Understanding Wh-Questions in Persian (Farsi)

Wh- questions are essential in everyday conversations. They help you ask for information such as who someone is, where something is, when something happens, and more. In Persian (Farsi), these questions also exist and are used frequently in both formal and informal speech.

Let’s break down the most common Wh-words in Persian and see how to use them with examples.

---

1. What? → چی؟ (Chi?)

Used to ask about things or information.

• What is this?
  In Persian: این چیه؟
  Finglish: In chiye?
• What do you want?
  In Persian: چی می‌خوای؟
  Finglish: Chi mikhay?

---

2. Who? → کی؟ (Ki?)

Used to ask about a person.

• Who is she?
  In Persian: اون کیه؟
  Finglish: Oon kiye?
• Who called?
  In Persian: کی زنگ زد؟
  Finglish: Ki zang zad?

---

3. Where? → کجا؟ (Koja?)

Used to ask about a place or location.

• Where are you?
  In Persian: کجایی؟
  Finglish: Kojaayi?
• Where is the bathroom?
  In Persian: دستشویی کجاست؟
  Finglish: Dastshooyi kojast?

---

4. When? → کی؟ (Key?)

Used to ask about time.

• When is your flight?
  In Persian: پروازت کیه؟
  Finglish: Parvazet keye?
• When do we leave?
  In Persian: کی راه می‌افتیم؟
  Finglish: Key rah mioftim?

---

5. How? → چگونه؟ (Chegune?) / چطور؟ (Chetor?)

Used to ask about the manner or way of doing something.

• How are you?
  In Persian: چطوری؟
  Finglish: Chetori?
• How does it work?
  In Persian: چطور کار می‌کنه؟
  Finglish: Chetor kar mikone?

---

6. Why? → چرا؟ (Cherâ?)

Used to ask for reasons.

• Why are you sad?
  In Persian: چرا ناراحتی؟
  Finglish: Chera narahati?
• Why didn’t you come?
  In Persian: چرا نیومدی؟
  Finglish: Chera nayoomadi?

---

7. How much? → چقدر؟ (Cheghadr?)

Used to ask about quantity or price.

• How much is this?
  In Persian: این چنده؟
  Finglish: In chande?
• How much money do you have?
  In Persian: چقدر پول داری؟
  Finglish: Cheghadr pool dari?

---

8. How many? → چند تا؟ (Chand tâ?)

Used to ask about the number of countable items.

• How many books do you have?
  In Persian: چند تا کتاب داری؟
  Finglish: Chand tâ ketâb dari?
• How many brothers do you have?
  In Persian: چند تا برادر داری؟
  Finglish: Chand tâ barâdar dari?

---

✅ Summary

English	Persian	Finglish
What?	چی؟	Chi?
Who?	کی؟	Ki?
Where?	کجا؟	Koja?
When?	کی؟	Key?
How?	چگونه؟ / چطور؟	Chegune? / Chetor?
Why?	چرا؟	Cherâ?
How much?	چقدر؟	Cheghadr?
How many?	چند تا؟	Chand tâ?