whether en · CCONJ
Pronunciation
- /ˈwɛðə(ɹ)/
- (US) audio
- /ˈʍɛðə(ɹ)/
- wĕthə r
- hwĕthə r
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”).
Meanings
-
Introduces a simple indirect question (without a correlative).
Do you know whether he's coming?
Whether we'll be on time I'm unsure.
-
Indicates doubt between possibilities (usually with correlative or).
The incident immediately revived the debate about goal-line technology, with a final decision on whether it is introduced expected to be taken in Zurich on 5 July.
2012 June 19, Phil McNulty, “England 1–0 Ukraine”, in BBC Sport:He chose the correct answer, but whether by luck or by skill I don't know.
Whether modern, industrial man is less or more warlike than his hunter-gatherer ancestors is impossible to determine. The machine gun is so much more lethal than the bow and arrow that comparisons are meaningless. One thing that is true, though, is that murder rates have fallen over the centuries, as policing has spread and the routine carrying of weapons has diminished.
2013 July 20, “Old soldiers?”, in The Economist, volume 408, number 8845:I can't decide whether to get divorced now or wait.
As a political system democracy seems to me extraordinarily foolish,[…]. My servant is, so far as I am concerned, welcome to as many votes as he can get.[…]I do not suppose that it matters much in reality whether laws are made by dukes or cornerboys, but I like, as far as possible, to associate with gentlemen in private life.
1915, G[eorge] A. Birmingham [pseudonym; James Owen Hannay], chapter I, in Gossamer, New York, N.Y.: George H. Doran Company, →OCLC:
-
Introduces a disjunctive adverbial clause qualifying the main clause (with correlative or).
He's coming, whether you like it or not.
Whether or not you're successful, you can be sure you did your best.
The years have gone by and still we know not whether or no Mallory and Irvine reached the summit. But the will to climb Mount Everest is still alive.
1931 April, Francis Younghusband, “Preface”, in The Epic of Mount Everest, London: Edward Arnold & Co., →OCLC, →OL, page 5:I'll enjoy playing with my friends again, whether we win or lose.
-
(obsolete) Introduces a direct question between alternatives (often with correlative or).
whether ys it easyer to saye to the sicke of the palsey, thy synnes ar forgeven the: or to saye, aryse, take uppe thy beed and walke?
1526, [William Tyndale, transl.], The Newe Testamẽt […] (Tyndale Bible), [Worms, Germany: Peter Schöffer], →OCLC, Mark ij:[9]:Whether hadst thou rather be a Faulconbridge, [...] Or the reputed sonne of Cordelion?
c. 1596 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Life and Death of King Iohn”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene i]:
Deriveds
not know whether to spit or go blind · know whether one is Arthur or Martha · not know whether to shit or go blind · not know whether one is coming or going
Relateds
either · whethersoever · neither
Translations (158)
cs zda (if, whether or not) · pam man (introducing adverbial clause; no matter whether or not) · hu akár (introducing adverbial clause; no matter whether or not) · ro dacă (if, whether or not) · hi चाहे (introducing adverbial clause; no matter whether or not) · it se (introducing indirect questions) · es o bien... o bien (introducing adverbial clause; no matter whether or not) · pam mo (introducing adverbial clause; no matter whether or not) · cy pa un a (introducing adverbial clause; no matter whether or not) · tl kung (introducing indirect questions) · ko -ᆫ지 (introducing indirect questions) · pam -man aliman (if, whether or not) · nn om (if, whether or not) · es bien... o (introducing adverbial clause; no matter whether or not) · da hvorvidt (introducing indirect questions) · mi ahakoa ... ahakoa (if, whether or not) · sv om (if, whether or not) · sv vare sig (introducing adverbial clause; no matter whether or not) · tl man (if, whether or not) · nb hvorvidt (introducing indirect questions) · grc εἰ (introducing indirect questions) · nb om (introducing indirect questions) · he אם (if, whether or not) · cmn 是否 (introducing indirect questions) · gl se (introducing indirect questions) · uk чи (introducing indirect questions) · pl czy (introducing indirect questions) · got 𐌾𐌰𐌱𐌰𐌹 (if, whether or not) · nb hvorvidt (if, whether or not) · cmn 是否 (introducing adverbial clause; no matter whether or not) · pt se (introducing indirect questions) · is hvort (if, whether or not) · fy oft (if, whether or not) · nb enten (introducing adverbial clause; no matter whether or not) · ga an (introducing indirect questions) · es siquiera... siquiera (introducing adverbial clause; no matter whether or not) · mk дали (introducing indirect questions) · ga ar (introducing indirect questions) · mi rānei ... rānei (if, whether or not) · hu -e (introducing indirect questions) · cmn 還是 /还是 (if, whether or not) · mk дали...или не (introducing adverbial clause; no matter whether or not) · sv huruvida (if, whether or not) · ga cé acu a (introducing adverbial clause; no matter whether or not) · fr soit (introducing indirect questions) · fr si oui ou non (introducing indirect questions) · vi có ... không (introducing indirect questions) · es ya sea... o (introducing adverbial clause; no matter whether or not) · oc si (introducing indirect questions) · nl of (if, whether or not) · cs ať (introducing adverbial clause; no matter whether or not) · fr que (introducing indirect questions) · ru ли (introducing adverbial clause; no matter whether or not) · it se (if, whether or not) · bg дали́ (introducing indirect questions) · ga an (if, whether or not) · nb om (if, whether or not) · ps که (introducing adverbial clause; no matter whether or not) · ru и́ли ... и́ли (if, whether or not) · cs zda (introducing indirect questions) · es o... o (introducing adverbial clause; no matter whether or not) · ps چې که (if, whether or not) · de ob (introducing adverbial clause; no matter whether or not) · is hvort (introducing indirect questions) · oc se (introducing indirect questions) · he האם (introducing indirect questions) · he אם (introducing indirect questions) · pt se (if, whether or not) · cy ai (introducing indirect questions) · ko -지 어떤지 (if, whether or not) · pam ...ya aliya (if, whether or not) · fr si (if, whether or not) · pam nung (introducing indirect questions) · ru и́ли (introducing adverbial clause; no matter whether or not) · grc πότερον (introducing indirect questions) · es bien... bien (introducing adverbial clause; no matter whether or not) · ps که (introducing indirect questions) · ko -든지 (introducing adverbial clause; no matter whether or not) · ca si (if, whether or not) · sk či (introducing indirect questions) · da hvorvidt (if, whether or not) · fr si (introducing indirect questions) · ar إِذَا (introducing indirect questions) · pam -mo alimo (if, whether or not) · mg raha (introducing indirect questions) · pt quer (introducing adverbial clause; no matter whether or not) · zza se (diq) (if, whether or not) · da om (if, whether or not) · ja か (if, whether or not) · nn om (introducing indirect questions) · lt ar (introducing indirect questions) · la utrum (if, whether or not) · uk чи (introducing adverbial clause; no matter whether or not) · nl of (introducing adverbial clause; no matter whether or not) · da om (introducing indirect questions) · cs zdali (introducing indirect questions) · uk котри́й з (introducing adverbial clause; no matter whether or not) · gd co-dhiù (introducing adverbial clause; no matter whether or not) · es ya... ya (introducing adverbial clause; no matter whether or not) · sk či (if, whether or not) · is hvort sem (introducing adverbial clause; no matter whether or not) · eo ĉu (if, whether or not) · cy pa un ai (introducing adverbial clause; no matter whether or not) · ar إِذَا مَا (introducing indirect questions) · cs ať již (introducing adverbial clause; no matter whether or not) · cy a (if, whether or not) · ko -는지 (introducing indirect questions) · fi -pa (introducing adverbial clause; no matter whether or not) · hu vajon (introducing indirect questions) · cmn ...不 (if, whether or not) · pam ...ka alika (if, whether or not) · es si (if, whether or not) · ja かどうか (introducing indirect questions) · cy ai (if, whether or not) · vi dù ... hay (if, whether or not) · ru ли (introducing indirect questions) · ro dacă (introducing indirect questions) · de ob (if, whether or not) · pl czy ... czy (if, whether or not) · fi -ko (introducing indirect questions) · es ora... ora (introducing adverbial clause; no matter whether or not) · hu -e (if, whether or not) · ro în orice caz (introducing adverbial clause; no matter whether or not) · hu vajon (if, whether or not) · de ob (introducing indirect questions) · ar هَلْ (if, whether or not) · cy a (introducing indirect questions) · tl man (introducing adverbial clause; no matter whether or not) · cs zdali (if, whether or not) · ru и́ли (if, whether or not) · he באם (if, whether or not) · nl of (introducing indirect questions) · sk či (introducing adverbial clause; no matter whether or not) · bg дали́ (if, whether or not) · it sia che ... sia che (introducing adverbial clause; no matter whether or not) · ar هَلْ (introducing indirect questions) · ja か否か (if, whether or not) · grc πότερα (introducing indirect questions) · fa آیا (introducing indirect questions) · ga ar (if, whether or not) · ja かどうか (if, whether or not) · ja か (introducing indirect questions) · fi (riippumatta siitä) ...-ko (introducing adverbial clause; no matter whether or not) · es ahora... ahora (introducing adverbial clause; no matter whether or not) · ko -지 (if, whether or not) · sl če (introducing indirect questions) · be ці (introducing indirect questions) · mk дали (if, whether or not) · nn kor vidt (if, whether or not) · sh da li (introducing indirect questions) · sv om (introducing indirect questions) · nn anten (introducing adverbial clause; no matter whether or not) · es si (introducing indirect questions) · sk či tak či onak (introducing adverbial clause; no matter whether or not) · it indipendentemente (introducing indirect questions) · eo ĉu (introducing indirect questions) · fr que (introducing adverbial clause; no matter whether or not) · da hvad enten (introducing adverbial clause; no matter whether or not)