माफ़ कीजिए
māf kījie/mɑːf kiː.d͡ʒɪ.eː/
In Hindi, 'sorry' can be expressed as माफ़ कीजिए (māf kījie). Wiktionary also lists सॉरी (sŏrī).
Meaning: expression of regret or sorrow (intj)
Ways to say it
| Hindi | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| माफ़ कीजिए | māf kījie | /mɑːf kiː.d͡ʒɪ.eː/ (Hindi, Standard) /mɑːpʰ kiː.d͡ʒɪ.eː/ (Hindi, Standard) |
| सॉरी | sŏrī | /sɔ.ɾiː/ (Hindi, Standard) |
The phrase is used as an expression of regret or sorrow.
Which one should you use?
Use माफ़ कीजिए when you want to express genuine regret or ask for forgiveness, whereas सॉरी is often used for minor social slips.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
माफ़ कीजिए is a formal way to say 'Please forgive me.' For a more polite and formal variation, you can use माफ़ कीजिएगा. In casual, urban Hindi conversations, the English loanword सॉरी is commonly used. For a more informal situation, you might use माफ़ कर दो to say 'Forgive me.'
How does it change in a sentence?
The form माफ़ कीजिएगा is a more formal and polite variation of माफ़ कीजिए.
How do you pronounce it?
māf kījie (IPA: /mɑːf kiː.dʒɪ.eː/)
Did you know?
- In highly emotional or spiritual contexts, a Hindi speaker might avoid माफ़ कीजिए entirely and use क्षमा kshama, a word from Sanskrit that refers to a deeper, cosmic virtue of forgiveness.
- The root of माफ़ is linked to the concept of 'healing' or 'being sound' in Arabic, meaning to forgive is to restore someone's state of being.
- While सॉरी is ubiquitous in cities, using it in a formal setting with an elder might actually come across as dismissive rather than polite.
Examples in context
- माफ़ कीजिए पर हम आपकी मदद नहीं कर सकते।We are sorry we can't help you.This sentence shows how to use माफ़ कीजिए when expressing an inability to help.Tatoeba #491724 by minshirui, translation #262696 by CK
- माफ़ कीजिएगा, मेरे पापा अभी घर पर नहीं हैं।I'm sorry, my father is out.This sentence uses माफ़ कीजिए to apologize while providing information about someone's whereabouts.Tatoeba #509351 by minshirui, translation #71930 by CK
- माफ़ कीजिएगा अगर मैंने आपको परेशान किया तो।I am sorry if I disturbed you.This sentence uses माफ़ कीजिए to apologize for a potential disturbance.Tatoeba #514085 by minshirui, translation #64436 by CK
- माफ़ कीजिए, मुझसे गलती हो गई।I'm sorry, I made a mistake.
- कोई बात नहीं, माफ़ कर दिया।It's okay, I forgive you.
- हमें खेद है कि हमने आपका समय बर्बाद कर दिया।We apologize for wasting your time.
- आपकी माफ़ी स्वीकार की जाती है।Your apology is accepted.
- मुझसे गलती हो गई, माफ़ कर दो ना।I made a mistake, please forgive me.
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Priya accidentally bumps into Aditya in a crowded hallway.
- प्रिया Priyaमाफ़ कीजिए, मुझे नहीं पता था कि आप यहाँ हैं।Maaf kijiye, mujhe nahi pata tha ki aap yahan hain.Sorry, I didn't know you were here.
- आदित्य Adityaकोई बात नहीं, प्रिया।Koi baat nahi, Priya.It's okay, Priya.
- प्रिया Priyaक्या आपको चोट लगी?Kya aapko chot lagi?Were you hurt?
- आदित्य Adityaनहीं, मैं बिल्कुल ठीक हूँ।Nahi, main bilkul theek hoon.No, I am perfectly fine.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sorry” translations and entries माफ़ कीजिए, सॉरी, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries माफ़, सॉरी, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
