माफ़ कीजिए
māf kījie/mɑːf kiː.d͡ʒɪ.eː/
In Hindi, "excuse me" can be translated as माफ़ कीजिए (māf kījie). Wiktionary also lists माफ़ करो (māf karo).
Meaning: sorry, as apology (noun)
Ways to say it
| Hindi | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| माफ़ कीजिए | māf kījie | /mɑːf kiː.d͡ʒɪ.eː/ (Hindi, Standard) /mɑːpʰ kiː.d͡ʒɪ.eː/ (Hindi, Standard) |
|
| माफ़ करो | māf karo | informal |
The phrase is used both to ask for forgiveness for a mistake and to politely get someone's attention, much like the English "excuse me".
What does it mean word for word?
The word माफ़ literally means forgiveness or pardon.
Which one should you use?
माफ़ करो is the informal version used for friends, children or people of lower social status.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
माफ़ कीजिए is used for strangers or superiors, whereas माफ़ करो is used with friends or those of lower social status. For an even more polite and respectful variation, you can use माफ़ कीजिएगा, which is often used with elders or strangers.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form माफ़ कीजिएगा is a more polite and respectful variation of माफ़ कीजिए.
How do you pronounce it?
māf kījie (3 syllables)
Did you know?
- When seeking to get someone's attention, many Hindi speakers will use the word सुनिए (sunie), which literally means 'please listen', instead of using a phrase for 'forgiveness'.
- The word माफ़ traveled a long distance to reach Hindi, moving from Arabic into Classical Persian and then into Hindi.
- In many parts of India, instead of using a verbal phrase, people will simply use a small nod of the head or a slight hand gesture to mean 'excuse me' while moving through a crowd.
Examples in context
- माफ़ कीजिएगा, मैं खो गई हूँ।Excuse me, I'm lost.This sentence is useful for explaining that you are lost using माफ़ कीजिए.Tatoeba #475836 by minshirui, translation #51482 by autuno
- माफ़ कीजिए, क्या समय हुआ है?Excuse me, what time is it?This sentence is useful for asking the time using माफ़ कीजिए.Tatoeba #944762 by mayok, translation #385392 by Mouseneb
- माफ़ कीजिएगा, यहाँ कोई बैठा हुआ है क्या?Excuse me, is this seat taken?This sentence is useful for asking if a seat is taken using माफ़ कीजिए.Tatoeba #509985 by minshirui, translation #51498 by CK
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Neha accidentally bumps into Vikas in a crowded market.
- नेहा Nehaमाफ़ कीजिए, मेरा ध्यान नहीं था।maaf kijiye, mera dhyan nahi tha.Excuse me, I wasn't paying attention.
- विकास Vikasकोई बात नहीं, नेहा।koi baat nahi, Neha.It's okay, Neha.
- नेहा Nehaक्या आपको चोट लगी?kya aapko chot lagi?Did you get hurt?
- विकास Vikasनहीं, मैं ठीक हूँ।nahi, main theek hoon.No, I am fine.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “excuse me” translations and entries माफ़ कीजिए, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries माफ़, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
