چرا

Persian

Etymology 1

From Middle Persian ME lʾd (čim rāy, “why”), from Proto-Iranian *čim (“what”) + *rādi- (“reason, thing”), literally, “what reason”. The former is from Proto-Indo-Iranian *kím ~ čím, from Proto-Indo-European *kʷím (“what”), while the latter is a lexicalization of the locative singular of Proto-Iranian *rād-, from Proto-Indo-Iranian *HraHdʰ-, from Proto-Indo-European *Hreh₁dʰ- (“to think, arrange, accomplish”). By surface analysis, چه (če, “what”) +‎ رای (rây, “reason”).

Alternative forms

• چر (čer) (colloquial, Shiraz)

Pronunciation

• (Classical Persian) IPA^(key): [ˈt͡ʃi.ɾɑː]

 

• (Dari, formal) IPA^(key): [t͡ʃʰʊ́.ɾɑː]

• (Dari, formal) IPA^(key): [t͡ʃʰʊ́.ɾɑː]
  • (Kabuli) IPA^(key): [t͡ʃʰʊ́.ɾɑː]
  • (Hazaragi) IPA^(key): [t͡ʃʰú.ɾɔː]

• (Iran, formal) IPA^(key): [t͡ʃʰé.ɹɒː]

• (Tajik, formal) IPA^(key): [t͡ʃʰǽ.ɾɔ]

Readings
Classical reading?	čirā
Dari reading?	čurā
Iranian reading?	čerâ
Tajik reading?	čaro

Adverb

Dari	چرا
Iranian Persian
Tajik	чаро

چرا • (čerâ)

1. why

   Synonyms: برای چه (barâye če), برای چی (barâye či), واسه چی (vâse či)

   چرا رفتی شیراز؟

   čerâ rafti širâz?

   Why did you go to Shiraz?

Derived terms

• چرایی (čerâyi) philosophy; reason; cause

Etymology 2

Ellipsis of چرا که نه؟ (čerâ ke na?, “why not?”).

Interjection

چرا • (čerâ)

1. (definite positive response to a negative question or statement) yes; surely

Etymology 3

From چر (čar, present stem of چریدن (čaridan, “to graze, pasture”)) +‎ ـا (-â, “nominal suffix”).

Noun

چرا • (čarâ)

1. pasturing, grazing