man who i did not know vs man whom i did not know

Both phrases are correct, but they are used in different contexts. 'Man who I did not know' is used in informal situations, while 'man whom I did not know' is more formal. The choice between 'who' and 'whom' depends on the formality of the context.

Last updated: March 21, 2024 • 976 views

This phrase is correct in informal contexts.

"man who i did not know"

This phrase is used in informal situations when referring to a man you did not know.

Show examples from the web [+]

I killed a good many men, of course, but I never killed a man who I did not know was seeking my life. … I had always heard that the Federals would not take me ...
I killed a good many men, of course, but I never killed a man who I did not know was seeking my life. ... I had always heard that the Federals would not take me ...
My youth leader walked to the pulpit of the little chapel we were gathered in, and announced that this great, great man who I did not know, had died. Something ...
Shaking herself from the emotion of her memory, she suddenly became very serious and said, "This man, who I did not know from Adam, pulled a book down ...

Alternatives:

man I did not know

This phrase is correct in formal contexts.

"man whom i did not know"

This phrase is used in formal situations when referring to a man you did not know.

Show examples from the web [+]

A man whom I did not know (he turned out to be the auctioneer's brother) noticed the wistful look in my eye, and observed that that was a very remarkable horse ...
While there a man whom I did not know rode up and said: "General, there is a rumor throughout the army that General Longstreet failed in his duty is the cause of ...
I felt very comfortable with this stranger, a man, whom I did not know, offering to escort me to another building in the midst of my great fear. One of the remarkable ...
I would not have told it to a man whom I did not know and whose appearance I could not describe at all today. That is an absolute distortion of the truth. MR.

Alternatives:

man that I did not know
man whom I had not known

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man who i did not know vs man whom i did not know