Where does “কি” come from?

কি (Bengali) comes from Pali 𑀓, from Sanskrit कः, from Sanskrit किम्, from Proto-Indo-Aryan kás, from Proto-Indo-Iranian kás, from Proto-Indo-European kʷós — who.

কি (Bengali): what?; Forms yes or no questions when placed in...

Definitions

  1. what?; Forms yes or no questions when placed in...

Ancestry of “কি”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Pali𑀓Brahmi script form of ka
2Sanskritकःnominative masculine singular of किम्
3Sanskritकिम्used as a particle of interrogation
4Proto-Indo-Aryankás—
5Proto-Indo-Iraniankáswho
6Proto-Indo-Europeankʷóswho

Words derived from “কি”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European kʷós →Every word from Proto-Indo-Iranian kás →Every word from Proto-Indo-Aryan kás →