Where does “čьto” come from?

čьto (Proto-Slavic) comes from Proto-Balto-Slavic ki, from Proto-Indo-European kʷíd, from Proto-Indo-European kʷís, from Proto-Indo-European kʷi- — interrogative base.

čьto (Proto-Slavic): what

Definitions

  1. what

Ancestry of “čьto”, step by step

čьto traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Proto-Balto-Slavic ki

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Proto-Balto-Slavickiwhat
2Proto-Indo-Europeankʷídneuter nominative/accusative singular of *kʷís
3Proto-Indo-Europeankʷíswho, what; who, which, that; which, what
4Proto-Indo-Europeankʷi-interrogative base

via Indo-European *kʷid

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Indo-European*kʷid

Words derived from “čьto

Every word from Proto-Indo-European kʷi-Every word from Proto-Indo-European kʷísEvery word from Proto-Indo-European kʷíd