क्या
kyā/kjɑː/
The English word 'what' is translated into Hindi as क्या (kyā). Wiktionary also lists का (kā).
Meaning: what? (interrogative pronoun) (pron)
Ways to say it
| Hindi | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| क्या | kyā | /kjɑː/ (Hindi, Standard) |
| का | kā | /kɑː/ (Hindi, Standard) |
क्या is primarily used as an interrogative pronoun to mean 'what'. It can also function as a determiner to begin an exclamation or to act as an interrogative particle. In an informal context, the phrase Kya baat hai is a common way to say 'what's the matter' or 'what's up'.
Which one should you use?
क्या has two distinct functions: it can serve as a pronoun meaning 'what' to ask about a specific thing, or it can act as a particle that transforms a standard statement into a yes/no question.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
When you use क्या as an interrogative particle to turn a declarative statement into a yes/no question, place it at the beginning of the sentence.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation of क्या is /kjɑː/ (kyā).
Did you know?
- The phrase Kya baat hai can be used not just to ask 'what is the matter' but also as an exclamation of admiration or praise.
- The word क्या shares a common ancestor with the words for 'what' in Punjabi, Gujarati, Marathi, Bengali, Assamese and Kashmiri.
Examples in context
- आप क्या कहेंगे?What would you say?This sentence shows how to use क्या to ask what someone would say.Tatoeba #11154246 by thevikas, translation #2892656 by CK
- कल उसने क्या किया?What did he do yesterday?This sentence uses क्या to ask what someone did.Tatoeba #12395867 by Saumya, translation #289686 by CK
- आज क्या समस्या है?What seems to be the problem today?This sentence uses क्या to ask what the problem is.Tatoeba #1005691 by thevikas, translation #242723 by CK
- क्या तूने खाना खाया?Did you eat?
- माफ करो, मैं समझ नहीं पाया।Sorry, I didn't understand.
- 343 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Rahul and Neha are at a cafe.
- राहुल Rahulनेहा, तुम क्या पी रही हो?Neha, tum kya pee rahi ho?Neha, what are you drinking?
- नेहा Nehaमैं चाय पी रही हूँ।main chai pee rahi hoon.I am drinking tea.
- राहुल Rahulक्या यह अच्छी है?kya yah achhi hai?Is it good?
- नेहा Nehaहाँ, यह बहुत अच्छी है।haan, yah bahut achhi hai.Yes, it is very good.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “what” translations and entries क्या, का, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries का, क्या, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
