where
wair
Where (adv) means used to ask about or refer to a place. Example: “Where do you live?”
adv
1
Used to ask about or refer to a place.
"Where do you live?"
"I forgot where I put my keys."
"Where is the nearest bus stop, please?"
conj
1
In a situation or case in which.
"This is a case where the rules don't apply."
"There are times where it is better to stay quiet."
"I enjoy working in an office where people help each other."
noun
1
The place in which something happens.
"The where of the party matters less than who comes."
"The teacher explained the where and the how of the experiment."
"We still need to figure out the where and the when."
How to use where
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe basic question word for asking about or pointing to a location.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
where to
where from
here and there, where
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Word forms
- Plural
- wheres
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
_____ do you live?
Etymology
From Old English hwǣr, literally "at what place," from a Proto-Indo-European interrogative root shared with "who" and "what."
Synonyms
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Rhymes for where
See all rhymes for where →Frequently asked questions
What does “where” mean?
The word “where” means used to ask about or refer to a place. In plain terms, the basic question word for asking about or pointing to a location.
How do you pronounce “where”?
“Where” is pronounced wair (/ˈwɛə/ in IPA).
How do you use “where” in a sentence?
Here is “where” used in a sentence: “Where do you live?”
What part of speech is “where”?
Depending on how it is used, “where” can be an adverb, a conjunction and a noun.
Where does the word “where” come from?
The word “where” comes from Old English. From Old English hwǣr, literally "at what place," from a Proto-Indo-European interrogative root shared with "who" and "what.".
Is “where” a common word?
“Where” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
How many meanings does “where” have?
“Where” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: used to ask about or refer to a place.
What is the difference between "where," "were," and "wear"?
"Where" asks about or refers to a place ("Where are you?"). "Were" is a past-tense form of "be" ("they were late"), and "wear" means to have clothing on your body. They look and sound similar enough that they are often mixed up in writing.
Is it correct to say "where are you at"?
In standard English the "at" is redundant, because "where" already asks about place — "Where are you?" is the correct form. "Where are you at?" is common in casual speech, but avoid it in formal writing.
Can "where" refer to situations rather than physical places?
Yes. As a conjunction, "where" means "in a situation or case in which": "a case where the rule does not apply." Some formal style guides prefer "in which" for non-physical references, but this use of "where" is widely accepted.
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