Lesson Overview
10 exercises · Level 1
Grammar Explanation
Question Words
Persian question words are easy: you keep the normal word order and just drop the question word into the slot you're asking about. No inversion, no "do/does".
The Question Words
| Phonetic | Translation |
|---|---|
| ki | who |
| chi / che | what |
| kojaa | where |
| key | when |
| cheraa | why |
| chetor / chegoone | how |
| chand | how many |
| kodoom | which |
| aayaa ...? | (makes a yes/no question) |
Key Points
- Word order does not change: "kojaa miri?" is literally "where you-go?".
- The question word sits where the answer would sit.
- For yes/no questions you usually need nothing at all, just rising intonation: "miri?" = "are you going?". aayaa is the formal written option.
- chi is spoken, che is more formal/written.
- chand asks "how many" and is followed by the counter taa: "chand taa?"
Examples
| Phonetic | Translation |
|---|---|
| kojaa miri? | Where are you going? |
| chi mikhaay? | What do you want? |
| ki oomad? | Who came? |
| key miay? | When are you coming? |
| cheraa nemiay? | Why aren't you coming? |
| chetori? | How are you? |