Learn How to Pronounce What're
(Listen to the audio above for the stress and intonation)
The Expert's Take
Meaning and Context
"What're" is a standard contraction in the English language, formed by combining the interrogative pronoun "what" with the present tense of the verb "to be," resulting in the shortened form "what are." This linguistic tool is predominantly employed in informal spoken English and written dialogue to mirror natural speech patterns, thereby facilitating a smoother and more rapid conversational flow. Its usage is a prime example of how contractions enhance readability and reflect colloquial authenticity, often appearing in questions like "What're you thinking?" or "What're the plans for tonight?" While essential for creating realistic character dialogue in fiction and common in casual digital communication such as text messages and social media posts, it is generally avoided in formal academic writing or professional documents. Understanding the appropriate context for "what're" is key to mastering conversational English and improving overall language fluency.
Common Mistakes and Alternative Spellings
As a contraction, "what're" has a standardized spelling, but it is frequently subject to typographical errors and misunderstandings due to its phonetic nature and comparative rarity in formal text. The most common error is omitting the apostrophe entirely, resulting in the incorrect "whatre," which obscures its grammatical structure. Another typical mistake is misplacing the apostrophe, such as writing "what're" as "what're," though this is less common. In fast typing or speech, it is often conflated with the similar-sounding contraction "what're," leading to potential confusion. Non-native speakers or those less familiar with English contractions might mistakenly expand it as "what is" instead of "what are," given that many other contractions like "what's" follow that pattern. When dictating or using speech-to-text software, the phrase may be transcribed as "what are" in its full form rather than as the contraction.
Example Sentences
"Hey, what're you going to do with all those empty boxes?" she asked, looking at the cluttered garage.
In the bustling kitchen, the chef called out, "What're the final ingredients for the special?" to his assistants.
When reviewing the confusing schedule, he muttered to himself, "What're my actual priorities for this afternoon?" During their casual phone catch-up, Jenna said, "So, what're your thoughts on the new policy changes at work?" The teacher, trying to engage the quiet class, prompted, "What're some potential themes we can identify in this chapter?"
Sources and References
I rely on Wiktionary for the phonetic breakdown of this common contraction, while Forvo provides excellent recordings of native speakers using it in natural conversation. To hear how it flows in various English dialects, I also use YouGlish, which captures the word in thousands of real-world video contexts.
- https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/what%27re
- https://forvo.com/word/what%27re/
- https://youglish.com/pronounce/what%27re/english
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