Please, thank you & polite words in Hindi

Q: How do you say 'please' in Hindi?

The word for please is कृपया (kripya). In everyday speech, Hindi often expresses 'please' through the polite verb ending -इए (-iye) instead, as in बैठिए (baithiye, 'please sit'), so कृपया is used more in formal or written contexts.

Q: What is the difference between धन्यवाद and शुक्रिया?

Both mean 'thank you.' धन्यवाद (dhanyavaad) is the more formal, Sanskrit-derived word, common in writing and respectful speech. शुक्रिया (shukriya) is warmer and more casual, borrowed from Urdu, and very common in everyday conversation.

Q: When should I use आप instead of तुम?

Use आप (aap), the formal 'you,' with strangers, elders, and in professional settings — it is the safe, respectful default. तुम (tum) is informal, for friends and family, and तू (tu) is intimate or, used wrongly, rude.

How Hindi politeness actually works — कृपया, धन्यवाद, माफ़ कीजिए, the respect particle जी, and the all-important choice between आप and तुम.

Politeness in Hindi works a little differently from English, and understanding the system is worth more than memorising a dozen phrases. Much of the courtesy is carried not by separate words like "please" but by verb endings and the pronoun you choose. Get those right and you'll sound respectful even with a small vocabulary; get them wrong and even the right words can land oddly.

That said, there are real courtesy words to know — कृपया (please), धन्यवाद and शुक्रिया (thanks), and माफ़ कीजिए (sorry / excuse me). Layered on top is the small but mighty particle जी (ji), which sprinkles respect almost anywhere. This page explains each one and, just as importantly, when to reach for it.

Please & the polite request

The literal word for "please" is कृपया, but spoken Hindi often signals it through the -इए verb ending instead — बैठिए already means "please sit."

Register: all formal. कृपया leans written/formal; the **-इए** ending is the everyday polite request.
English	Hindi	Pronunciation
Please	कृपया	kripya
Please sit	बैठिए	baithiye
Please come	आइए	aaiye
Please listen	सुनिए	suniye
Please help me	कृपया मेरी मदद कीजिए	kripya meri madad keejiye

Thank you — धन्यवाद & शुक्रिया

Two common words, two flavours: धन्यवाद is formal and Sanskritic, शुक्रिया warmer and casual (from Urdu). Both are widely understood.

Choose by tone: धन्यवाद for formal, शुक्रिया for friendly.
English	Hindi	Pronunciation
Thank you (formal)	धन्यवाद	dhanyavaad
Thanks (casual)	शुक्रिया	shukriya
Thank you very much	बहुत बहुत धन्यवाद	bahut bahut dhanyavaad
You're welcome	कोई बात नहीं	koi baat nahin
It's my pleasure	आपका स्वागत है	aapka swaagat hai

Sorry & excuse me

माफ़ कीजिए covers both "sorry" and "excuse me" — use it to apologise or to get someone's attention politely.

Polite (आप) forms for apologising and interrupting.
English	Hindi	Pronunciation
Sorry / Excuse me	माफ़ कीजिए	maaf keejiye
I'm sorry	मुझे माफ़ करें	mujhe maaf karen
It's all right / no problem	कोई बात नहीं	koi baat nahin
Excuse me, may I ask? (get attention)	सुनिए, ज़रा …	suniye, zara …

जी and the respectful yes/no

जी is the magic word of Hindi courtesy. Alone it's a respectful "yes"; after a name it adds honour; before हाँ/नहीं it makes a polite yes or no.

The particle जी works almost anywhere to add respect.
English	Hindi	Pronunciation
Yes (respectful)	जी हाँ	ji haan
No (respectful)	जी नहीं	ji nahin
Yes? / Pardon? (responding)	जी?	ji?
Mr Sharma (respectful)	शर्मा जी	Sharma ji
Yes, sir / madam	जी सर / जी मैडम	ji sir / ji madam

आप, तुम & तू — the three "yous"

The single biggest politeness choice in Hindi is which "you" to use. Pick the wrong one and even kind words can sound off.

Default to आप with anyone you don't know well.
When to use	Hindi	Pronunciation
Formal — strangers, elders, work	आप	aap
Informal — friends, family, peers	तुम	tum
Intimate — close partners, children, God (or rude if misused)	तू	tu

The golden rule. When unsure, use आप (aap). It's the formal "you," and no one is ever offended by being addressed too respectfully. Moving to तुम too early can feel over-familiar, and तू with the wrong person sounds dismissive or aggressive. Let the other person, or time, invite the shift to informality.

Putting it together. Real Hindi politeness is a stack: the right pronoun (आप), the polite verb ending (-इए), a जी for warmth, and a धन्यवाद to close. You rarely need कृपया in every sentence — over-using it can sound stilted, the way constant "kindly" does in English. Aim for the natural blend: जी, बैठिए ("yes, please sit") already conveys plenty of courtesy in just two words.

Translate your own polite phrase

Want a courteous request or thank-you tailored to your situation? Type your English below and get a polite Hindi version.

Frequently asked

How do you say "please" in Hindi?

The word for please is कृपया (kripya). In everyday speech, Hindi often expresses "please" through the polite verb ending -इए (-iye) instead, as in बैठिए (baithiye, "please sit"), so कृपया is used more in formal or written contexts.

What is the difference between धन्यवाद and शुक्रिया?

Both mean "thank you." धन्यवाद (dhanyavaad) is the more formal, Sanskrit-derived word, common in writing and respectful speech. शुक्रिया (shukriya) is warmer and more casual, borrowed from Urdu, and very common in everyday conversation.

What does जी mean?

जी (ji) is a respect particle. Added after a name or title — like शर्मा जी (Sharma-ji) — it shows politeness. On its own, जी हाँ means a respectful "yes" and जी नहीं a respectful "no."

When should I use आप instead of तुम?

Use आप (aap), the formal "you," with strangers, elders, and in professional settings — it's the safe, respectful default. तुम (tum) is informal, for friends and family, and तू (tu) is intimate or, used wrongly, rude.

How do you say "sorry" and "excuse me" in Hindi?

Both are माफ़ कीजिए (maaf keejiye) — it works to apologise or to get someone's attention politely. A common reply is कोई बात नहीं (koi baat nahin, "it's all right / no problem").