Ways to say it
| Persian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| چی | či | /ˈt͡ʃiː/ (Classical Persian) |
| چِه | če |
These words function as interrogative pronouns to ask 'what'. The related form چه can also be used at the beginning of an exclamation.
Which one should you use?
The form چه is used for exclamations, such as 'What a beautiful day!', whereas چی is used for asking questions. Additionally, چه serves as the exclamatory version of 'what/how'.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
چِه is the more formal or literary version of the interrogative 'what'. In contrast, چی is the standard colloquial form used in spoken Persian.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some parts of Iran, particularly in the Southern regions, چی is used instead of چِه to say 'what' informally.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
In spoken Persian, the interrogative چی often combines with the verb 'to be' (است) to form چیه (chi-ye), meaning 'what is it?'
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈtʃiː/
Did you know?
- The modern چی is a direct descendant of the Middle Persian word 𐭬𐭤, showing how the pronunciation has shifted over a millennium while keeping its core meaning.
- When expressing shock, one might say چه خبر! (che khabar!), which literally translates to 'What news!' but is used as 'What's up!' or 'What's going on!'
- When someone says something you didn't hear, Persians may repeat چی with a rising intonation, but repeating it too many times can sound impatient or aggressive.
Examples in context
- بهم بگو چی شد.Tell me what happened.This sentence uses the form چی.Tatoeba #7745963 by mshahriarinia, translation #2444 by CK
- امشب شام چی داریم؟What do we have for dinner tonight?Tatoeba #9134114 by Suroosh, translation #9134115 by Suroosh
- این وحشی بازیا چیه؟!What is all this madness for?!Tatoeba #12434660 by Suroosh, translation #12434661 by Suroosh
- 70 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Maryam and Mohammad are talking at home about a gift.
- مریم Maryamچی خریدی؟chi kharidi?What did you buy?
- محمد Mohammadیک کتاب جدید.yek ketâb-e jadid.A new book.
- مریم Maryamچی؟ نمیشنوم!chi? nemishnavam!What? I can't hear you!
- محمد Mohammadگفتم یک کتاب.goftam yek ketâb.I said a book.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “what” translations and entries چی, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries چی, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
