کی
ki/ˈkiː/
The English word "who" can be translated into Persian as کی (ki). Wiktionary also lists کِی (kī).
Meaning: who? (interrogative pronoun) (pron)
Ways to say it
| Persian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| کی | ki | /ˈkiː/ (Classical Persian) |
| کِی | kī |
کی is an interrogative pronoun.
Which one should you use?
While کی is common in spoken language, چه کسی is the more formal and standard way to say 'who' in written or polite Persian.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced as /ˈkiː/.
Did you know?
- In historical Persian texts, the word کی was mistakenly associated with legendary kings because Sasanian priests misidentified ancient poets as royal figures.
- The word کی is a homonym in Persian, as it can also refer to a legendary king or a royal title.
- While کی is used for 'who', it is also the phonetic basis for many words related to 'when' in different Persian dialects, creating a potential point of confusion.
Examples in context
- حالا تو کی هستی؟Who are you, anyway?Tatoeba #3839789 by kuarash, translation #3839273 by Hybrid
- کی سور خواهد داد؟Who will give the party?Tatoeba #8352635 by cojiluc, translation #2448594 by Felipe
- نادان همه را به کیش خود پندارد.A fool always believes that it is the others who are fools.Tatoeba #6830633 by cojiluc, translation #390056 by Scott
- کی اینجاست؟Who is here?
- کی برنده شده؟Who won?
- 12 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Zahra and Mohammad are talking about a new coworker.
- زهرا Zahraاین همکار جدید کی است؟In hamkār-e jadid ki ast?Who is this new colleague?
- محمد Mohammadنام او علی است.Nām-e u Ali ast.His name is Ali.
- زهرا Zahraکی او را استخدام کرد؟Ki u rā estekhdām kard?Who hired him?
- محمد Mohammadرئیس شرکت او را آورد.Ra'is-e sherkat u rā āvard.The company president brought him.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “who” translations and entries کی, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries کی, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
