what's

1.0

A short form in questions that means what is or what has

other
/wɑts/

Informal

: qué es

Do you know what's happened to the old library building?

Examples

I can't believe what's going on!
Do you know what's wrong with him?
What's your favorite movie of all time?
What's the best way to get to the train station from here?
What's the capital of France?
What's your opinion on the new policy changes?
Can you tell me what's in the box?

Idioms

what's up

Informal

554 7.2

A friendly question asking how someone is or what they are doing

what's with

Informal

262 7.9

Ask why something is happening or seems strange

what's the matter

Informal

161 2.0

A question asking why someone is upset or not feeling well

what's the difference

Informal

71 3.5

To ask how two things are not the same or to say that does not matter

what's new

Informal

48 2.4

To ask what has happened recently in someone's life

what's good

Informal

38 9.1

A casual greeting asking how someone is or what's new

what's the story

Informal

34 8.2

Asking for news or details about a person's situation informally

to know what's what

Informal

15 6.7

To understand a situation or subject well

to get what's coming to someone

Informal

13 6.7

To receive punishment or bad results for doing wrong

what's what

Informal

12 5.3

Important facts about a situation you need to know

what's your poison

Informal

2 9.2

To ask someone informally what alcoholic drink they want

what's the use

Informal

1 7.6

You say something is not worth doing because it will not help

what's cooking

Informal

1 8.8

A friendly question asking what is happening or being planned

what's eating at you

Informal

1 7.9

To ask what is bothering someone

what's the story with

Informal

1 8.2

To ask for information about a person or situation

what's the big idea

Informal

8.1

To ask why someone is doing something when you are annoyed or surprised

what's up Doc

Informal

9.6

A friendly joking greeting that asks how someone is, copying Bugs Bunny

Compounds

what's new

3 3.4

A page that lists recent changes and new features in an app or website

Surface Forms

what's main

Morphology

what's = what + is + has (transparent) = what + 's

A common contraction combining 'what' with the auxiliary 'is' or 'has', which learners readily recognise.

Etymology

What's is a short form of what + 's, meaning 'what is' or 'what has', and it is used to ask questions or make quick exclamations. A helpful way to remember it is to think of the apostrophe as a small bridge that joins the two words together, just like in it's, so the phrase sounds like one quick word.