What does it mean word for word?
The phrase मुझे खेद है literally translates to "to me regret is" or "I have regret."
Which one should you use?
While मुझे खेद है expresses a feeling of regret, the phrase माफ़ कीजिये is more commonly used when asking for forgiveness or apologizing for a specific mistake or social transgression.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
मुझे खेद है is a formal way to express regret, making it suitable for professional settings or written correspondence. For more direct ways to apologize, you might use the formal Mujhe maaf kijiyega (Please forgive me) or Kshama karein (Please forgive). In casual settings with friends, you can use the informal Maaf kar do (Please forgive me) or the highly colloquial Sorry yaar.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase uses the dative pronoun मुझे, meaning "to me", which is the standard way to express feelings or states in this construction.
How do you pronounce it?
mujhe khed hai
Did you know?
- Asking for forgiveness with माफ़ कीजिये involves a root shared with Arabic and Persian, reflecting the historical influence of Islamic culture on the Hindi language.
- The verb है (hai) in this phrase shares an ancient root with the English word 'stay' or 'dwell', through a long evolution from the Proto-Indo-European root meaning to 'live' or 'remain'.
- The word खेद (khed) is a learned borrowing from Sanskrit, which means it carries a much more formal and literary weight than everyday spoken Hindi.
Example conversation
Aditya is informing Anjali about a cancelled meeting.
- आदित्य Adityaअंजलि, मीटिंग रद्द हो गई है, मुझे खेद है।Anjali, meeting radd ho gayi hai, mujhe khed hai.Anjali, the meeting has been cancelled, I am sorry.
- अंजलि Anjaliकोई बात नहीं, आदित्य।koi baat nahi, Aditya.That is okay, Aditya.
- आदित्य Adityaहम इसे कल कर सकते हैं।hum ise kal kar sakte hain.We can do it tomorrow.
- अंजलि Anjaliठीक है, कल मिलते हैं।thik hai, kal milte hain.Okay, see you tomorrow.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries खेद, है, CC BY-SA 4.0.
