Alternative reported questions (yâ na)

"Whether or Not" in Reported Questions

When you want to report a yes/no question or express uncertainty about two alternative outcomes (e.g., "I don't know whether it works or not"), Farsi uses the phrase که آیا (whether) paired with یا نه (or not).

To build this structure, introduce the reported clause with که آیا, and place یا نه at the very end of that clause.

The Formal Alternative: یا خیر

In professional, technical, or written environments—such as when discussing software, debugging, or documentation—you will often see a more formal word for "no".

To make your reported question sound more elevated or formal, simply replace یا نه with یا خیر at the end of the sentence. The meaning remains exactly the same.