die meisie wat ek mee gedans het ― the girl who I danced with
die maatskappy wat ek voor gewerk het ― the company that I worked for
(relative, non-personal, before se) whose, of which
Coordinate term:(personal)wie
die land watse president afgetree het ― the country whose president stepped down
Related terms
watter
See also
Dutch
Etymology
From Middle Dutchwat, from Old Dutchwat, from Proto-West Germanic*hwat, from Proto-Germanic*hwat, from Proto-Indo-European*kʷód, *kʷod, compare West Frisianwat, Englishwhat, Germanwas, Danishhvad.
Pronunciation
IPA(key): /ʋɑt/
Hyphenation: wat
Rhymes: -ɑt
Homophones: wad, watt
Pronoun
wat
(interrogative) what: e.g. (1) asking for a subject complement; (2) asking for a sentence object
(1) Wat is dat? — What is that?
(2) Wat wil je doen? — What do you want to do?
(relative) what: e.g. (1) as the object of a sentence; (2) ditto
(1) Ik weet niet wat ik wil doen. — I don't know what I want to do.
(2) Jij moet afblijven van wat jij daar ziet. — You must not touch what you see there.
(relative) that: e.g. (1) modifying an indefinite pronoun like iets, niets, alles or het enige; (2) modifying an adjective that is used as a noun, usually a superlative
(1) Geef mij maar alles wat eetbaar is. — Please give me everything that is edible.
(2) Het duurste wat er was. — The most expensive that there was.
(relative) which: e.g. (1) modifying the demonstrative pronouns dat and datgene; (2) referring back to an entire sentence
(1) Hij nam precies datgene wat ik had gewild — He took exactly that which I had wanted.
(2) Jantje deed het in z’n broek, wat zijn moeder in verlegenheid bracht. — John did it in his pants, which embarrassed his mother
(indefinite) something: e.g. (1) as subject; (2) as subject complement
(1) Daar loopt wat rond. — Something there is walking around.
(2) Dat is aardig wat! — That is quite something! [i.e. "That is quite a lot!"]
Usage notes
This pronoun can combine with a preposition to form a pronominal adverb. When this occurs, it is changed into its adverbial/locative counterpart waar. See also Category:Dutch pronominal adverbs.
A subclause following the relative pronoun wat is in SOV order.
Descendants
Berbice Creole Dutch: wa, wati
Javindo: wat
Jersey Dutch: wāt, wot
Negerhollands: wat, awa, wa
Petjo: wat
Skepi Creole Dutch: what
Determiner
wat
some
(exclamative) what (a), such
Usage notes
With uncountable, or countable nouns.
Adverb
wat
a bit, somewhat
(exclamative) how, so
German
Etymology
A regional form adopted into colloquial standard German. In western Germany from Central Franconianwat, from northern Middle High Germanwat, from northern Old High Germanhwat, an unshifted relict form possibly due to Frankish influence. In northern Germany from German Low Germanwat, from Middle Low Germanwat, from Old Saxonhwat. Doublet of was.
Pronunciation
IPA(key): /vat/
Homophone: Watt
Rhymes: -at
Pronoun
wat
(colloquial, regional)alternative form of was
Usage notes
Although found in the native lects throughout northern and western Germany, the use of wat in colloquial standard German is most typical of the West (chiefly North Rhine-Westphalia and Rhineland-Palatinate). It is also heard in some parts of northern and north-eastern Germany, e.g. in and around Berlin. In all these regions, the forms wat and was are used in free variation.