Farsi · Pronunciation Guide

How do you pronounce "چرا" in Farsi?

Say "che-RAH," with stress on the second syllable, which rhymes with "father."

چرا /tʃeˈrɒː/

cherā

Stress falls on the final syllable, -rā, following the regular Persian pattern.

Listen: چرا

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Sound it out

چ ch + a short, unstressed "e" (like "eh") — "che-."

را r + a long "ā" (father) — the stressed syllable, -RĀ.

Hear it in a sentence

چرا نمی‌آیید؟

Cherā nemi'āyid?

Why aren't you coming?

Listen: چرا نمی‌آیید؟

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"چرا نمی‌آیید؟" (Cherā nemi'āyid?) means "Why aren't you coming?" The negative prefix نمی- attaches directly to the verb آیید, and — as with هرگز — this negated verb form is required whenever the sentence expresses a negative idea, matching چرا's implied negative framing here.

Where English speakers slip

Don't confuse چرا (why, stressed che-RĀ) with چی (what) or چطور (how) — all three share the چ opening but ask very different things and have distinct vowels after it. Also make sure the final ā stays long and open; clipping it can make چرا sound unfinished.