Usos de «what»

1. What bird is that? What country do you come from? What makes that noise? What did he say?

[«what» es un adjetivo/pronombre interrogativo de caracter general que se emplea referido a cosas.]

2. What did you do that for? (= «Why did you do such an odd thing/such a stupid thing?)

[‘ «what» + action + for? ‘ significa «Why?» y expresa desaprobación.]

3. «What was the exam like» – It was very difficult»; «What was the weather like? It was very windy»; «What’s the food like in your hostel? – It’s quite good» // «What’s he like; He’s short and fat and wears glasses»; «What’s he like? He’s a very talkative, friendly man.» // «What does she look like? – She is tall and glamorous. She looks like a film star»; «What does it look like? – It’s black and shiny. It looks like coal.

[‘ «what» + «be» + «sujeto» + «like» ‘ es una petición de una descripción o un comentario; referido a personas puede concernir a la apariencia física o al caracter. ‘ «what» + «does» «he»/»she»/»it» + «look» + «like» ‘ concierne solo a la pariencia física y equivale a «a qué se parece» («What does he/she/it resemble?»]

4. What is his father? – He is a tailor. What students are you talking about?*: «Which students are you talking about?»

[‘ «what» + «is» + «he»? ‘ significa «Cuál es su profesión?» («What’s is his profession?»). «what» (adjetivo) referido a personas no es común. Se prefiere «which» («What students are you talking about*»; «Which students are you talking about?»]

5. What age are you? / What is your age? / How old are you?; What height is he? What’s his height? / How tall is he?; What is the weight of the parcel? / How heavy is it?; What size do you take in shoes?

[«what» y «how» en preguntas cerca de medidas. Se puede usar ‘ «what» + «age»/»depth»/»height»/»length»/»width» ‘ pero en la conversación es más corriente «how»»old»/»deep»/»high»/»tall»/»long»/»wide»?’ ‘ «what» + «size»/weight» se emplea cuando se requiere una pregunta exacta; «how big/heavy?» también es posible.]