Please in Hindi
The word is कृपया (kripya) — but the more important lesson is how Hindi carries politeness in the verb form itself, not in a separate word.
The dictionary answer for “please” is कृपया (kripya), from the Sanskrit कृपा (kripa, “grace, kindness”). It is mostly a formal and written word — you’ll see it on signs (कृपया लाइन में लगें, “please queue up”), in announcements, and in polite letters. It comes before the verb: कृपया बैठिए (kripya baithiye), “please sit.”
But here is the part that surprises learners: in everyday Hindi, you often don’t need a word for “please” at all. Politeness is built into the verb. The respectful imperative — the आप command forms आइए (aaiye, “please come”), बैठिए (baithiye, “please sit”), कीजिए (kijiye, “please do”) — already is the polite request. English splits courtesy into “please + verb”; Hindi folds it into one respectful verb. Stacking कृपया onto every sentence can actually sound stiff.
The key insight. Hindi has three “you” levels — आप (respectful), तुम (familiar), and तू (intimate) — and the verb changes with each. Choosing the आप form (-इए ending) is itself an act of politeness. So “please come in” is naturally just अंदर आइए, no separate “please” required.
Formal vs casual ways to say please
From a printed sign to relaxed conversation.
| English | Hindi | Pronunciation |
|---|
| Please (formal/written) | कृपया | kripya |
| Please / kindly (by your kindness) | मेहरबानी करके | meharbaani karke |
| Please / just (softener, spoken) | ज़रा | zara |
| Please (casual, English loan) | प्लीज़ | pleez |
Politeness through the verb
The respectful आप imperative already means “please …”.
| English | Hindi | Pronunciation |
|---|
| Please come | आइए | aaiye |
| Please sit | बैठिए | baithiye |
| Please do (it) | कीजिए | kijiye |
| Please tell (me) | बताइए | bataaiye |
| Please take / have | लीजिए | lijiye |
Example sentences
Requests in real situations, with and without कृपया.
| English | Hindi | Pronunciation |
|---|
| Please sit down. | कृपया बैठिए। | kripya baithiye. |
| Please close the door. | कृपया दरवाज़ा बंद कीजिए। | kripya darwaaza band kijiye. |
| Please pass the water (casual). | ज़रा पानी देना। | zara paani dena. |
| Please help me with this. | मेहरबानी करके इसमें मेरी मदद कीजिए। | meharbaani karke ismein meri madad kijiye. |
Culture note. Because politeness lives in the verb and in tone, Indians often sound “direct” to English ears when speaking English (“Give me water” instead of “Could I please have some water?”) — yet the same person is being perfectly polite in Hindi through दीजिए and a warm tone. मेहरबानी करके (meharbaani karke, “by your kindness”) and ज़रा (zara, “just a little”) are the softeners that do the work “please” does in English.
Translate your own text
Want to phrase a polite request in Hindi? Type it in English and get a natural, respectful version.
Frequently asked
How do you say please in Hindi?
The standard word is कृपया (kripya), used mainly in formal and written contexts and placed before the verb, as in कृपया बैठिए (please sit). In speech people also say मेहरबानी करके (meharbaani karke) or simply use polite verb forms.
Where does कृपया go in a sentence?
कृपया comes at the start of the request, before the verb: कृपया दरवाज़ा बंद कीजिए (please close the door). It pairs with the respectful आप verb form (कीजिए, बताइए, आइए) for a polite request.
Why doesn't Hindi use a word for please as often as English?
Hindi usually builds politeness into the verb itself. The respectful imperative forms — आइए (please come), बैठिए (please sit), कीजिए (please do) — already carry the courtesy that English puts in the separate word “please”. So adding कृपया every time can sound stiff or overly formal in casual speech.
How do you say please in casual spoken Hindi?
In casual speech many people just say प्लीज़ (the English loanword), or use मेहरबानी करके (meharbaani karke, “by your kindness”), or rely on the polite verb form plus ज़रा (zara, “just / a little”), as in ज़रा पानी देना (please pass the water).