आपकी मेहरबानी है (aapkii meharbaanii hai)
interjection
A polite, slightly formal phrase of thanks meaning 'it is your kindness' -- used to acknowledge a favor or courteous gesture from someone you address respectfully with आप (aap).
Sense
1
:
polite thanks for a favor or kindness shown
interjection Built from मेहरबानी (meharbaanii, 'kindness/favor') plus the आपकी (aapkii) possessive agreeing with the feminine noun; functions as a fixed formulaic response rather than a sentence one builds freshly each time.
Synonyms: बड़ी मेहरबानी (badii meharbaanii), आपका शुक्रिया (aapkaa shukriyaa), आपकी कृपा है (aapkii kripaa hai, formal)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: You'll hear this in slightly formal or old-fashioned contexts -- a shopkeeper thanking a regular customer, a subordinate thanking a boss, or in the courtly speech of older Delhi households where gratitude is expressed with a touch of humility. It has a faint echo of old Mughal-court courtesy, positioning the other person as having generously extended themselves on your behalf, so it can feel a notch more deferential than a plain शुक्रिया (shukriyaa).
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes swap in तुम्हारी (tumhaarii) or तेरी (terii) to sound more casual, but this phrase is inherently tied to the respectful आप (aap) register -- with तुम or तू it would sound odd or sarcastic. 2) It is a response to a favor or courtesy, not a general-purpose 'thank you' for small everyday things like handing over change -- शुक्रिया (shukriyaa) or धन्यवाद (dhanyvaad) cover that ground instead.
Sample Sentences:
आपकी बड़ी मेहरबानी है, साहब।
That's very kind of you, sir.
(aapkii badii meharbaanii hai, saahab।)
आपने मेरी इतनी मदद की, आपकी मेहरबानी है।
You helped me so much -- that's very kind of you.
(aapne merii itnii madad kii, aapkii meharbaanii hai।)
अगर आप ये काम कर दें, तो आपकी बड़ी मेहरबानी होगी।
If you could do this for me, that would be very kind of you.
(agar aap ye kaam kar den, to aapkii badii meharbaanii hogii।)
दुकानदार ने कहा, आपने हमेशा हमारी दुकान से सामान लिया, आपकी मेहरबानी है।
The shopkeeper said, 'You've always bought from our shop -- that's very kind of you.'
(dukaandaar ne kahaa, aapne hameshaa hamaarii dukaan se saamaan liyaa, aapkii meharbaanii hai।)
मालिक ने मेरी तनख़्वाह बढ़ा दी, आपकी बड़ी मेहरबानी है।
The boss raised my salary -- that's very kind of you.
(maalik ne merii tanakhvaah badhaa dii, aapkii badii meharbaanii hai।)
आप हमेशा मेरा ख़याल रखते हैं, आपकी मेहरबानी है।
You always look out for me -- that's very kind of you.
(aap hameshaa meraa khayaal rakhte hain, aapkii meharbaanii hai।)
बुज़ुर्ग ने हाथ जोड़कर कहा, बिटिया, तुमने मेरी मदद की, आपकी बड़ी मेहरबानी है।
The elderly man folded his hands and said, 'My dear, you helped me -- that's very kind of you.'
(buzurg ne haath jodkar kahaa, bitiyaa, tumne merii madad kii, aapkii badii meharbaanii hai।)
अगर उस मुश्किल वक़्त में आप मदद न करते, तो हम कहीं के नहीं रहते, आपकी मेहरबानी है।
If you hadn't helped in that difficult time, we would have been lost -- that's very kind of you.
(agar us mushkil vaqt men aap madad n karte, to ham kahiin ke nahiin rahte, aapkii meharbaanii hai।)
पुराने नौकर ने मालकिन से कहा, आपने मुझे इस घर में रहने दिया, यह आपकी मेहरबानी है।
The old servant said to the lady of the house, 'You let me stay in this home -- that is very kind of you.'
(puraane naukar ne maalkin se kahaa, aapne mujhe is ghar men rahne diyaa, yah aapkii meharbaanii hai।)