जी (jii)
particle/interjection/noun
Covers the respectful suffix/particle जी (jii) attached to names and titles or used alone as a polite 'yes/sir-ma'am', the standalone affirmative/attentive particle, and the separate noun जी (jii) meaning 'heart, mind, spirit' seen in expressions like जी करना (jii karnaa).
Sense
1
:
respectful honorific suffix/address term
particle Attaches directly after a name, title, or kinship term (e.g. मोहन जी (mohan jii), पापा जी (paapaa jii)) to mark respect; also stands alone as a polite way to address or answer someone.
Synonyms: साहब (saahab, used for men), साहिबा (saahibaa, formal, used for women)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: Adding जी (jii) after someone's name is one of the first things you learn living in Delhi -- rickshaw drivers, shopkeepers, and neighbors all use it constantly. It softens speech and signals respect without the stiffness of a full title, so 'सुनिए जी' (sunie jii, 'listen, sir/ma'am') feels warm rather than formal.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often skip जी (jii) entirely when speaking to elders or strangers, which can sound curt or disrespectful even if the sentence is grammatically fine. 2) जी (jii) is gender-neutral and gender-invariant -- it does not change form for men or women, unlike साहिबा (saahibaa).
Sample Sentences:
सुनिए जी, ज़रा इधर आइए।
Listen, sir/ma'am, please come here for a moment.
(sunie jii, zaraa idhar aaie।)
Listen: M85
शर्मा जी हर सुबह पार्क में सैर करते हैं।
Mr. Sharma goes for a walk in the park every morning.
(sharmaa jii har subah paark men sair karte hain।)
Listen: F85
गुप्ता जी, क्या आप मुझे थोड़ा समय दे सकते हैं?
Mr. Gupta, could you give me a little time?
(guptaa jii, kyaa aap mujhe thodaa samay de sakte hain?)
Listen: F85
अगर मालती जी आ जातीं, तो सब ठीक हो जाता।
If Malati ji had come, everything would have been fine.
(agar maaltii jii aa jaatiin, to sab thiik ho jaataa।)
Listen: F85
दीदी जी ने कल मुझे फोन किया था।
Elder sister had called me yesterday.
(diidii jii ne kal mujhe phon kiyaa thaa।)
Listen: M85
रिक्शेवाला बोला, "आइए जी, कहाँ जाना है?"
The rickshaw driver said, "Come, sir/ma'am, where do you need to go?"
(rikshevaalaa bolaa, "aaie jii, kahaan jaanaa hai?")
Listen: M85
डॉक्टर साहब जी से मिलने के लिए लाइन में लगना पड़ेगा।
You'll have to stand in line to meet the doctor, sir.
(doktar saahab jii se milne ke lie laain men lagnaa padegaa।)
Listen: M85
अध्यक्ष महोदय जी का स्वागत तालियों से किया गया।
The chairman, sir, was welcomed with applause.
(adhyaksh mahoday jii kaa svaagat taaliyon se kiyaa gayaa।)
Listen: F85
काश आप भी साथ आते, गुरुजी!
I wish you had come along too, teacher!
(kaash aap bhii saath aate, gurujii!)
Listen: M85
बाबूजी, यह सामान कहाँ रखना है?
Sir, where should this luggage be kept?
(baaboojii, yah saamaan kahaan rakhnaa hai?)
Listen: M85
Sense
2
:
polite yes / attentive response
interjection Used alone as a one-word polite affirmation or acknowledgment, often in response to being called or asked something.
Synonyms: हाँ (haan), जी हाँ (jii haan, emphatic polite yes)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: When a teacher or elder calls your name and you respond just with 'जी' (jii, 'yes?'), you're being polite and attentive at once -- it's the everyday equivalent of a respectful 'yes?' in English, heard constantly in shops, offices, and homes across Delhi-NCR.
Common Mistakes: 1) जी (jii) alone can mean either 'yes' or simply 'I'm listening' depending on context and tone -- learners sometimes render it only as 'yes' and miss the acknowledgment sense.
Sample Sentences:
जी, यह काम कल तक हो जाएगा।
Yes sir, this work will be done by tomorrow.
(jii, yah kaam kal tak ho jaaegaa।)
Listen: F85
जी, बिल्कुल सही फ़रमाया आपने।
Yes sir, you have spoken absolutely correctly.
(jii, bilkul sahii farmaayaa aapne।)
Listen: M85
अगर आप कहें तो जी, मैं फाइल ले आता हूँ।
If you say so, yes sir, I'll bring the file.
(agar aap kahen to jii, main phaail le aataa hoon।)
Listen: M85
जी, माफ़ कीजिए, मुझसे गलती हो गई।
Yes sir, please forgive me, I made a mistake.
(jii, maaf kiijie, mujhse galtii ho gaii।)
Listen: M85
जी हाँ, बिल्कुल, आप सही कह रहे हैं।
Yes indeed, absolutely, you're right.
(jii haan, bilkul, aap sahii kah rahe hain।)
Listen: F85
दुकानदार ने कहा, "जी, बताइए क्या चाहिए।"
The shopkeeper said, "Yes sir, tell me what you need."
(dukaandaar ne kahaa, "jii, bataaie kyaa chaahie।")
Listen: F85
जी, अगर इजाज़त हो तो मैं एक बात कहूँ।
Yes sir, if I may, I'd like to say something.
(jii, agar ijaazat ho to main ek baat kahoon।)
Listen: M85
Sense
3
:
heart, mind, inner feeling (as the seat of desire/emotion)
noun, masculine Mainly survives in fixed expressions such as जी करना (jii karnaa, 'to feel like doing something') and जी भर (jii bhar, 'to one's heart's content'), where जी (jii) is treated grammatically like मन (man).
Synonyms: मन (man), दिल (dil)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: This is the same जी (jii) as in जी भर के खाना (jii bhar ke khaanaa, 'to eat to one's heart's content') -- a word Delhi grandmothers use liberally at the dinner table, urging you to eat until your जी (jii) is satisfied, not just your stomach.
Common Mistakes: 1) In जी करना (jii karnaa), जी (jii) takes को (ko) on the experiencer, as in मेरा जी नहीं कर रहा (meraa jii nahiin kar rahaa, 'I don't feel like it') or मुझे जी करता है (mujhe jii kartaa hai) -- learners sometimes try to make जी (jii) itself the subject of a normal verb instead of following this dative-experiencer pattern shared with मन करना (man karnaa).
Sample Sentences:
आज तो जी भर के खाना खाया।
Today I ate to my heart's content.
(aaj to jii bhar ke khaanaa khaayaa।)
Listen: M85
मेरा जी कर रहा है कि आज कुछ मीठा खाऊँ।
My heart is telling me to eat something sweet today.
(meraa jii kar rahaa hai ki aaj kuchh miithaa khaaoon।)
Listen: F85
उसकी बातें सुनकर मेरा जी दुखी हो गया।
Hearing his words, my heart grew sad.
(uskii baaten sunkar meraa jii dukhii ho gayaa।)
Listen: F85
जब भी वह याद आती है, मेरा जी भर आता है।
Whenever I remember her, my heart fills up with emotion.
(jab bhii vah yaad aatii hai, meraa jii bhar aataa hai।)
Listen: F85
बच्चों को जी भर के खेलने दो, फिर पढ़ाई करेंगे।
Let the kids play to their heart's content, then they'll study.
(bachchon ko jii bhar ke khelne do, phir padhaaii karenge।)
Listen: M85
अगर उस वक्त उसका जी न भरा होता तो वह और खाता।
If his heart hadn't been satisfied at that moment, he would have eaten more.
(agar us vakt uskaa jii n bharaa hotaa to vah aur khaataa।)
Listen: M85
काश मेरा जी इतना बेचैन न होता।
I wish my heart weren't so restless.
(kaash meraa jii itnaa bechain n hotaa।)
Listen: F85
दादी कहती हैं कि जी भर के खाओ, संकोच मत करो।
Grandmother says, eat to your heart's content, don't be shy.
(daadii kahtii hain ki jii bhar ke khaao, sankoch mat karo।)
Listen: F85
उसका जी न जाने क्यों उदास रहता है।
Who knows why her heart stays sorrowful.
(uskaa jii n jaane kyon udaas rahtaa hai।)
Listen: M85
क्या तुम्हारा जी अब भी उसी में लगा है?
Is your heart still fixed on the same thing?
(kyaa tumhaaraa jii ab bhii usii men lagaa hai?)
Listen: F85
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct):
जी
(jii)
(sg.m.oblique):
जी
(jii)
(pl.m.direct):
जी
(jii)
(pl.m.oblique):
जीयों
(jiiyon)