Honorifics System
Three-tier honorific system: तू < तुम < आप + जी suffix
Can choose the appropriate level of formality (तू/तुम/आप) and use जी to show respect
Look at these examples. Can you spot the grammar pattern?
आप कहाँ से हैं?
Where are you from? (formal)
तुम कब आओगे?
When will you come? (informal)
नमस्ते जी, कैसे हैं आप?
Hello (respectful), how are you?
हे भगवान, तू मेरी रक्षा कर।
O God, protect me.
Pay attention to the highlighted parts. What do they have in common?
सम्मान व्यवस्था — Honorifics
Hindi has a three-tier system of address — each level triggers different verb conjugations.
| Level | Pronoun | Use | Verb |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intimate | तू | very close friends, children, God, anger | तू जा |
| Familiar | तुम | friends, peers, younger people | तुम जाओ |
| Formal | आप | elders, strangers, respect | आप जाइए |
जी suffix: Added to names/titles for respect: रामजी, माताजी (mother), गुरुजी (teacher). Also standalone: जी हाँ (yes, sir/ma'am), जी नहीं (no, sir/ma'am).
Rule: When in doubt, use आप. Using तू with the wrong person is deeply offensive.
आप कहाँ से हैं?
Where are you from? (formal)
आप = formal 'you'. Always safe with strangers and elders.
तुम कब आओगे?
When will you come? (informal)
तुम = friendly informal. Used with peers you know well.
नमस्ते जी, कैसे हैं आप?
Hello (respectful), how are you?
जी adds respect to any greeting. नमस्ते जी is more formal than plain नमस्ते.
हे भगवान, तू मेरी रक्षा कर।
O God, protect me.
तू used for God — intimacy, not disrespect. Same as French tu/Czech ty for God.
Practice in course
Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises
Put it into practice
Try a free exercise from the courseFrequently asked questions
- When is सम्मान व्यवस्था used?
- Hindi has a three-tier system of address — each level triggers different verb conjugations.
- How is सम्मान व्यवस्था formed?
- जी suffix: Added to names/titles for respect: राम जी , माता जी (mother), गुरु जी (teacher). Also standalone: जी हाँ (yes, sir/ma'am), जी नहीं (no, sir/ma'am). Rule: When in doubt, use आप . Using तू with the wrong person is deeply offensive.
- What are common mistakes with सम्मान व्यवस्था?
- Using तू casually (as you'd use 'you' in English) can cause serious offense. Default to आप. 🇬🇧 English: English has only 'you' — no formality distinction at all. Learning 3 levels is entirely new. 🇩🇪 German: German du/Sie is two-tier. Hindi adds a third level (तू) below du. The intermediate तुम has no German equivalent. 🇷🇺 Russian: Russian ты/вы is two-tier like German. Hindi's three tiers (तू/तुम/आप) add nuance that doesn't exist in Russian. 🇨🇿 Czech: Czech ty/vy is two-tier. The intimate तू is used for God in Hindi (like Czech 'ty' for God in prayers), which helps.