माफ़ कीजिए
māf kījiepolite, Hindi
In Hindi you say माफ़ कीजिए (māf kījie) for a polite "sorry" and सॉरी (sōrī) for a casual one. It is also called क्षमा करें (kshamā karen).
Meaning: an apology (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Indian | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| माफ़ कीजिए | māf kījie | polite, Hindi |
| क्षमा करें | kshamā karen | formal |
| सॉरी | sōrī | casual, everyday |
माफ़ कीजिए can also mean "excuse me", for example when you bump into someone or need to get past. With a friend you can say माफ़ करना (māf karnā).
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
क्षमा करें (kshamā karen) is formal and fits public announcements or letters. मुझे खेद है (mujhe khed hai) is a stronger "I regret".
Did you know?
- The reply कोई बात नहीं (koī bāt nahīn), literally "no matter", is the usual answer to an apology.
Examples in context
- माफ़ कीजिए, मुझे देर हो गई।Māf kījie, mujhe der ho gaī.Sorry, I am late.
- सॉरी यार, मैं भूल गया।Sōrī yār, main bhūl gayā.Sorry mate, I forgot.
Example conversation
Colleagues Neeraj and Divya meet at a meeting in Bengaluru.
- Neerajमाफ़ कीजिए, मुझे आने में देर हो गई।Māf kījie, mujhe āne mein der ho gaī.Sorry, I was late in arriving.
- Divyaकोई बात नहीं, बैठ जाइए।Koī bāt nahīn, baiṭh jāie.No problem, please sit.
- Neerajशुक्रिया।Shukriyā.Thanks.
