Persian Question Words: Who, What, Where in Past & Future
chi, kojā, key) without changing the sentence structure.
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Mastering 'Who' (کی), 'What' (چه), and 'Where' (کجا) requires placing them naturally before the verb in past or future sentences.
- Use 'کی' (ki) for people: 'کی آمد؟' (Who came?)
- Use 'چه' (che) for things: 'چه خوردی؟' (What did you eat?)
- Use 'کجا' (koja) for places: 'کجا خواهی رفت؟' (Where will you go?)
Overview
Effective communication relies heavily on the ability to ask questions. While mastering statements forms the foundation, engaging in genuine dialogue necessitates inquiring about details, reasons, and circumstances. In Persian, forming information gap questions—often called WH-questions in English—differs fundamentally from many Indo-European languages, particularly English.
Rather than inverting the verb or relying on auxiliary verbs like 'do' or 'will', Persian typically employs a more direct approach: the question word occupies the position where the answer would normally be in a statement. This reflects Persian's relatively fixed Subject-Object-Verb (SOV) word order and its reliance on lexical replacement and intonation for interrogative structures. Understanding this principle is crucial for B1 learners to move beyond basic declarative sentences and initiate natural conversations in both past and future contexts.
How This Grammar Works
من دیروز به پارک رفتم. (Man diruz be park raftam. - I went to the park yesterday.).پارک) is the unknown piece of information. To form the question, you simply replace پارک with the appropriate question word for 'where', which is کجا (kojā). The resulting question becomes شما دیروز کجا رفتید؟ (Shomā diruz kojā raftid?رفتید (raftid - you went) remains at the end, and no other structural changes occur.خواه- (khāh-) or the more common colloquial future tense (often expressed with the present simple/continuous verb form), the question word integrates seamlessly into the sentence structure without demanding auxiliary verb intervention.او چه کاری انجام داد؟ (U che kāri anjām dād? - What work did he do?) uses the simple past, while او فردا چه کاری خواهد کرد؟ (U fardā che kāri khāhad kard?چه کاری (che kāri - what work) maintains its position preceding the verb phrase.Formation Pattern
ki | Who | Refers to people. Both 'who' and 'when' are کی (ki), context is key. |
chi / che | What | چی is common in spoken Persian. چه is used formally, or as an adjective before a noun (e.g., چه کتابی؟ - what book?). |
kojā | Where | Refers to places. |
ki | When | Refers to time. Both 'who' and 'when' are کی (ki), context is key. |
cherā | Why | Refers to reasons. |
chetor | How | Refers to manner or method. Can also mean 'how are you?' |
kodām | Which | Always followed by a noun. |
chand | How many / How much | Refers to quantity. |
che sā'ati? | What time? | More specific than کی for time. |
(Subject) + (Time/Place) + [Question Word/Phrase] + Simple Past Verb
شما دیروز کجا رفتید؟ (Shomā diruz kojā raftid? - Where did you go yesterday?)
کجا replaces the destination of رفتید. The subject شما (you) is explicit, and دیروز (yesterday) provides temporal context.
او چه چیزی خرید؟ (U che chizi kharid? - What thing did he buy? / What did he buy?)
چه چیزی (what thing) functions as the object of خرید (he bought). In colloquial speech, this is often shortened to چی خرید؟ (chi kharid?).
کی با شما صحبت کرد؟ (Ki bā shomā sohbat kard? - Who spoke with you?)
کی (who) is the subject of the sentence, it typically comes first. Note صحبت کردن is a compound verb, and کی precedes the entire verbal phrase صحبت کرد.
رفتن - to go):
من کجا رفتم؟ (Where did I go?) | Where did I go? |
تو کی رفتی؟ (When did you go?) | When did you go? |
او با کی رفت؟ (Who did he go with?) | Who did he go with? |
ما چرا رفتیم؟ (Why did we go?) | Why did we go? |
شما کجا رفتید؟ (Where did you go?) | Where did you go? |
آنها کی رفتند؟ (When did they go?) | When did they go? |
خواستن - to want/will):
خواستن (to want/will) and the infinitive stem (بن مضارع - bon-e mozāre') of the main verb. It is prevalent in formal writing, official announcements, and very polite speech.
(Subject) + (Time/Place) + [Question Word/Phrase] + Bon-e Mozāre' + Aux. خواستن + Personal Ending
آنها فردا چه کاری خواهند کرد؟ (Ānhā fardā che kāri khāhand kard? - What work will they do tomorrow?)
چه کاری functions as the object phrase. کردن is the main verb, and خواهند is the conjugated auxiliary.
شما کی تشریف خواهید آورد؟ (Shomā ki tashrif khāhid āvard? - When will you arrive? - Very formal/polite)
کی questions the time of arrival. تشریف آوردن is a polite compound verb for 'to come/arrive'.
خواندن - to read):
خواستن) | Infinitive Stem (خوان) | Full Verb (Formal Future) | Example Question | English Equivalent |
من چه خواهم خواند؟ (What will I read?) | What will I read? |
تو کی خواهی خواند؟ (When will you read?) | When will you read? |
او چرا خواهد خواند؟ (Why will he read?) | Why will he read? |
ما کجا خواهیم خواند؟ (Where will we read?)| Where will we read? |
شما چه خواهید خواند؟ (What will you read?) | What will you read? |
آنها کی خواهند خواند؟ (When will they read?)| When will they read? |
مضارع اخباری - mozāre' akhbāri) or present continuous (مضارع استمراری - mozāre' estemrāri) verb forms, usually accompanied by a future-indicating adverb like فردا (fardā - tomorrow), هفته آینده (hafte-ye āyande - next week), بعداً (ba'dan - later).
(Subject) + (Time/Place) + [Question Word/Phrase] + Present Simple/Continuous Verb
شما فردا کجا میروید؟ (Shomā fardā kojā miravid? - Where are you going tomorrow?)
میروید (miravid) is the present simple form of رفتن. فردا clarifies the future intent.
کی شام میخوریم؟ (Ki shām mikhorim? - When are we eating dinner?)
میخوریم (mikhorim) is present continuous. کی refers to the future time.
چی میآوری؟ (Chi mi'āvari? - What are you bringing? - referring to the future)
میآوری (mi'āvari) is present simple. The context implicitly points to a future action.
خوردن - to eat, used for colloquial future):
من فردا چی میخورم؟ (What will I eat tomorrow?) | What will I eat tomorrow? |
تو کی میخوری؟ (When are you eating?) | When are you eating? |
او کجا میخورد؟ (Where is he eating?) | Where is he eating? |
ما چرا میخوریم؟ (Why are we eating?) | Why are we eating? |
شما فردا شب چی میخورید؟ (What are you eating tomorrow night?) | What are you eating tomorrow night? |
آنها کجا میخورند؟ (Where are they eating?) | Where are they eating? |
When To Use It
- Seeking Specific Details about Past Events: When you need to reconstruct an event or understand its components.
مسافرت شما چطور بود؟(Mosāferat-e shomā chetor bud? - How was your trip?)آخر هفته کجا رفتی؟(Ākhar-e hafte kojā rafti? - Where did you go last weekend?)- Planning and Inquiring about Future Actions/Intentions: Essential for coordinating, making arrangements, or understanding what lies ahead.
جلسه کی شروع میشود؟(Jalase ki shoru' mishavad? - When does the meeting start?)برای شام چی میآوری؟(Barā-ye shām chi mi'āvari? - What are you bringing for dinner?)- Understanding Reasons or Motivations: To delve into the 'why' behind actions or decisions.
چرا این تصمیم را گرفتی؟(Cherā in tasmim rā gerefti? - Why did you make this decision?)- Identifying Agents or Patients: When you need to know 'who' performed an action or 'who' was affected.
کی در را باز کرد؟(Ki dar rā bāz kard? - Who opened the door?)- Inquiring about Locations: For directions, current whereabouts, or destinations.
بانک کجاست؟(Bānk kojāst? - Where is the bank?)- Cultural Insight: Asking
کجا تشریف دارید؟(Kojā tashrif dārid? - Where are you honored to be? - *polite way to ask
3. Interrogative Usage with Verbs
| Question Word | Meaning | Past Tense Example | Future Tense Example |
|---|---|---|---|
|
کی
|
Who
|
کی آمد؟
|
کی خواهد آمد؟
|
|
چه
|
What
|
چه گفتی؟
|
چه خواهی گفت؟
|
|
کجا
|
Where
|
کجا بودی؟
|
کجا خواهی بود؟
|
Common Colloquial Variations
| Formal | Informal |
|---|---|
|
چه کسی
|
کی
|
|
چه چیزی
|
چی
|
|
کجا
|
کجا
|
Meanings
These interrogative pronouns are used to request specific information about people, objects, or locations in non-present timeframes.
Person (Who)
Identifying a human subject or object.
“کی به مهمانی آمد؟”
“کی را دیدی؟”
Thing (What)
Identifying an object or action.
“چه گفتی؟”
“چه خواهی خرید؟”
Place (Where)
Identifying a location.
“کجا رفتی؟”
“کجا خواهی ماند؟”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative
|
Subject + Verb
|
او آمد
|
|
Question (Who)
|
کی + Verb
|
کی آمد؟
|
|
Question (What)
|
چه + Verb
|
چه خوردی؟
|
|
Question (Where)
|
کجا + Verb
|
کجا رفتی؟
|
|
Future Question
|
Q-Word + Subj + Aux + Verb
|
کجا خواهی رفت؟
|
|
Past Question
|
Q-Word + Subj + Verb
|
کی دیدی؟
|
Formality Spectrum
چه کسی را ملاقات کردید؟ (Meeting someone)
کی را دیدی؟ (Meeting someone)
کیو دیدی؟ (Meeting someone)
کیو دیدی؟ (Meeting someone)
Persian Interrogative Map
Person
- کی Who
Object
- چه What
Location
- کجا Where
Examples by Level
کی آمد؟
Who came?
چه خوردی؟
What did you eat?
کجا بودی؟
Where were you?
کی میآید؟
Who is coming?
دیروز کجا رفتی؟
Where did you go yesterday?
فردا چه خواهی کرد؟
What will you do tomorrow?
کی به تو گفت؟
Who told you?
آن روز کجا بودی؟
Where were you that day?
او با کی صحبت کرده بود؟
Who had he spoken with?
چه چیزی را در بازار خواهی خرید؟
What thing will you buy at the market?
آنها کجا خواهند رفت؟
Where will they go?
کی این کار را انجام داد؟
Who did this task?
چه کسی مسئول این پروژه خواهد بود؟
Who will be responsible for this project?
کجا باید این مدارک را تحویل دهیم؟
Where should we submit these documents?
چه تغییری در برنامه ایجاد شد؟
What change was made to the schedule?
کی قرار است به ما ملحق شود؟
Who is supposed to join us?
چه دستاوردی در آینده انتظار میرود؟
What achievement is expected in the future?
کجا میتوان این نظریه را به کار بست؟
Where can this theory be applied?
کی میتواند ادعای مالکیت کند؟
Who can claim ownership?
چه پیامی در این اثر نهفته است؟
What message is hidden in this work?
چه کسی را میتوان برای این مقام برگزید؟
Who can be selected for this position?
کجا این سنت دیرینه ریشه دارد؟
Where does this ancient tradition have its roots?
چه عاملی باعث این تحول خواهد شد؟
What factor will cause this transformation?
کی جرأت میکند این حقیقت را بگوید؟
Who dares to speak this truth?
Easily Confused
Learners confuse 'what' and 'why'.
Register differences.
Where vs Which.
Common Mistakes
کی خوردی؟
چه خوردی؟
کجا آمد؟
کی آمد؟
چه رفتی؟
کجا رفتی؟
کی هست؟
کی بود؟
کجا خواهی خوردن؟
کجا خواهی خورد؟
کی را رفتی؟
کجا رفتی؟
چه بودی؟
کجا بودی؟
کی تو دیدی؟
کی را دیدی؟
کجا خواهی رفتن؟
کجا خواهی رفت؟
چه کسی رفتی؟
کی رفتی؟
چه کسی را به کجا خواهد رفت؟
چه کسی به کجا خواهد رفت؟
کجا را دیدی؟
کجا دیدی؟
کی به چه کسی گفت؟
کی به چه کسی گفت؟
Sentence Patterns
دیروز ___ رفتی؟
فردا ___ خواهی کرد؟
___ با تو آمد؟
در آینده ___ خواهی بود؟
Real World Usage
کجا؟
چه خوردی؟
کجا خواهی رفت؟
چه کسی مسئول بود؟
کی دید؟
کجا است؟
Verb Placement
Register
Future Tense
Politeness
Smart Tips
Use 'چه کسی' for formal, 'کی' for informal.
Use 'چی' in casual texting.
Use 'کجا' at the start for emphasis.
Ensure the auxiliary 'خواه' is conjugated.
Pronunciation
Question Intonation
Persian questions end with a rising pitch.
Rising
کجا رفتی؟ ↗
Standard question.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Ki is for Kin (people), Che is for Choice (things), Koja is for Location (where).
Visual Association
Imagine a person (Ki) holding a box (Che) standing in a park (Koja).
Rhyme
Ki for the man, Che for the plan, Koja for the land.
Story
Yesterday, I asked 'Ki' (who) came to the party. I saw 'Che' (what) they brought in their bag. Then I wondered 'Koja' (where) they will go tomorrow.
Word Web
Challenge
Write 3 questions about your day using these words.
Cultural Notes
In Tehran, 'چی' is used almost exclusively for 'what'.
In formal writing, 'چه کسی' is preferred over 'کی'.
Poetry often uses archaic forms.
These pronouns derive from Proto-Indo-Iranian roots.
Conversation Starters
دیروز کجا رفتی؟
فردا چه خواهی کرد؟
کی به تو این را گفت؟
چه کسی در این پروژه شرکت خواهد کرد؟
Journal Prompts
Common Mistakes
Test Yourself
دیروز ___ رفتی؟
___ آمد؟
Find and fix the mistake:
چه رفتی؟
Arrange the words in the correct order:
All words placed
Click words above to build the sentence
Who will come?
Answer starts with: کی ...
کجا ___ (رفتن - future - تو)؟
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
A: ___ خوردی؟ B: ناهار خوردم.
Score: /8
Practice Exercises
8 exercisesدیروز ___ رفتی؟
___ آمد؟
Find and fix the mistake:
چه رفتی؟
رفتی / کجا / دیروز
Who will come?
کجا ___ (رفتن - future - تو)؟
کی آمد؟
A: ___ خوردی؟ B: ناهار خوردم.
Score: /8
Practice Bank
12 exercisesFardā ___ mikhori? (What will you eat tomorrow?)
Match the pairs
did / go / Where / yesterday / you / ?
Which sentence is Formal Future?
Ki siffar mikoni? (When are you traveling?)
Translate the sentence.
Dirooz bā ki ___? (Who did you speak with yesterday?)
Select the correct Persian phrase:
Make a sentence meaning 'What did you eat for dinner last night?'
Che ___ mire?
Fardā kojā rafti? (Intended: Where are you going tomorrow?)
Match Question to Answer Type
Score: /12
FAQ (8)
No, 'کی' is strictly for people. Use 'چه' for objects.
Use the future stem of the verb with 'خواستن'.
It is neutral and used in all settings.
It's common to mix up 'what' and 'why'. Remember 'چه' is for things.
Yes, like 'چرا' (why) and 'چطور' (how).
Only in very informal speech for emphasis.
No, Persian has no grammatical gender.
Use 'چی' instead of 'چه' in casual conversation.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
quién/qué/dónde
Spanish conjugates for person; Persian conjugates for person but the question word stays the same.
qui/quoi/où
French requires inversion or 'est-ce que', while Persian is more flexible.
wer/was/wo
German has case endings for 'wer', while Persian does not.
dare/nani/doko
Japanese particles are essential; Persian interrogatives are fronted or pre-verbal.
man/ma/ayna
Arabic has gendered interrogatives; Persian does not.
shei/shenme/nali
Chinese does not conjugate verbs; Persian requires conjugation.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
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