की काय

Wondering if

Level 5Sounds Like kī kāya

The statement before की काय is a full clause with its own verb.

How It Works

Say the guess, then की काय. पाऊस येतो की काय? (Is it going to rain, or what?) The speaker sees dark clouds and fears the worst.

Plain questionWith की काय
घरात कोणी नाही का?घरात कोणी नाही की काय?
मी चुकीच्या बसमध्ये बसलो का?मी चुकीच्या बसमध्ये बसलो की काय?

The verb agrees with its subject, and with a verb that shows gender, मी and तू show the gender of the speaker or the person addressed. A man says मी चुकीच्या बसमध्ये बसलो की काय? A woman says मी रस्ता चुकले की काय? To a woman, a friend asks तू मला विसरलीस की काय?

The question does not ask for facts. It already holds a guess and a feeling. This pattern has no question word such as कुठे or किती. For a plain question, say आता किती वाजले?

An answer usually calms the speaker: नाही, पाऊस येत नाही. Or it agrees: हो, मलाही तसे वाटते.

In writing, a story may use it for a character's thought. In an essay or a notice, it does not appear.

Examples (5)

  1. पाऊस येतो की काय?

    Is it going to rain, or what?

    की काय turns the guess into a worried question.

  2. मी रस्ता चुकले की काय?

    Have I lost my way, or what? A woman is speaking.

    की काय follows the full clause मी रस्ता चुकले.

  3. तू मला विसरलीस की काय?

    Have you forgotten me, or what? A woman is addressed.

    विसरलीस shows that a woman is addressed.

  4. मी चुकीच्या बसमध्ये बसलो की काय?

    Did I get on the wrong bus, or what? A man is speaking.

    की काय adds the speaker's worry.

  5. घरात कोणी नाही की काय?

    Is there nobody at home, or what?

    की काय follows the negative statement.

Common Mistakes

  • Using it for a plain question that has a question word.

    आता किती वाजले की काय?
    आता किती वाजले?

    A plain question with किती needs no की काय. The phrase belongs to a guess.

  • Using the Hindi word क्या.

    क्या पाऊस येतो?
    पाऊस येतो की काय?

    क्या is Hindi. Marathi usually puts का at the end of a plain yes-or-no question, and की काय at the end of a worried guess.

How It Connects

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

की कायLevel 5Wondering if

Learn This First

Is it that asks a doubtful question.

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Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern

कीकाय