શું
śũ/ˈʃũ/
The English word "what" is translated into Gujarati as શું (śũ).
Meaning: what? (interrogative pronoun) (pron)
How do you pronounce it?
The word is romanized as śũ and pronounced /ˈʃũ/.
Did you know?
- While શું is the standard word for 'what', Gujarati has several other ways to ask for clarification depending on the social hierarchy. Using a blunt શું with a superior can be perceived as surprisingly impolite.
- In certain colloquial contexts, repeating શું શું is used to ask for a detailed list of things. This doubling indicates that the speaker expects multiple items rather than a single answer.
- The Gujarati word શું sounds nearly identical to the Arabic word شُو used for 'what' in Levantine dialects. However, this is a false cognate, meaning they developed independently and are not related.
Examples in context
- તારુ નામ શું છે?What is your name?This sentence shows how to use શું to ask for someone's name.Tatoeba #3184219 by Rav, translation #70623 by frpzzd
- શું?What?This sentence demonstrates using શું as a standalone question.Tatoeba #3242669 by Rav, translation #36088 by brauliobezerra
- આનો શું ભાવ છે?What is the price of this?This sentence shows how to use શું to inquire about a price.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Mital and Priya are discussing a movie.
- મિતલ Mitalપ્રિયા, તારે શું જોવું છે?Priya, tare shu jovu che?Priya, what do you want to watch?
- પ્રિયા Priyaમને એક નવી ફિલ્મ જોવી છે.Mane ek navi film jovi che.I want to watch a new movie.
- મિતલ Mitalતેનું નામ શું છે?Tenu naam shu che?What is its name?
- પ્રિયા Priyaહું નામ ભૂલી ગઈ છું.Hu naam bhuli gai chu.I have forgotten the name.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “what” translations and entries શું, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries શું, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR, Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
