Maaf kijiye means please forgive me / sorry. It is polite and useful with strangers. For a small everyday mistake, the English word sorry is extremely common in Hindi conversation too.
Good news: saying sorry in Hindi is easier than you think. But here’s the twist — just like with Hello, Indians don’t always use the “formal” Hindi word. Sometimes they mix English, often times they’ll just say Sorry, and sometimes, they won’t even apologize.
Quick answer:
- With a stranger: Maaf kijiye. — Sorry / Please forgive me.
- For a small everyday mistake: Sorry.
- To acknowledge what happened: Galti ho gayi. — I made a mistake.
- For a serious apology: Mujhe maaf kar dijiye. — Please forgive me.
Let’s dive into each one of these in detail and look through the pronunciation.
The Direct Translation: Maaf kijiye
This is the official “sorry” in Hindi. It’s polite, respectful, and safe to use in formal situations.
Example: You bump into someone on the metro. You say: “Maaf kijiye.” It’s the equivalent of “excuse me” or “pardon me.” But just like dhanyavaad, you won’t hear this much among friends. It feels a little too stiff.
How to Say Sorry in Everyday Life: Sorry
Most Indians just use the English word “sorry” and then add a filler word like yaar (friend) or bhai (brother).
Example: You’re late to meet your buddy. You text: “Sorry, traffic was insane.” It’s casual, friendly, and totally normal.
The Formal-but-Natural Version: Kshama kijiye
Think of it as maaf kijiye’s cousin. “Maaf” originates from Urdu, while “Kshama” originates from Sanskrit. It’s less common in daily speech but appears in formal settings like metro announcements: “Asuvidha ke liye kshama kijiye.” (We apologize for the inconvenience.)
When Indians Don’t Say Sorry At All
Sometimes, Indians skip the word “sorry” completely and show it through tone or gestures. You spill chai on your friend’s shirt? Just say: “Galti ho gayi” (Oops, I made a mistake.) Among close friends, over-apologizing is considered unnecessary.
Quick Reference: 10 Ways to Say Sorry in Hindi
- Maaf kijiye – Excuse me / sorry (formal).
- Shama kijiye – Formal apology.
- Sorry, yaar – Casual, everyday.
- Sorry, bhai – Sorry, brother (informal).
- Bahut sorry – I’m very sorry.
- Mujhe maaf kar do – Please forgive me.
- Main aap se maafi maangta hoon – I apologize to you (formal).
- Arre, galti ho gayi – Oops, my mistake (casual).
- Haath jodkar maafi maangta hoon – Super dramatic, filmi style.
- Dosti mein sorry kaisa – Friends don’t say sorry (joking phrase).
Frequently asked questions
Maaf kijiye is the formal apology — equivalent to excuse me or pardon me.
Not always — most Indians just say Sorry, yaar in casual situations, mixing English and Hindi naturally.
Among close friends, over-apologizing is considered unnecessary. They show it through tone or gestures instead.
It means please forgive me — a casual but sincere way to apologize to friends.
Both mean sorry, but Maaf originates from Urdu while Kshama comes from Sanskrit. Kshama is more formal and rarely used in daily speech.
In Conclusion
Next time you need to apologize in Hindi: use Maaf kijiye if you’re being formal, or Sorry, yaar with friends. Let’s keep this simple.
Sorry (but not sorry) for making this post long. Subscribe to get the first 3 chapters of Hindi Hacking and more conversational tips.
Next, check out How to say Bye in Hindi.