की Meaning What

Asking What

Level 1Sounds Like kī (praśna)

की means what and usually sits right before the verb.

How It Works

की is the word for what. It often comes right before the verb.

MaithiliMeaning
ई की अछि?What is this?
अहाँ की पिबै छी?What do you drink?
ओ की करैत छथि?What does she do?

Before a postposition, the form is कथी: कथी लेल (what for) and कथी सँ (with what).

की also marks a yes or no question when it stands at the start or the end of the sentence. That use has its own entry.

The Hindi words क्या and क्यों do not exist in Maithili. Use की for what and किएक for why.

The answer takes the place of की in the same sentence: ई केरा अछि (This is a banana).

Examples (5)

  1. ई की अछि?

    What is this?

    की stands where the answer goes.

  2. अहाँ की पिबै छी?

    What do you drink?

    की comes before the verb.

  3. ओ की करैत छथि?

    What does she do?

    की asks about the action.

  4. कथी लेल?

    What for?

    कथी is the form before लेल.

  5. अहाँ कथी सँ लिखैत छी?

    What do you write with?

    कथी is used before सँ.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the Hindi क्या.

    ई क्या अछि?
    ई की अछि?

    Maithili uses की.

How It Connects

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

की Meaning WhatLevel 1Asking What

Learn This First

की first appears in short sentences with अछि, and before a postposition it changes to कथी.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern

कीकथीकिएक