यह क्या है?
yah kyā hai?
To say "what is this?" in Hindi, use यह क्या है? (yah kyā hai?)
The phrase यह क्या है? is used to ask for the identity or name of an object.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of यह (this), क्या (what) and है (is).
Which one should you use?
Use वह क्या है? instead of यह क्या है? if the object is far away from you rather than near you.
How does it change in a sentence?
In accordance with standard Hindi subject-object-verb order, the verb है (is) is placed at the end of the sentence.
How do you pronounce it?
yah kyā hai?
When do people say it?
The term yaar is a commonly used term for "buddy" or "friend" in Hindi.
Did you know?
- When asking यह क्या है?, a speaker might point with their chin or a slight head tilt rather than a finger, as pointing directly with an index finger can be seen as rude in some traditional contexts.
- While यह क्या है? is a literal question, using a confused or high-pitched tone can turn it into a rhetorical expression of disbelief, similar to saying 'What on earth is this?'
- The word है ('is') may have evolved from the Sanskrit word आक्षेति ('ākṣeti'), which originally meant 'dwells'.
Examples in context
- यह क्या है?yeh kya hai?What is this?
- तुम्हारे बैग में यह क्या है?tumhare bag mein yeh kya hai?What is this in your bag?
Example conversation
Neha and Rahul are looking at a strange object in the living room.
- नेहा Nehaराहुल, यह क्या है?Rahul, yeh kya hai?Rahul, what is this?
- राहुल Rahulयह एक पुराना कैमरा है।yeh ek purana camera hai.This is an old camera.
- नेहा Nehaक्या यह काम करता है?kya yeh kaam karta hai?Does it work?
- राहुल Rahulनहीं, यह खराब है।nahi, yeh kharab hai.No, it is broken.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries क्या, यह, है, CC BY-SA 4.0.
