The Persian word چه (che) corresponds to the English interrogative "what" and is one of the most fundamental question words in the Persian language. This versatile word appears in various contexts, from simple questions to exclamatory expressions, making it essential for learners to master its diverse applications.
چه (che) primarily functions as an interrogative pronoun meaning "what" in English. It can also serve as an exclamatory particle expressing surprise or emphasis, and in certain contexts, it can mean "how" or "what kind of."
Question: What does چه mean in Persian? Answer: چه (che) means "what" in Persian. It is used to ask questions about things, situations, or qualities. It can also express exclamation or emphasis in certain contexts.
In this lesson, we will explore 15 varied examples demonstrating چه in different positions within sentences, showing its flexibility in formal and informal contexts, and highlighting its multiple grammatical functions.
Subject: Persian Language Learning Level: Beginner to Intermediate Topic: Interrogative Pronouns - چه (what) Format: Reading comprehension with interlinear glossing Target Audience: English-speaking autodidacts
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چه functions primarily as "what" in questions -
Word order in Persian questions differs from English -
چه can combine with other words to form compound interrogatives -
The word has exclamatory uses beyond its interrogative function -
Context determines whether چه means "what," "how," or serves as an emphatic particle
28.1 چه what (che) میخواهید want (mi-khāhid) ؟ ?
28.2 او he/she (u) چه what (che) گفت said (goft) ؟ ?
28.3 امروز today (emruz) چه what (che) خبر news (khabar) است is (ast) ؟ ?
28.4 این this (in) چه what (che) کتابی book-a (ketābi) است is (ast) ؟ ?
28.5 شما you (shomā) از from (az) چه what (che) شهری city-from (shahri) هستید are (hastid) ؟ ?
28.6 چه what (che) زیبا beautiful (zibā) ! !
28.7 دیروز yesterday (diruz) چه what (che) اتفاقی event-a (ettefāqi) افتاد happened (oftād) ؟ ?
28.8 برای for (barāye) شام dinner (shām) چه what (che) داریم have-we (dārim) ؟ ?
28.9 نام name (nām) شما your (shomā) چه what (che) است is (ast) ؟ ?
28.10 چه what (che) کسی person (kasi) این this (in) را (rā) نوشته written (neveshte) است is (ast) ؟ ?
28.11 فردا tomorrow (fardā) چه what (che) برنامهای program-a (barnāme-i) دارید have-you (dārid) ؟ ?
28.12 چه what (che) ساعتی hour-at (sā'ati) میآیید come-you (mi-āyid) ؟ ?
28.13 این this (in) کار work (kār) را (rā) چه what (che) وقت time (vaght) تمام finished (tamām) میکنید do-you (mi-konid) ؟ ?
28.14 قیمت price (gheymat) این this (in) چه what (che) قدر amount (ghadr) است is (ast) ؟ ?
28.15 چه what (che) میدانید know-you (mi-dānid) که that (ke) من I (man) نمیدانم not-know-I (nemi-dānam) ؟ ?
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28.1 چه میخواهید؟ What do you want?
28.2 او چه گفت؟ What did he/she say?
28.3 امروز چه خبر است؟ What's the news today?
28.4 این چه کتابی است؟ What book is this?
28.5 شما از چه شهری هستید؟ What city are you from?
28.6 چه زیبا! How beautiful!
28.7 دیروز چه اتفاقی افتاد؟ What happened yesterday?
28.8 برای شام چه داریم؟ What do we have for dinner?
28.9 نام شما چه است؟ What is your name?
28.10 چه کسی این را نوشته است؟ Who (what person) wrote this?
28.11 فردا چه برنامهای دارید؟ What plans do you have tomorrow?
28.12 چه ساعتی میآیید؟ What time are you coming?
28.13 این کار را چه وقت تمام میکنید؟ When (what time) will you finish this work?
28.14 قیمت این چه قدر است؟ What is the price of this?
28.15 چه میدانید که من نمیدانم؟ What do you know that I don't know?
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28.1 چه میخواهید؟
28.2 او چه گفت؟
28.3 امروز چه خبر است؟
28.4 این چه کتابی است؟
28.5 شما از چه شهری هستید؟
28.6 چه زیبا!
28.7 دیروز چه اتفاقی افتاد؟
28.8 برای شام چه داریم؟
28.9 نام شما چه است؟
28.10 چه کسی این را نوشته است؟
28.11 فردا چه برنامهای دارید؟
28.12 چه ساعتی میآیید؟
28.13 این کار را چه وقت تمام میکنید؟
28.14 قیمت این چه قدر است؟
28.15 چه میدانید که من نمیدانم؟
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Interrogative Pronoun: چه functions as "what" in questions -
Exclamatory Particle: Used to express surprise or emphasis -
Compound Formation: Combines with other words to create specific interrogatives
Unlike English, Persian questions with چه can have flexible word order: -
English: What do you want? -
Persian: چه میخواهید؟ (literally: what want-you?)
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چه کسی (che kasi) = who (literally: what person) -
چه وقت (che vaght) = when (literally: what time) -
چه قدر (che ghadr) = how much (literally: what amount) -
چه جور (che jur) = what kind of
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Overusing است (ast): English speakers often add unnecessary "is" -
Wrong: چه است میخواهید؟ -
Correct: چه میخواهید؟ -
Word Order Confusion: Placing چه at the end like English -
Wrong: شما میخواهید چه؟ -
Correct: چه میخواهید؟ or شما چه میخواهید؟ -
Forgetting Ezafe: Not using the ezafe construction with nouns -
Wrong: چه کتاب است؟ -
Correct: چه کتابی است؟
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Identify what you're asking about (object, person, time, etc.) -
Place چه before the element you're questioning -
Add appropriate verb conjugation -
Remember that چه can move within the sentence for emphasis
چه is invariable - it doesn't change form based on: -
Gender (Persian has no grammatical gender) -
Number (same form for singular and plural) -
Case (Persian uses postpositions rather than case endings)
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In Persian culture, the use of چه extends beyond simple interrogation. Persians often use چه in polite expressions and rhetorical questions that don't necessarily expect answers. For example, "چه میدانم" (che mi-dānam) literally means "what do I know" but is used similarly to the English "I don't know" or "who knows?"
The exclamatory use of چه is particularly common in Persian poetry and everyday speech to express admiration or surprise. Expressions like "چه خوب!" (che khub! - how nice!) or "چه عالی!" (che āli! - how excellent!) are frequent in social interactions.
In formal contexts, questions with چه are often softened with additional polite phrases. Instead of directly asking "چه میخواهید؟" (what do you want?), a more polite version might be "ببخشید، چه چیزی میل دارید؟" (excuse me, what would you like?).
Understanding the cultural nuances of چه helps learners appreciate that Persian communication often values indirectness and politeness, particularly in formal situations. The flexibility of چه in sentence positioning also reflects the generally more fluid word order in Persian compared to English.
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From the Divan of Hafez (14th century):
چه what (che) کنم do-I (konam) که that (ke) دل heart (del) ز from (ze) دست hand (dast) شد went (shod) و and (va) صبر patience (sabr) هم also (ham) ندارم not-have-I (nadāram) ، , کس person (kas) به to (be) درد pain (dard) عاشقان lovers (āshegān) جز except (joz) ساقی cupbearer (sāghi) درمان cure (darmān) ندارد not-has (nadārad)
چه کنم که دل ز دست شد و صبر هم ندارم، کس به درد عاشقان جز ساقی درمان ندارد
What shall I do, for my heart is lost and I have no patience either, No one has a cure for the pain of lovers except the cupbearer
This couplet from Hafez demonstrates the interrogative چه in a rhetorical context. The phrase "چه کنم" (what shall I do) is a common Persian expression of helplessness or bewilderment, often used in poetry to express the speaker's emotional state rather than seeking actual advice.
The construction "چه کنم" uses چه with the first person singular subjunctive form of کردن (to do). This pattern "چه + subjunctive" is common in Persian for expressing uncertainty or rhetorical questions. The که following introduces a causal clause explaining why the speaker asks this question. Note how Persian poetry often uses archaic or shortened forms like ز instead of از for metrical purposes.
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28.16 صبح morning (sobh) بخیر good (bekheyr) ! ! چه what (che) حالی state (hāli) ؟ ?
28.17 دیشب last-night (dishab) چه what (che) خوابی dream-a (khābi) دیدم saw-I (didam) ! !
28.18 برای for (barāye) ناهار lunch (nāhār) چه what (che) چیزی thing-a (chizi) میخورید eat-you (mi-khorid) ؟ ?
28.19 ببخشید excuse-me (bebakhshid) ، , این this (in) اتوبوس bus (otobus) به to (be) چه what (che) جایی place-to (jāyi) میرود goes (mi-ravad) ؟ ?
28.20 چه what (che) خبرهای news-plural (khabarhā-ye) خوبی good-ones (khubi) دارید have-you (dārid) ؟ ?
28.21 امروز today (emruz) هوا weather (havā) چه what (che) طور manner (towr) است is (ast) ؟ ?
28.22 شما you (shomā) چه what (che) رشتهای field-a (reshte-i) میخوانید study-you (mi-khānid) ؟ ?
28.23 از from (az) این this (in) فیلم film (film) چه what (che) فکری thought-a (fekri) میکنید do-you (mi-konid) ؟ ?
28.24 آخر end (ākhar) هفته week (hafte) چه what (che) کاری work-a (kāri) انجام perform (anjām) میدهید give-you (mi-dahid) ؟ ?
28.25 چه what (che) موقع time (mowghe') برمیگردید return-you (bar-mi-gardid) ؟ ?
28.26 این this (in) لباس dress (lebās) را (rā) از from (az) چه what (che) مغازهای shop-from (maghāze-i) خریدید bought-you (kharidid) ؟ ?
28.27 چه what (che) اتفاقی happening (ettefāghi) برای for (barāye) ماشینت car-your (māshinat) افتاده fallen (oftāde) ؟ ?
28.28 تا until (tā) حالا now (hālā) چه what (che) جاهایی places (jāhāyi) سفر travel (safar) کردهاید done-you-have (karde-id) ؟ ?
28.29 برای for (barāye) تولدت birthday-your (tavalodat) چه what (che) هدیهای gift-a (hadiye-i) میخواهی want-you (mi-khāhi) ؟ ?
28.30 دوست friend (dust) دارید have-you (dārid) چه what (che) موسیقیای music-type (musighi-i) گوش ear (gush) کنید do-you (konid) ؟ ?
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28.16 صبح بخیر! چه حالی؟ Good morning! How are you?
28.17 دیشب چه خوابی دیدم! What a dream I had last night!
28.18 برای ناهار چه چیزی میخورید؟ What are you having for lunch?
28.19 ببخشید، این اتوبوس به چه جایی میرود؟ Excuse me, where does this bus go?
28.20 چه خبرهای خوبی دارید؟ What good news do you have?
28.21 امروز هوا چه طور است؟ How is the weather today?
28.22 شما چه رشتهای میخوانید؟ What field are you studying?
28.23 از این فیلم چه فکری میکنید؟ What do you think of this movie?
28.24 آخر هفته چه کاری انجام میدهید؟ What are you doing this weekend?
28.25 چه موقع برمیگردید؟ When are you coming back?
28.26 این لباس را از چه مغازهای خریدید؟ From which shop did you buy this dress?
28.27 چه اتفاقی برای ماشینت افتاده؟ What happened to your car?
28.28 تا حالا چه جاهایی سفر کردهاید؟ What places have you traveled to so far?
28.29 برای تولدت چه هدیهای میخواهی؟ What gift do you want for your birthday?
28.30 دوست دارید چه موسیقیای گوش کنید؟ What kind of music do you like to listen to?
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28.16 صبح بخیر! چه حالی؟
28.17 دیشب چه خوابی دیدم!
28.18 برای ناهار چه چیزی میخورید؟
28.19 ببخشید، این اتوبوس به چه جایی میرود؟
28.20 چه خبرهای خوبی دارید؟
28.21 امروز هوا چه طور است؟
28.22 شما چه رشتهای میخوانید؟
28.23 از این فیلم چه فکری میکنید؟
28.24 آخر هفته چه کاری انجام میدهید؟
28.25 چه موقع برمیگردید؟
28.26 این لباس را از چه مغازهای خریدید؟
28.27 چه اتفاقی برای ماشینت افتاده؟
28.28 تا حالا چه جاهایی سفر کردهاید؟
28.29 برای تولدت چه هدیهای میخواهی؟
28.30 دوست دارید چه موسیقیای گوش کنید؟
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In daily conversations, چه appears in several idiomatic expressions:
Informal Greetings -
چه حالی؟ (che hāli?) - informal "how are you?" -
چه خبر؟ (che khabar?) - "what's up?"
Compound Interrogatives in Context -
چه طور (che towr) - how/what manner -
چه جور (che jur) - what kind -
چه وقت (che vaght) - when -
چه قدر (che ghadr) - how much
Common Conversational Patterns -
چه + noun + ezafe construction: چه کتابی (what book) -
چه + adjective for exclamation: چه خوب! (how nice!) -
از چه + noun: asking about origin or source
Colloquial Contractions In spoken Persian, چه often contracts: -
چه طور → چطور (chetowr) -
چه جور → چجور (chejur)
Register Differences -
Formal: شما چه نام دارید؟ (What is your name?) -
Informal: اسمت چیه؟ (What's your name?)
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This lesson is part of a comprehensive language learning series developed by the Latinum Institute, combining traditional philological methods with modern pedagogical approaches. The course, curated by Evan der Millner BA MA (Cantab. NZ, London), draws on over 17 years of experience in creating online language learning materials since 2006.
The Latinum method employs interlinear glossing and construed text techniques, allowing autodidacts to engage directly with authentic texts while building vocabulary and grammatical understanding systematically. This approach, detailed at latinum.substack.com/method and latinum.org.uk, emphasizes: -
Granular word-by-word analysis for beginners -
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