معاف کیجیے
māf kījiyepolite
In Pakistan the polite way to say "sorry" in Urdu is معاف کیجیے (māf kījiye), literally "please forgive". معذرت (maʿzirat) is the formal apology and سوری (sorī) is the casual borrowing from English.
Meaning: apology (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Pakistan | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| معاف کیجیے | māf kījiye | polite |
| معذرت | maʿzirat | formal |
| سوری | sorī | casual, borrowed from English |
معاف کیجیے (māf kījiye) works both for an apology and for "excuse me" when you need to pass someone. معذرت (maʿzirat) appears in speeches and written notes.
Which one should you use?
To a close friend or a younger person people say معاف کرنا (māf karnā) or سوری (sorī).
Did you know?
- The usual reply to an apology is کوئی بات نہیں (koī bāt nahīṉ), which literally means "no matter".
Examples in context
- معاف کیجیے، مجھے دیر ہو گئی۔māf kījiye, mujhe der ho gaī.Sorry, I am late.
- مجھے اپنی غلطی پر معذرت ہے۔mujhe apnī ghalṭī par maʿzirat hai.I apologize for my mistake.
- سوری یار، میں بھول گیا۔sorī yār, maiṉ bhūl gayā.Sorry friend, I forgot.
Example conversation
Kamran bumps into a stranger at a bus stop in Karachi, and later meets his friend Salman.
- Kamranمعاف کیجیے گا، آپ کو لگی تو نہیں؟māf kījiyegā, āp ko lagī to nahīṉ?Sorry, did you get hurt?
- Ajnabiنہیں، کوئی بات نہیں۔nahīṉ, koī bāt nahīṉ.No, it is nothing.
- Salmanیار، دیر کیوں ہوئی؟yār, der kyoṉ huī?Friend, why are you late?
