What do I pick up so thriftily their scatterings and diminishings of the meaner subject?
What
Something; thing; stuff.
And gave him for to feed,Such homely what as serves the simple lown.
What
Utilized to express surprise or emotion.
What a lovely day!
What
Used as a pronoun to refer to an unknown thing or situation.
I don’t know what you’re talking about.
Common Curiosities
Can What be used as a relative pronoun?
No, What is not used as a relative pronoun.
Can Which be used as a relative pronoun?
Yes, Which can be used as a relative pronoun.
Is Which more specific than What?
Yes, Which is generally more specific than What.
When do you use Which?
Use Which when referring to a specific set of known options.
When do you use What?
Use What for open-ended questions or general inquiries.
Can What be used for specific sets of choices?
Yes, but it makes the inquiry less specific.
Is Which usually followed by a noun?
Yes, Which often precedes a noun for specificity.
What is an example of a sentence using Which?
"Which shirt should I wear?"
What is an example of a sentence using What?
"What time is it?"
Can What express emotion or surprise?
Yes, for example: "What a beautiful day!"
Can Which be used for open-ended questions?
Typically not, Which is used for specified choices.
How do Which and What differ in flexibility?
What is more flexible and general, while Which is more specific.
Can I replace Which with What in a sentence?
Sometimes, but it often changes the nuance of the question.
Is Which generally more formal than What?
Not necessarily, but Which often appears in more formal contexts.
Can What stand alone in a sentence?
Yes, What can stand alone to ask a general question.
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Written by
Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
Edited by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
