کسی که، چیزی که، جایی که

The Person, Thing or Place That

Level 4

For more than one person, use کسانی که.

How It Works

In English you say the person who, the thing that and the place where. Dari packs each into two words, because the ending ـی is already part of کسی, چیزی and جایی.

GroupMeaningExample
کسی کهthe person whoکسی که دروازه را باز کرد
کسانی کهthe people whoکسانی که زود می‌رسند
چیزی کهthe thing that, whatچیزی که مادرم می‌پزد
جایی کهthe place whereجایی که کار می‌کنم

The verb agrees with the group. کسی is one person, so its verb is singular. کسانی is several people, so its verb is plural.

The whole group acts like a noun in the main sentence, and the main verb comes after it: جایی که کار می‌کنم دور نیست.

کسی که can also mean anyone who: کسی که وقت دارد، می‌تواند بیاید (anyone who has time can come). Inside the clause, نـ makes the verb negative: چیزی که نمی‌فهمم (what I do not understand).

Examples (5)

  1. کسی که دروازه را باز کرد فرید بود.

    The person who opened the door was Farid.

    کسی که starts the clause, and the main verb بود comes last.

  2. چیزی که از بازار آوردم برای شما است.

    What I brought from the market is for you.

    چیزی که means what or the thing that.

  3. جایی که کار می‌کنم از خانهٔ ما دور نیست.

    The place where I work is not far from our house.

    جایی که means the place where, with no other noun.

  4. کسانی که زود می‌رسند جای خوب پیدا می‌کنند.

    People who arrive early find a good place.

    کسانی is the plural of کسی, so the verb می‌کنند is plural too.

  5. چیزی که مادرم می‌پزد همیشه خوش‌مزه است.

    What my mother cooks is always tasty.

    چیزی که مادرم می‌پزد is the subject of the main sentence.

Common Mistakes

  • Using singular کسی with a plural verb.

    کسی که زود می‌رسند جای خوب پیدا می‌کنند.
    کسانی که زود می‌رسند جای خوب پیدا می‌کنند.

    کسی is one person. For several people, use کسانی.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

کسی که، چیزی که، جایی کهLevel 4The Person, Thing or Place That

Learn This First

This is a short form of a relative clause.

Words in This Pattern

کسیچیزیکه