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Where/whereabouts

In the followings, which ones are correct from grammar standpoint? And which ones are more common in today conversation?

A1. Where do you live in Tehran?
A2. Whereabouts of Tehran do you live?
A3. Whereabouts do you live in Tehran?


B1. Where should be cleaned in the house?
B2. Whereabouts of the house should be cleaned?
B3. Whereabouts should be cleaned in the house?
A1 and A3 are correct and are commonly said.

B1 is correct grammatically, but NONE of the B examples would commonly be said.
A1 and A3 are correct and are commonly said.

B1 is correct grammatically, but NONE of the B examples would commonly be said.

You meant there is no difference between A1 and A3?

In case of B examples, please imagine a situation in which a servant is asking from his householder about the location of the house which must be cleaned. Which is the most common form for this situation?
We say 'whereabouts in', not 'whereabouts of', when it means 'where'. 'Whereabouts' can also be used as a noun: The police do not know the whereabouts of the killer. But 'where' is much more common than 'whereabouts', which is sometimes used in casual speech.
In your examples A1 and A3, I agree that 'where' is more common than whereabouts' and that the questions mean very similar things. To me, 'whereabouts' can also have a nuance of being less specific: Where do you live? (what precise location/street); Whereabouts do you live? (in what general area; north, south, east or west Tehran; or the name of a district of Tehran e.g.)
Hi.

I have two new questions about this word.

1) If I want to ask some their location, is it natural to say "Whereabouts are you?"

2) If no one knows the place "he" lives in, is it natural to say "Nobody knows whereabouts he lives".

Thanks a lot.
In 1) yes, given that (as Chez said) it's quite vague - you don't have any real idea where they are. Not really in 2), perhaps because a universal negative like that is already as vague as you can get. There's never any need to use 'whereabouts' for 'where'.
Yes, I agree with entangled bank.

A typical usage:

A: Does anyone know his address?
B: I've got no idea.
A: Well does anyone know whereabouts he lives?
C: I think I've heard him talk about somewhere in North London, can't remember whether it was Camden or Highgate.

In other words, having learnt that nobody knows his actual address, A's second question is much more vague – generally which part of London does he live in?
So "whereabouts" sounds far more general that "where", right? Here a police officer is asking a cameraman from where he came there, asking "Whereabouts have you come from today?" Does that question sound natural?


Yes, it's more general. In a situation like this, the policeman is deliberately using this phrasing so as not to appear too confrontational. This is a polite enquiry, not a police interrogation, so a vague 'Whereabouts?' is preferable to a more precise 'Where?'.

But no, it isn't natural. The police say a lot of strange things.

[And just wondering.... am I the only idiot who put their headphones on and tried to click on the arrow? 👁 Roll Eyes :rolleyes:
]
And do you ever use "whereabouts" when speaking with friends, colleagues or family members?
It's a fairly uncommon word as far as usage. It's not a strange word, but "where" fills the bill 95+% of the time. Sometimes we say whereabouts in casual conversation where in a more formal conversation we'd just say "where".

"I'm here for the conference."
"You'll need to pick up your badge at the registration table."
"Where is the registration table?"

"Your uncle needs you to help him tow his truck back here. It broke down on his way home."
"Whereabouts is he?"
I never say 'whereabouts', but one place I hear* it a lot is in a pub, where the staff often - very often - say 'whereabouts are you sitting?' to someone ordering a meal. It's not just an occasional variation, it's like they've been trained to say it. And this is not a vagueness of place, because the customer is definitely at one table, so perhaps it's a polite distancing.

* heard, past tense - *cries* - *drinks more beer from bottle at home* - *feels better*
Yes, I think in a normal place in the US "Where are you sitting?" would do the job. "Whereabouts" could be said but mostly wouldn't be.
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