Standard Lemma guide

whether

conj · det · pron · 6 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • wĕthə r
  • /ˈwɛðə(ɹ)/
  • hwĕthə r
  • /ˈʍɛðə(ɹ)/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ɛðə(ɹ)
  • homophone: weather
  • homophone: wether (wine–whine merger)
  • CMU ARPABET: W EH1 DH ER0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
  • CMU ARPABET 2: HH W EH1 DH ER0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

conj

Meaning 1

Introduces a simple indirect question (without a correlative).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • Whether we'll be on time I'm unsure.
  • Do you know whether he's coming?

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

conj

Meaning 2

Indicates doubt between possibilities (usually with correlative or).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • He chose the correct answer, but whether by luck or by skill I don't know.
  • I can't decide whether to get divorced now or wait.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

conj

Meaning 3

Introduces a disjunctive adverbial clause qualifying the main clause (with correlative or).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • He's coming, whether you like it or not.
  • I'll enjoy playing with my friends again, whether we win or lose.
  • Whether or not you're successful, you can be sure you did your best.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

conj

Meaning 4

Introduces a direct question between alternatives (often with correlative or).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: obsolete

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

det

Meaning 5

Which of two.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: obsolete

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

pron

Meaning 6

Which of two.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: obsolete

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From Middle English whether, whather, from Old English hweþer, hwæþer, from Proto-West Germanic *hwaþar, from Proto-Germanic *hwaþeraz, comparative form of *hwaz (“who”). Cognate with North Frisian weđer (“if, whether”), German weder (“neither”), Swedish var (“each, every”), Icelandic hvor (“each of two, which of two”).

Across languages

Translations

158 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Arabic: إِذَا مَا (ʔiḏā mā) — introducing indirect questions
  • Arabic: إِذَا (ʔiḏā) — introducing indirect questions
  • Arabic: هَلْ (hal) — introducing indirect questions
  • Belarusian: ці (ci) — introducing indirect questions
  • Bulgarian: дали́ (dalí) — introducing indirect questions
  • Chinese Mandarin: 是否 (shìfǒu) — introducing indirect questions
  • Czech: zda — introducing indirect questions
  • Czech: zdali — introducing indirect questions
  • Danish: om — introducing indirect questions
  • Danish: hvorvidt — introducing indirect questions
  • Dutch: of — introducing indirect questions
  • Esperanto: ĉu — introducing indirect questions
  • Finnish: -ko — introducing indirect questions
  • French: si — introducing indirect questions
  • French: que — introducing indirect questions
  • French: soit — introducing indirect questions
  • French: si oui ou non — introducing indirect questions
  • Galician: se — introducing indirect questions
  • German: ob — introducing indirect questions
  • Ancient Greek: πότερον (póteron) — introducing indirect questions
  • Ancient Greek: πότερα (pótera) — introducing indirect questions
  • Ancient Greek: εἰ (ei) — introducing indirect questions
  • Hebrew: האם — introducing indirect questions
  • Hebrew: אם (ím) — introducing indirect questions
  • Hungarian: -e — introducing indirect questions
  • Hungarian: vajon — introducing indirect questions
  • Icelandic: hvort — introducing indirect questions
  • Irish: an — introducing indirect questions
  • Irish: ar — introducing indirect questions
  • Italian: se — introducing indirect questions
  • Italian: indipendentemente — introducing indirect questions
  • Japanese: かどうか (...ka dō ka) — introducing indirect questions
  • Japanese: か (ka) — introducing indirect questions
  • Kapampangan: nung — introducing indirect questions
  • Korean: -는지 (-neunji) — introducing indirect questions
  • Korean: -ᆫ지 (-nji) — introducing indirect questions
  • Lithuanian: ar — introducing indirect questions
  • Macedonian: дали (dali) — introducing indirect questions
  • Malagasy: raha — introducing indirect questions
  • Norwegian Bokmål: hvorvidt — introducing indirect questions
  • Norwegian Bokmål: om — introducing indirect questions
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: om — introducing indirect questions
  • Occitan: se — introducing indirect questions
  • Occitan: si — introducing indirect questions
  • Pashto: که (ka) — introducing indirect questions
  • Persian: آیا (âyâ) — introducing indirect questions
  • Polish: czy — introducing indirect questions
  • Portuguese: se — introducing indirect questions
  • Romanian: dacă — introducing indirect questions
  • Russian: ли (li) — introducing indirect questions
  • Serbo-Croatian: da li — introducing indirect questions
  • Slovak: či — introducing indirect questions
  • Slovene: če — introducing indirect questions
  • Spanish: si — introducing indirect questions
  • Swedish: om — introducing indirect questions
  • Tagalog: kung — introducing indirect questions
  • Ukrainian: чи (čy) — introducing indirect questions
  • Vietnamese: có ... không — introducing indirect questions
  • Welsh: a — introducing indirect questions
  • Welsh: ai — introducing indirect questions
  • Arabic: هَلْ (hal) — if, whether or not
  • Bulgarian: дали́ (dalí) — if, whether or not
  • Catalan: si — if, whether or not
  • Chinese Mandarin: 還是 /还是 (háishi) — if, whether or not
  • Chinese Mandarin: ...不 (...bù...) — if, whether or not
  • Czech: zda — if, whether or not
  • Czech: zdali — if, whether or not
  • Danish: om — if, whether or not
  • Danish: hvorvidt — if, whether or not
  • Dutch: of — if, whether or not
  • Esperanto: ĉu — if, whether or not
  • French: si — if, whether or not
  • West-Frisian: oft — if, whether or not
  • German: ob — if, whether or not
  • Gothic: 𐌾𐌰𐌱𐌰𐌹 (jabai) — if, whether or not
  • Hebrew: באם — if, whether or not
  • Hebrew: אם (ím) — if, whether or not
  • Hungarian: -e — if, whether or not
  • Hungarian: vajon — if, whether or not
  • Icelandic: hvort — if, whether or not
  • Irish: an — if, whether or not
  • Irish: ar — if, whether or not
  • Italian: se — if, whether or not
  • Japanese: か (ka) — if, whether or not
  • Japanese: かどうか (-ka dō ka) — if, whether or not
  • Japanese: か否か (-ka ina ka) — if, whether or not
  • Kapampangan: ...ka alika — if, whether or not
  • Kapampangan: ...ya aliya — if, whether or not
  • Kapampangan: -man aliman — if, whether or not
  • Kapampangan: -mo alimo — if, whether or not
  • Korean: -지 (-ji) — if, whether or not
  • Korean: -지 어떤지 (-ji eotteonji) — if, whether or not
  • Latin: utrum — if, whether or not
  • Macedonian: дали (dali) — if, whether or not
  • Māori: rānei ... rānei — if, whether or not
  • Māori: ahakoa ... ahakoa — if, whether or not
  • Norwegian Bokmål: om — if, whether or not
  • Norwegian Bokmål: hvorvidt — if, whether or not
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: om — if, whether or not
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: kor vidt — if, whether or not
  • Pashto: چې که (če ka) — if, whether or not
  • Polish: czy ... czy — if, whether or not
  • Portuguese: se — if, whether or not
  • Romanian: dacă — if, whether or not
  • Russian: и́ли (íli) — if, whether or not
  • Russian: и́ли ... и́ли (íli ... íli) — if, whether or not
  • Slovak: či — if, whether or not
  • Spanish: si — if, whether or not
  • Swedish: om — if, whether or not
  • Swedish: huruvida — if, whether or not
  • Tagalog: man — if, whether or not
  • Vietnamese: dù ... hay — if, whether or not
  • Welsh: a — if, whether or not
  • Welsh: ai — if, whether or not
  • Zazaki: se (diq) — if, whether or not
  • Chinese Mandarin: 是否 (shìfǒu) — introducing adverbial clause; no matter whether or not
  • Czech: ať — introducing adverbial clause; no matter whether or not
  • Czech: ať již — introducing adverbial clause; no matter whether or not
  • Danish: hvad enten — introducing adverbial clause; no matter whether or not
  • Dutch: of — introducing adverbial clause; no matter whether or not
  • Finnish: -pa — introducing adverbial clause; no matter whether or not
  • Finnish: (riippumatta siitä) ...-ko — introducing adverbial clause; no matter whether or not
  • French: que — introducing adverbial clause; no matter whether or not
  • German: ob — introducing adverbial clause; no matter whether or not
  • Hindi: चाहे (cāhe) — introducing adverbial clause; no matter whether or not
  • Hungarian: akár — introducing adverbial clause; no matter whether or not
  • Icelandic: hvort sem — introducing adverbial clause; no matter whether or not
  • Irish: cé acu a — introducing adverbial clause; no matter whether or not
  • Italian: sia che ... sia che — introducing adverbial clause; no matter whether or not
  • Kapampangan: man — introducing adverbial clause; no matter whether or not
  • Kapampangan: mo — introducing adverbial clause; no matter whether or not
  • Korean: -든지 (-deunji) — introducing adverbial clause; no matter whether or not
  • Macedonian: дали...или не (dali...ili ne) — introducing adverbial clause; no matter whether or not
  • Norwegian Bokmål: enten — introducing adverbial clause; no matter whether or not
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: anten — introducing adverbial clause; no matter whether or not
  • Pashto: که (ka) — introducing adverbial clause; no matter whether or not
  • Portuguese: quer — introducing adverbial clause; no matter whether or not
  • Romanian: în orice caz — introducing adverbial clause; no matter whether or not
  • Russian: ли (li) — introducing adverbial clause; no matter whether or not
  • Russian: и́ли (íli) — introducing adverbial clause; no matter whether or not
  • Scottish Gaelic: co-dhiù — introducing adverbial clause; no matter whether or not
  • Slovak: či — introducing adverbial clause; no matter whether or not
  • Slovak: či tak či onak — introducing adverbial clause; no matter whether or not
  • Spanish: o... o — introducing adverbial clause; no matter whether or not
  • Spanish: ya sea... o — introducing adverbial clause; no matter whether or not
  • Spanish: bien... o — introducing adverbial clause; no matter whether or not
  • Spanish: o bien... o bien — introducing adverbial clause; no matter whether or not
  • Spanish: bien... bien — introducing adverbial clause; no matter whether or not
  • Spanish: ahora... ahora — introducing adverbial clause; no matter whether or not
  • Spanish: ora... ora — introducing adverbial clause; no matter whether or not
  • Spanish: ya... ya — introducing adverbial clause; no matter whether or not
  • Spanish: siquiera... siquiera — introducing adverbial clause; no matter whether or not
  • Swedish: vare sig — introducing adverbial clause; no matter whether or not
  • Tagalog: man — introducing adverbial clause; no matter whether or not
  • Ukrainian: чи (čy) — introducing adverbial clause; no matter whether or not
  • Ukrainian: котри́й з (kotrýj z) — introducing adverbial clause; no matter whether or not
  • Welsh: pa un a — introducing adverbial clause; no matter whether or not
  • Welsh: pa un ai — introducing adverbial clause; no matter whether or not
Real reading context

whether in complete knowledge articles