माफ करना
माफ कीजिए, मैं देर से आया।
Excuse me, I came late.
to ask for or grant forgiveness; to excuse someone or something
माफ करना, मैं गलती कर बैठा।
I'm sorry, I made a mistake.
माफ कीजिएगा, क्या मैं आपका फोन इस्तेमाल कर सकता हूँ?
Excuse me, may I use your phone?
Used to politely ask for forgiveness or to excuse oneself. More formal than 'माफ करना' alone.
to pardon or overlook a mistake or offense
भगवान तुम्हें माफ करें।
May God forgive you.
Often used in religious or moral contexts to seek divine forgiveness.
Collocations
Synonyms
Antonyms
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Politeness Level
Use 'माफ कीजिए' for formal situations (e.g., with elders or strangers). Use 'माफ करना' or 'माफ करो' in informal contexts.
Gold Rule
Context Matters
The phrase is used to seek forgiveness or excuse oneself. It is not used to grant forgiveness to others.
Word Origin
Combination of 'माफ' (forgiveness) from Arabic 'ma'af' (عفو) via Persian, and 'करना' (to do) from Sanskrit 'kṛ' (कृ). The phrase emerged in Hindi-Urdu as a polite request for forgiveness.
Usage Notes
More formal than 'माफ करना' alone. Often used in polite requests or apologies. In informal contexts, 'माफ करना' is sufficient.