کافی
kāfī/kɑː.fiː/
The English phrase "enough" is translated into Urdu as کافی (kāfī).
The word کافی can be used both as an adjective meaning 'sufficient' and as an adverb meaning 'quite' or 'very' (e.g., 'quite good').
Meaning: sufficient (det)
Which one should you use?
In a formal or descriptive context, use کافی to indicate sufficiency, but use بس to command someone to stop an action or to signal that a limit has been reached.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced as [kɑː.fiː]. It has 2 syllables.
Did you know?
- The Urdu word کافی is an exact phonetic match for the English word 'coffee', even though they have completely different meanings.
- In Urdu, the concept of 'enough' can be expressed through a hand gesture. Raising the palm or making a cutting motion in the air often accompanies the word بس to signal a hard stop.
- In Urdu, بس can function as a complete sentence. A single word بس can mean 'that is all' or 'stop' depending entirely on the tone of voice.
Examples in context
- اچھا ہے، لیکن کافی نہیں ہے۔It's good, but not good enough.This sentence is useful for expressing that something is not good enough using کافی.Tatoeba #13390839 by Roomba_Unit, translation #6715024 by maaster
- میرے پاس یہ خریدنے کے لئیے کافی پیسے ہے۔I have enough money to buy it.This sentence shows how to use کافی to describe an amount of money.Tatoeba #2326409 by nabeel_tahir, translation #2080069 by CK
- کبھی کبھی صرف سر ہلانا کافی ہوتا، کسی کو اپنی توجہ سے سن رہے ہیں۔Sometimes a nod is enough to show someone that you're listening attentively.This sentence demonstrates the use of کافی to show that a gesture is sufficient.Tatoeba #10814974 by Roomba_Unit, translation #7590568 by AlanF_US
- 4 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Ayesha and Hamza are discussing if they need more tea.
- عائشہ Ayeshaکیا آپ کو مزید چائے چاہیے؟Kya aap ko mazeed chai chahiye?Do you want more tea?
- حمزہ Hamzaنہیں، بس کافی ہے۔Nahi, bas kafi hai.No, just enough is fine.
- عائشہ Ayeshaکیا میں کچھ میٹھا لاؤں؟Kya mein kuch meetha laon?Should I bring something sweet?
- حمزہ Hamzaنہیں، ابھی کافی ہے۔Nahi, abhi kafi hai.No, it is enough for now.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry کافی, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries کافی, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
