भूलकर भी (bhoolkar bhii)

adverb A fixed emphatic phrase built from भूलना (bhoolnaa, 'to forget') plus भी (bhii, 'even'), used to mean 'even by mistake' or 'under any circumstances' -- almost always inside a warning or prohibition telling someone what never to do.

Sense 1 : not even by mistake, under no circumstances (in warnings/prohibitions)

adverb Almost always paired with a negative imperative or न/मत clause: भूलकर भी ऐसा मत करना (bhoolkar bhii aisaa mat karnaa, 'do not do this, even by mistake'). It front-loads the warning for emphasis and rarely appears outside a prohibition frame.

Synonyms: कभी भी (kabhii bhii, broader: 'ever/at any time'), किसी भी सूरत में (kisii bhii soorat men, 'under no circumstances')

Frequency: medium

Cultural Note: This is the phrase a Delhi mother or a strict boss reaches for when the stakes feel high: भूलकर भी उससे पैसे मत माँगना (bhoolkar bhii usse paise mat maangnaa, 'do not, even by mistake, ask him for money'). It carries real weight and urgency, more forceful than a plain कभी मत करना (kabhii mat karnaa), so save it for warnings that genuinely matter.

Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes try to use भूलकर भी (bhoolkar bhii) as a neutral way to say 'even if I forget,' but it is not descriptive -- it is only used to intensify a warning or command, never a plain statement about forgetting. 2) It needs a negative word (मत/न) later in the sentence to complete the sense; dropping that negative breaks the idiom. 3) Learners may place it mid-sentence out of habit from English word order, but native speakers strongly prefer it at the very start of the clause for maximum emphasis.

Sample Sentences:

भूलकर भी उससे पैसे मत माँगना। Do not, even by mistake, ask him for money.

(bhoolkar bhii usse paise mat maangnaa।)

भूलकर भी उसे यह बात मत बताना, वरना बहुत बड़ा झगड़ा हो जाएगा। Never tell her this, not even by mistake, or there will be a huge fight.

(bhoolkar bhii use yah baat mat bataanaa, varnaa bahut badaa jhagdaa ho jaaegaa।)

अगर तुम भूलकर भी वहाँ गए, तो पापा तुम्हें घर से निकाल देंगे। If you go there, even by mistake, Papa will throw you out of the house.

(agar tum bhoolkar bhii vahaan gae, to paapaa tumhen ghar se nikaal denge।)

उसने चेतावनी दी कि भूलकर भी दोबारा यहाँ मत आना। He warned that I should never come here again, not even by mistake.

(usne chetaavnii dii ki bhoolkar bhii dobaaraa yahaan mat aanaa।)

भूलकर भी किसी अजनबी पर भरोसा मत करो। Never trust a stranger, not even by mistake.

(bhoolkar bhii kisii ajanbii par bharosaa mat karo।)

बॉस ने साफ कह दिया था कि भूलकर भी क्लाइंट को यह ईमेल मत भेजना। The boss had clearly said that I should never, under any circumstances, send this email to the client.

(bos ne saaph kah diyaa thaa ki bhoolkar bhii klaaint ko yah iimel mat bhejnaa।)

भूलकर भी अपने पासवर्ड किसी को मत बताइए। Please never share your password with anyone, not even by mistake.

(bhoolkar bhii apne paasvard kisii ko mat bataaie।)

अगर तुम भूलकर भी उसे यह राज़ बता देते, तो सब कुछ बिगड़ जाता। If you had told her this secret, even by mistake, everything would have gone wrong.

(agar tum bhoolkar bhii use yah raaz bataa dete, to sab kuchh bigad jaataa।)

माँ हमेशा कहती थी कि भूलकर भी रात में दरवाज़ा खुला मत छोड़ना। Mom always used to say never leave the door open at night, not even by mistake.

(maan hameshaa kahtii thii ki bhoolkar bhii raat men darvaazaa khulaa mat chhodnaa।)

यह मत सोचना कि तुम भूलकर भी उससे झूठ बोल सकते हो और बच जाओगे। Don't think that you can lie to him, even by mistake, and get away with it.

(yah mat sochnaa ki tum bhoolkar bhii usse jhooth bol sakte ho aur bach jaaoge।)