کو

What it means

کو (ku) is a short, punchy Persian question word meaning where is it, or where is he or she. It does the same job as the standard کجاست (kojâst) but lands harder and more casually, often carrying a note of impatience or surprise. You reach for کو when something you expected to see is not there.

How to use it

• کو پس؟ (ku pas) “so where is it, then”
• بلیطم کو؟ (belit-am ku) “where is my ticket”
• مامانت کو؟ (mâmân-et ku) “where is your mom”
• کیفم رو ندیدی، کو؟ (kif-am ro nadidi, ku) “you have not seen my bag, where is it”

Cultural note

کو is one of those small words that instantly marks a sentence as spoken, colloquial Persian rather than written or formal Persian. It often stands alone as a one-word question, when someone notices something missing mid-conversation. Persian learners tend to pick it up fast because it is short, common, and turns up constantly at home, in markets, and among friends.

References

• Dehkhoda
• Vajehyab