कखन / कहिया

Asking When

Level 1Sounds Like kakhana ā kahiyā

कखन asks at what time, and कहिया asks on what day.

How It Works

Maithili has two words for when.

WordAsks aboutExample
कखनthe time of dayगाड़ी कखन अबैत अछि?
कहियाthe day or dateअहाँ कहिया आएब?

Answer a कखन question with a time: सात बजे (at seven) or साँझ मे (in the evening). Answer a कहिया question with a day: काल्हि (tomorrow), परसू (the day after tomorrow), रविदिन (Sunday).

The two words are close, and speakers sometimes use कखन for both. Learners are safest if they use कखन for hours and कहिया for days.

Do not use the Hindi कब.

Examples (5)

  1. गाड़ी कखन अबैत अछि?

    When does the train come?

    कखन asks for a time.

  2. अहाँ कहिया आएब?

    When will you come?

    कहिया asks for a day.

  3. स्कूल कखन खुलैत अछि?

    When does school open?

    कखन asks for an hour.

  4. नेहा कखन अबैत छथि?

    When does Neha come?

    कखन works with any person.

  5. अहाँ कहिया पटना जाएब?

    When will you go to Patna?

    कहिया asks about a day.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the Hindi कब.

    अहाँ कब आएब?
    अहाँ कहिया आएब?

    Maithili uses कहिया or कखन.

How It Connects

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

कखन / कहियाLevel 1Asking When

Learn This First

Questions about when usually ask about a present habit or schedule, so the -ैत present comes first.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern

कखनकहिया