What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is built from the noun انتقال, which literally means "transition" or "transfer" (implying a movement from one state to another), combined with kar gae, which is the past tense of a verb meaning "to do" or "to become".
Which one should you use?
The polite phrase انتقال کر گئے is used for respectful communication, whereas the term مر گیا is the blunt, direct and often insensitive way to say someone died.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
انتقال کر گئے is a polite and formal way to say someone passed away. In very formal settings, you may also use وفات پا گئیں to mean "She passed away".
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase uses a compound verb structure where the noun انتقال is combined with kar gae to indicate the completed action of passing away.
How do you pronounce it?
intiqāl kar gae
Did you know?
- Urdu often uses the plural verb form گئے ('went') in انتقال کر گئے even for a single person to show honor, a grammatical feature known as 'honorific plural'.
- In Urdu, using the blunt term مر گیا ('died') for a human can be seen as a severe social taboo or a sign of deep enmity toward the deceased.
- The word انتقال is a linguistic traveler that originated in Arabic and moved through Persian before entering Urdu.
Examples in context
- آج صبح انتقال کر گئے ہیںThey passed away this morning.
- وہ کل رات انتقال کر گئے ۔Woh kal raat intiqaal kar gaye.He passed away last night.
- میرے دادا انتقال کر گئے ۔Mere dada intiqaal kar gaye.My grandfather passed away.
- اللہ ان کو سکون دے، وہ انتقال کر گئے ۔Allah un ko sukoon de, woh intiqaal kar gaye.May God grant them peace, they have passed away.
Example conversation
Umar is sharing sad news with Zainab over the phone.
- عمر Omarزینب، آپ کے چچا انتقال کر گئے ۔Zainab, aap ke chacha intiqaal kar gaye.Zainab, your uncle has passed away.
- زینب Zainabکیا؟ مجھے یقین نہیں آ رہا ۔Kya? Mujhe yaqeen nahi aa raha.What? I can't believe it.
- عمر Omarاللہ ان کی مغفرت فرمائے ۔Allah un ki maghfirat farmaye.May God forgive him.
- زینب Zainabآمین، بہت شکریہ عمر ۔Ameen, bohat shukriya Umar.Ameen, thank you very much, Umar.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries انتقال, کر, CC BY-SA 4.0.
