सिर्फ़ / केवल

Only

Level 2Sounds Like sirfa aura kēvala

सिर्फ़ (everyday) and केवल (formal) mean only and go before the word: सिर्फ़ सौ रुपये.

How It Works

सिर्फ़ is the everyday word for only. केवल means the same and sounds more formal; you see it on signs and in the news: केवल महिलाओं के लिए (women only).

Both go before the word they limit, so their position matters:

Hindi	Meaning
सिर्फ़ मैं चाय पीता हूँ।	Only I drink tea.
मैं सिर्फ़ चाय पीता हूँ।	I drink only tea.

ही does a similar job but comes after the word. Everyday speech often uses both together for extra stress: मेरे पास सिर्फ़ दस ही रुपये हैं (I have only ten rupees).

In casual speech, बस at the start can mean just: बस पाँच मिनट (just five minutes).

Write सिर्फ़ with the nukta; it is said with an f sound.

Examples (5)

मेरे पास सिर्फ़ सौ रुपये हैं।
I only have a hundred rupees.
सिर्फ़ comes right before the amount it limits.
हम सिर्फ़ दो दिन रुकेंगे।
We'll stay only two days.
सिर्फ़ limits दो दिन.
सिर्फ़ रीमा को सच पता है।
Only Reema knows the truth.
सिर्फ़ before रीमा limits the person.
यह सुविधा केवल सदस्यों के लिए है।
This facility is for members only.
केवल is the formal word, typical of notices.
मुझे सिर्फ़ एक कप चाय चाहिए।
I only want one cup of tea.
सिर्फ़ limits the order to one cup.

How It Connects

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सिर्फ़ / केवलLevel 2Only

Learn This First

Only has a particle after the word (ही) and adverbs before it (सिर्फ़, केवल).

हीFocusing with ही
Know that ही can mean only, so you notice that सिर्फ़ goes before the word instead of after it.
Level 2

Words in This Pattern

सिर्फ़केवल

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