"Who’s this?" vs "Whose this?"

Question

"Who’s this?" vs "Whose this?"

The correct phrase is "Who's this?". "Who's" is a contraction of "who is" or "who has", while "whose" is a possessive pronoun. The phrase is commonly used in informal situations to ask for the identity of someone on the phone or in person.

Last Updated: March 28, 2024

Use this phrase when you want to ask for the identity of someone on the phone or in person in an informal context.

Examples:

A: Hello, who's this? B: It's Sarah.
When the phone rang, she picked it up and asked, "Who's this?"
I heard a knock on the door and shouted, "Who's this?"
Who's this calling at this hour?
Who's this handsome guy in the picture?

Alternatives:

Who is this?
Who has this?
Who is that?
Who is calling?
Who are you?

Answer 1

Who’s this?

This phrase is correct and commonly used in informal situations to ask for the identity of someone.

Answer 2

Whose this?

This phrase is incorrect. "Whose" is a possessive pronoun, not a contraction of "who is" or "who has".

"Who’s this?" vs "Whose this?"

Who’s this?

Whose this?

Related Comparisons