जरा / कृपया

Asking Politely

Level 2Sounds Like jarā / kr̥payā

Use जरा with friends and shops, and use कृपया for notices, offices and formal talk.

How It Works

WordWhereExample
जराtalk with family, friends and shopkeepersजरा थांबा.
कृपयाnotices, offices and formal talkकृपया शांत बसा.

जरा often comes with the soft ending ना: जरा पाणी द्या ना. Together they sound like could you.

With a stranger or an elder, the order takes the तुम्ही form: थांबा, या, द्या. With a friend, the order is plain: थांब, ये, दे.

कृपया is mostly a written word. You also hear it on station announcements and read it on notices.

जरा also means a little: जरा थंडी आहे (it is a little cold).

In a formal request to an elder, the two can stand together: कृपया जरा थांबा. जरा only makes the request gentler.

Both words usually come before the verb of the request.

Examples (5)

  1. जरा पाणी द्या ना.

    Could you give me some water?

    जरा and ना soften the request.

  2. जरा थांबा.

    Please wait a moment.

    जरा asks for a short wait.

  3. कृपया शांत बसा.

    Please sit quietly.

    कृपया is the formal please.

  4. कृपया इथे थांबू नका.

    Please don't wait here.

    कृपया makes a formal request.

  5. ताई, जरा मदत करा.

    Please help me a little.

    जरा softens the request to an older woman.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the plain order after कृपया.

    कृपया पाणी दे.
    कृपया पाणी द्या.

    कृपया belongs with a polite order.

  • Using the Hindi spelling with a dot.

    ज़रा पाणी द्या.
    जरा पाणी द्या.

    Marathi spells it जरा, with no dot.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

जरा / कृपयाLevel 2Asking Politely

Learn This First

A little and please soften a request.