Meaning
A question about a person.
Cultural Background
When asking 'Who is it?' at the door, Iranians often wait for a name before opening, as a matter of privacy and security. In Sufi poetry, the question 'Who am I?' (Man kistam?) is a central theme of self-discovery. It is considered slightly rude to ask 'In kiye?' (Who is this?) about an elder. Use 'Ishoot ki hastan?' instead. On Iranian social media, 'ki' is often used in polls to engage followers (e.g., 'Who wore it better?').
The 'Ye' Shortcut
Always use 'ki-ye' instead of 'ki ast' to sound like a native speaker.
The 'Key' Trap
Be careful when reading; context is your only guide to distinguish 'who' from 'when'.
Meaning
A question about a person.
The 'Ye' Shortcut
Always use 'ki-ye' instead of 'ki ast' to sound like a native speaker.
The 'Key' Trap
Be careful when reading; context is your only guide to distinguish 'who' from 'when'.
Respectful Plurals
Use 'ki hastan' (plural) for elders to show respect, even if it's just one person.
Test Yourself
Fill in the blank with the correct word for 'Who'.
______ به تو زنگ زد؟ (Who called you?)
Since the question is about a person calling, 'ki' is the correct interrogative.
Which sentence is the most natural way to ask 'Who is it?' when someone knocks?
Someone knocks on your door. You say:
'Ki-ye' is the standard spoken contraction for 'Who is it?'.
Match the Persian phrase to its English translation.
Match the following:
These are the common prepositional and plural forms of 'ki'.
Complete the dialogue.
سارا: این عکسِ برادرمه. علی: ________؟ سارا: اسمش حسینه.
Ali is asking for the name/identity of the person in the photo.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Who vs. What in Persian
Humans (کی)
- • Family
- • Friends
- • Strangers
- • Teachers
Objects (چی)
- • Food
- • Books
- • Cars
- • Animals
Practice Bank
4 exercises______ به تو زنگ زد؟ (Who called you?)
Since the question is about a person calling, 'ki' is the correct interrogative.
Someone knocks on your door. You say:
'Ki-ye' is the standard spoken contraction for 'Who is it?'.
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
These are the common prepositional and plural forms of 'ki'.
سارا: این عکسِ برادرمه. علی: ________؟ سارا: اسمش حسینه.
Ali is asking for the name/identity of the person in the photo.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
10 questionsUsually no. Use 'chi' (what) or 'kodoom' (which one) for animals, unless you are talking to them like people.
They are both written as کی. You have to know from the sentence which one it is.
The plural is 'ki-ha' (کیها).
It's better to use 'che kasi' (چه کسی) in very formal writing.
It's an idiom meaning 'everything is a mess' or 'it's total chaos'.
No, it sounds the same but 'ki' means 'who'.
Use 'ki ro' (informal) or 'ki ra' (formal).
Because 'kiye' means 'Who is it?', which is a complete sentence.
No, 'that' or 'which' (relative pronoun) is 'ke' (که), not 'ki'.
Yes, it is used in all major dialects of Persian.
Related Phrases
کیه؟
specialized formWho is it?
چه کسی
formalWhat person / Who
هر کی
builds onWhoever
هیچکی
contrastNobody
