सिर्फ़ (sirf)
adverb
A single-sense word meaning 'only, merely, just' -- used to restrict or limit a statement to exactly one thing.
Sense
1
:
only, merely, just (restricting a statement to one thing)
adverb Placed immediately before the word or phrase it restricts, e.g. सिर्फ़ तुम (sirf tum, 'only you'), सिर्फ़ एक बार (sirf ek baar, 'only once').
Synonyms: केवल (keval), मात्र (maatr, formal/literary), बस (bas, colloquial)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: सिर्फ़ (sirf) comes from Persian/Urdu and is extremely common in everyday Delhi speech -- you will hear it constantly in market bargaining, like सिर्फ़ सौ रुपये (sirf sau rupye, 'only a hundred rupees'), where it does the work of talking a price down or up.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes place सिर्फ़ (sirf) too far from the word it limits, which shifts the meaning -- in Hindi it must sit right next to the specific item being restricted, not just anywhere in the sentence. 2) Confusing सिर्फ़ (sirf) with बस (bas) -- बस (bas) can also mean 'enough, stop' as an interjection, a sense सिर्फ़ (sirf) never carries.
Sample Sentences:
यह सिर्फ़ सौ रुपये का है।
This is only a hundred rupees.
(yah sirf sau rupye kaa hai।)
मैं सिर्फ़ चाय पीता हूँ, कॉफ़ी नहीं।
I only drink tea, not coffee.
(main sirf chaay piitaa hoon, kofii nahiin।)
उसने सिर्फ़ एक बार फ़ोन किया था।
He had called only once.
(usne sirf ek baar fon kiyaa thaa।)
कल सिर्फ़ दो लोग मीटिंग में आएँगे।
Only two people will come to the meeting tomorrow.
(kal sirf do log miiting men aaenge।)
सिर्फ़ सौ रुपये लगा लो, इससे ज़्यादा नहीं दूँगा।
Just quote a hundred rupees, I won't give more than that.
(sirf sau rupye lagaa lo, isse zyaadaa nahiin doongaa।)
अगर सिर्फ़ पाँच मिनट मिल जाएँ, तो काम हो जाएगा।
If I could just get five minutes, the work would get done.
(agar sirf paanch minat mil jaaen, to kaam ho jaaegaa।)
अगर उसे सिर्फ़ सच बताना होता, तो वह अब तक बता देता।
If he had only needed to tell the truth, he would have told it by now.
(agar use sirf sach bataanaa hotaa, to vah ab tak bataa detaa।)
यह काम सिर्फ़ आपके सहयोग से पूरा किया जा सकता है।
This work can be completed only with your cooperation.
(yah kaam sirf aapke sahyog se pooraa kiyaa jaa saktaa hai।)
यह निर्णय सिर्फ़ अध्यक्ष द्वारा लिया जाता है।
This decision is made only by the chairperson.
(yah nirnay sirf adhyaksh dvaaraa liyaa jaataa hai।)
वह सिर्फ़ पैसे के लिए काम कर रहा है, दिल से नहीं।
He is working only for money, not from the heart.
(vah sirf paise ke lie kaam kar rahaa hai, dil se nahiin।)
भाई साहब, सिर्फ़ सौ रुपये में दे दो, इतना ही बजट है मेरा।
Brother, give it for just a hundred rupees, that's all my budget is.
(bhaaii saahab, sirf sau rupye men de do, itnaa hii bajat hai meraa।)