Asking Simple Questions

Question words in everyday Persian

In this chapter you learn how to ask very simple questions in Persian. You already know that basic Persian sentences usually end with the verb. To make a question, you often keep this word order and add a question word, or just use your voice to make a yes/no question. Here we focus on questions that use a question word like “what” or “where”.

All examples are in the informal spoken style used every day in Iran. Formal variants will appear later in the course.

“What?” in Persian: «چی؟» and «چه؟»

The most common word for “what” in everyday spoken Persian is «چی» /chi/. It is very frequent and very useful.

You can use «چی» alone when you did not hear or understand something:

You hear someone but do not catch the words:
«چی؟»
/chi?/
What?

In short questions, «چی» usually comes near the end of the sentence, often right before the verb.

For example:
«چی می‌خوری؟»
/chi mikhori?/
What are you eating?

«چی می‌خوای؟»
/chi mikhāy?/
What do you want?

In many simple sentences at this level it is enough to replace the object with «چی» to ask “what?”:
«این چیه؟»
/in chi‑e?/
What is this?

Here «ـه» /‑e/ is a short form of the verb “to be”. You will study it carefully in another chapter, but you already see it in questions like this.

The more literary and formal word for “what” is «چه» /che/. In everyday speech, learners can mostly use «چی». You will meet «چه» later in set expressions and more formal styles.

“Who?” in Persian: «کی؟»

The word for “who” is «کی» /ki/. In questions it usually comes at the beginning, but it can also stand alone.

Alone as a short question:
You hear a knock at the door:
«کیه؟»
/ki‑e?/
Who is it?

Here again «ـه» /‑e/ is “is”.

At the beginning of a longer question:
«کی اومد؟»
/ki umad?/
Who came?

«کی زنگ زد؟»
/ki zang zad?/
Who called?

For very simple communication, you can remember that «کی» means “who” and can start the question.

“Where?” in Persian: «کجا؟»

To ask “where?”, Persian uses «کجا» /kojā/. It can be a full question by itself, or part of a longer question.

Alone:
You are on the phone and lost:
«کجایی؟»
/kojā‑yi?/
Where are you?

With a verb:
«کجا می‌ری؟»
/kojā miri?/
Where are you going?

«کجا بودی؟»
/kojā budi?/
Where were you?

Note that spoken Persian often shortens «می‌روی» /mi‑ravi/ to «می‌ری» /miri/. At this level it is useful to get used to the spoken forms, because you hear them everywhere.

“When?” in Persian: «کی؟» for time

The word «کی» /key/ is also used for “when” in questions about time. In writing both “who” and “when” look the same «کی», but the pronunciation and context are different. For “who” you say /ki/, for “when” you say /key/.

For “when” questions about time:
«کی می‌آی؟»
/key mi‑āy?/
When are you coming?

«کی رفتی؟»
/key rafti?/
When did you go?

«کی کلاس داری؟»
/key kelās dāri?/
When do you have class?

At this level, you can remember that «کی» can mean “who” or “when”. Use the situation to guess which meaning is intended.

“Why?” in Persian: «چرا؟»

The word for “why” is «چرا» /cherā/. It can be used alone, or at the beginning of a longer question.

Alone as a simple “Why?”:
Someone refuses food, you ask:
«چرا؟»
/cherā?/
Why?

At the beginning of a sentence:
«چرا دیر اومدی؟»
/cherā dir umadi?/
Why did you come late?

«چرا نمی‌آی؟»
/cherā nemi‑āy?/
Why are you not coming?

Here «نمی‌آی» /nemi‑āy/ is a negative form, which you will study in a later chapter. For now, try to recognize that «چرا» always introduces a “why” question.

“How?” in Persian: «چطور؟» and «چطورِ»

For “how?”, the most common everyday word is «چطور» /chetowr/ or in another common pronunciation /chetur/. You can use it alone, for example to ask about someone’s state.

Alone:
«چطوری؟»
/cheturi?/
How are you? (informal)

As part of a question:
«چطور می‌ری خونه؟»
/chetowr miri khune?/
How do you go home?

«چطور بگم؟»
/chetowr begam?/
How should I say (it)?

You may also see «چگونه» /chegune/ in more formal language, but for everyday speech at this level, «چطور» is enough.

“Which?” in Persian: «کدوم؟»

To say “which?” Persian uses «کدوم» /kodum/ in spoken style. It normally comes before the noun it refers to.

For example:
«کدوم کتاب؟»
/kodum ketāb?/
Which book?

«کدوم کشور؟»
/kodum keshvar?/
Which country?

You can also use it without a noun when the context is clear:
In a shop, pointing at two shirts:
«کدومو می‌خوای؟»
/kodumo mikhāy?/
Which (one) do you want?

Here «کدومو» is «کدوم» plus the short object marker «ـو» /o/, which you will learn about later.

Short question patterns with question words

Now you can combine the question words with very simple sentence patterns you already know or will soon know. The basic idea is simple. Keep the normal Persian order Subject Object Verb, then replace the part you are asking about with a question word.

Subject + چی + Verb:
«چی می‌خوری؟»
/chi mikhori?/
What are you eating?

Subject + کجا + Verb:
«کجا می‌ری؟»
/kojā miri?/
Where are you going?

کِی + Verb + Subject:
«کی می‌آی؟»
/key mi‑āy?/
When are you coming?

In many everyday questions, the subject “you” «تو» /to/ is not said, because the verb ending already shows it. You will study verb endings in later chapters. For now, just notice that many simple questions do not need an explicit subject.

Using rising intonation

In spoken Persian, the melody of your voice is important. For simple questions with a question word, your voice usually rises slightly at the end of the sentence.

Compare:
«تو می‌ری.» /to miri./ You are going.
«تو می‌ری؟» /to miri?/ Are you going?

For questions with question words, you also rise at the end:
«کجا می‌ری؟» /kojā miri?/ Where are you going?

In writing there is no special question mark in Persian script other than the usual «؟», but your voice makes the question clear in real speech.

Very short everyday questions to memorize

It is useful to memorize some very short question sentences that you will hear on the street, at home, and in shops.

«چطوری؟» /cheturi?/ How are you? (informal)
«چیکار می‌کنی؟» /chi‑kār mikoni?/ What are you doing?
«کجایی؟» /kojāyi?/ Where are you?
«چی می‌خوای؟» /chi mikhāy?/ What do you want?
«کی میای؟» /key mi‑yāy?/ When are you coming?
«چرا؟» /cherā?/ Why?
«کدومو می‌خوای؟» /kodumo mikhāy?/ Which one do you want?

Try to repeat these questions aloud several times. Listen to the final rising intonation and to the position of each question word.

Vocabulary list for this section