The correct way to write both “whichever” and “whatever” is as one word, particularly in the instances described above when they function as pronouns, adjectives, interjections, or determiners.īut, something different happens when we split the “what” and “ever” of “whatever.” What Ever However, nowadays, they are very rarely written as separate words. Originally, the words “whichever” and “whatever” were applied together as two separate words.
The word “whatever” also has more colloquial and slang applications, meaning many use it informally in many situations, where “whichever” does not. When we use “whichever,” we speak about something very specific, but if you use“whatever,” you can mean anything at all.
The baseline difference between the words “whichever” and “whatever” is that “whichever” refers to a specific item or thing and “whatever” does not. The Difference between Whichever and Whatever They can function as determiners, pronouns, or interjections, and this article will take a closer look at exactly how to use both terms in each context. The difference in meaning between the two terms becomes clearer when we consider what part of speech they are. When we add the adverb “ever,” indicating any time or any way, to words like “which” and “what,” we alter their meaning. Many also use “whatever” colloquially as a way to dismiss someone who said something they disagree with.
“Whichever” is more restrictive, indicating any specific item or items in a group. “Whatever” indicates that it can be any item or items at all. The terms “whichever” and “whatever” may look and sound similar, and you’d be forgiven for believing that they are interchangeable, however, the meaning of these terms is considerably different, and there are specific use cases for each.
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