Hindi · Greetings & Essentials
"Who?" in Hindi: कौन?
कौन?kaun?
Who in Hindi is कौन? (kaun?). Basic lines are woh kaun hai? and with respect aap kaun hain?
Door knock
कौन है बाहर?kaun hai baahar?
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How to pronounce कौन?
Say it
kaun
/kɔːn/
Kaun is kaun like English count without the t. One clear syllable.
"Who?" in Hindi: quick reference
| Hindi | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| कौन?kaun? | who? Default. | Default. |
| कौन है?kaun hai? | who is it? One person informal. | One person informal. |
| कौन हैं?kaun hain? | who is/are…? (respectful) With aap / elders. | With aap / elders. |
| किसने?kisne? | who (did)…? (ergative) Past actions: kisne kiya? | Past actions: kisne kiya? |
How to use कौन? in real life
- 1Door knock
कौन है बाहर?
kaun hai baahar?
Who is outside?
Everyday.
- 2Meeting intro
वो सज्जन कौन हैं?
vo sajjan kaun hain?
Who is that gentleman?
Respectful hain.
- 3Past action
यह संदेश कौन भेज सकता है, किसने भेजा?
yeh sandesh kaun bhej sakta hai, kisne bheja?
Who could send this message — who sent it?
Kaun for identity; kisne for the past agent.
Mistakes English speakers make with कौन?
Incorrect: Aap kaun hai?
Correct: Aap kaun hain?
Aap takes hain.
Incorrect: Kaun ne kiya
Correct: Kisne kiya
Past agent form is kisne, not kaun ne.
Good to know
Asking कौन है? at the door is normal; asking strangers their status bluntly is not. Soften with ji and a smile. In groups, kaun-kaun aayega lists attendees casually.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
A new face at a party
ChatPal
वो लाल कुर्ता कौन हैं?
vo laal kurta kaun hain?
Who is that person in the red kurta?
You
मेरे ख्याल से राहुल के कज़िन हैं — पूछूँ कौन?
mere khyaal se Raahul ke cousin hain — poochhoon kaun?
I think they're Rahul's cousin — shall I ask who?
ChatPal
हाँ, ज़रा नाम पूछ लीजिए।
haan, zara naam poochh lijiye.
Yes, please ask the name.
You
नमस्ते, आप कौन हैं? राहुल के रिश्तेदार?
namaste, aap kaun hain? Raahul ke rishtedaar?
Hello, who are you? Rahul's relative?
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Who?" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Who?" in Hindi
Kaun hai vs kaun hain?
Hain with aap and respect; hai is more casual/singular.
Who did it?
Kisne kiya?
Who are you?
Aap kaun hain?
Who all are coming?
Kaun-kaun aa raha hai / aayega?
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
