औपचारिक ईमेल और आवेदन
Chapter Objectives
By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:
- Write a formal or semi-formal Hindi email with an appropriate opening, closing, and structure.
- Make a polite request, application, complaint, or follow-up message using controlled formal frames such as मैं अनुरोध करता/करती हूँ कि... and कृपया सूचित करें कि....
- Explain background, purpose, and desired action clearly in an institutional message.
- Recognize and, in controlled contexts, use passive-like institutional forms such as भेजा गया, स्वीकार किया गया, and सूचित किया जाता है.
- Revise an informal message into an appropriately formal version, adjusting pronouns, address, and vocabulary.
- Respond appropriately to an institutional email, request, or notice.
Communication Scenario
Encouraged by how well the orientation talk went, Meera Ji's group now wants to reserve the community hall again for a follow-up program in three months, and this time they want to do it properly — through a written request to the hall's booking office rather than a phone call. Priya also needs to write a short formal email to her academic advisor about extending a coursework deadline, and Kabir needs to follow up on a job application he submitted last month. All three tasks require the same underlying skill: turning an everyday request into clear, polite, institutional Hindi.
- Notice how each writer opens and closes the email according to the relationship and institution.
- Notice how background, purpose, and desired action are organized into short, clear paragraphs.
- Notice where formal request frames replace everyday phrasing.
- Notice where passive-like institutional language appears in the replies the group receives.
Where This Chapter Fits
Chapter 16 opens Unit IV, औपचारिक, सांस्कृतिक, और मध्यस्थ भाषा. It introduces formal correspondence as the first of four new domains — formal writing here, presentation and discussion in Chapter 17, cultural interpretation in Chapter 18, and register mediation in Chapter 19 — before Chapter 20 integrates all of Volume III into a final B2 performance.
Coming Into This Chapter
Learners already control reported speech, quotation, conditions, causes, purposes, and relative-correlative description from Unit III (Chapters 11-15), along with everyday requests and polite language from Volume II. This chapter does not reteach those systems; it applies them inside a new, more formal genre.
What This Chapter Does
This chapter teaches the structure and register of a formal Hindi email: opening, background, purpose, request, closing. It introduces formal request frames, purpose expressions in institutional writing, and controlled recognition of passive-like institutional phrasing, while explicitly contrasting formal register with the everyday register learners already control.
Looking Forward
Chapter 17, प्रस्तुति और चर्चा, extends this formal-register work from written correspondence into spoken presentation and discussion, including responding to audience questions.
Core Vocabulary
This chapter's vocabulary supports formal requests, applications, and institutional correspondence.
16.1 Institutional Nouns
| Hindi | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| आवेदन | application | masculine; आवेदन करना = to apply |
| अनुरोध | request | masculine; more formal than माँग |
| शिकायत | complaint | feminine |
| नियुक्ति / अपॉइंटमेंट | appointment | both common; label register when contrasting |
| जानकारी / सूचना | information | feminine; सूचना slightly more formal |
| दस्तावेज़ | document | masculine |
| समय-सीमा | deadline | feminine compound |
| प्रतिक्रिया / जवाब | response | feminine / masculine |
| पुष्टि | confirmation | feminine |
| संलग्नक | attachment | masculine; formal/written |
| अनुमति | permission | feminine |
| अनुवर्ती संदेश | follow-up message | masculine compound |
16.2 Formal Expressions and Openings/Closings
| Hindi | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| आदरणीय | respected (opening address) | used with a name or title, e.g. आदरणीय शर्मा जी |
| महोदय / महोदया | sir / madam | receptive; very formal, mainly in official letters |
| कृपया | please | reactivated from Volume II; standard in formal requests |
| सादर | respectfully (closing) | used before the sender's name |
| धन्यवाद सहित | with thanks (closing) | common formal closing |
| मैं अनुरोध करता/करती हूँ कि... | I request that... | core formal request frame |
| कृपया सूचित करें कि... | please inform (me) that... | formal request for information |
| मुझे ... की आवश्यकता है | I need... | more formal than मुझे ... चाहिए |
| यदि संभव हो तो... | if possible... | softens a formal request |
Compare an everyday request with its formal equivalent: मुझे थोड़ा समय चाहिए (everyday) versus मुझे कुछ अतिरिक्त समय की आवश्यकता है (formal). Both are correct Hindi; the choice depends on audience and setting, not on which one is "proper" Hindi.
16.3 Receptive Vocabulary
The following forms should be recognized in institutional emails and notices but are not required for independent production: संदर्भ में ("with reference to"), उपरोक्त ("above-mentioned"), तदनुसार ("accordingly"), and heading labels such as विषय: ("Subject:").
Pronunciation and Listening Focus
Formal written Hindi, when read aloud, should sound measured and clear rather than rushed. Practice reading the model email below at a steady pace, pausing slightly at each paragraph break and after कृपया at the start of a request.
Practice these forms: अनुरोध (a-nu-RODH, not a-nu-ra-o-dha), आवश्यकता (aa-VASH-yak-taa), संलग्नक (san-LAG-nak), and आदरणीय (aa-dar-a-NEE-ya, with the second schwa retained before the conjunct). These words recur throughout formal Hindi correspondence.
A spoken formal request, such as reading a request aloud to a colleague before sending it, typically uses a level, unhurried tone rather than the rising warmth of a casual favor. Contrast the intonation of थोड़ा समय दे दो! (casual, animated) with क्या आप कुछ अतिरिक्त समय दे सकते हैं? (formal, level).
Grammar and Sentence Patterns
16.4 Formal Request Frames
Use मैं अनुरोध करता/करती हूँ कि... as the core formal request frame. Combine it with कृपया for a softened follow-up instruction, and with यदि संभव हो तो... when the request involves some flexibility. Note that the clause after कि often uses a controlled passive-like form such as उपलब्ध कराया जाए — this pattern is presented for recognition and limited, formulaic production only.
16.5 Purpose and Reason in Formal Writing
State the purpose of a formal message early, using मैं यह ईमेल इसलिए लिख रहा/रही हूँ ताकि... or the simpler इस ईमेल का उद्देश्य यह है कि.... This mirrors the purpose expressions from Chapter 3 (के लिए, ताकि) but places them in an institutional frame.
16.6 Passive-Like and Impersonal Forms (Controlled Recognition)
Institutional replies often use passive-like or impersonal forms such as भेजा गया ("was sent"), स्वीकार किया गया ("was accepted"), and सूचित किया जाता है कि... ("it is hereby informed that..."). At B2 level, learners should:
- recognize these forms when reading institutional emails and notices;
- understand that they remove the emphasis on who performed the action;
- use a small number of them in fixed, formulaic patterns, such as आपका आवेदन स्वीकार कर लिया गया है; and
- continue using ordinary active sentences with a clear subject for most of their own formal writing.
Full productive control of the passive and impersonal system belongs to Volume IV. Do not attempt to build every sentence of a formal email around these forms.
16.7 Register Transformation: Casual to Formal
Notice the changes: address shifts from a friend's name to a title; यार and English loanwords like टाइम and असाइनमेंट shift to समय and a more neutral phrase where appropriate; and the request frame becomes explicit rather than implied.
This chapter does not require full mastery of the passive/impersonal system, government-file terminology, or legal petition language. Keep formal writing clear and direct; do not overload sentences with Sanskritic vocabulary merely to sound more official.
Model Dialogue
Setting: Before sending her formal email, Priya reads her draft aloud to Aditya so he can check the tone.
समझ के प्रश्न — Comprehension questions:
- प्रिया अपने ईमेल में क्या अनुरोध कर रही है, और क्यों? (What is Priya requesting in her email, and why?)
- आदित्य प्रिया के ईमेल में क्या बदलाव सुझाता है? (What change does Aditya suggest for Priya's email?)
- कबीर अपने अनुवर्ती ईमेल में क्या पूछना चाहता है, बिना जल्दबाज़ी दिखाए? (What does Kabir want to ask in his follow-up email, without seeming impatient?)
Listening Practice
Ask your instructor, a study partner, or a fluent Hindi speaker to read the passage below aloud at a natural, measured pace appropriate to formal writing. If no speaker is available, this is a Listening Script for Independent Use: read it slowly first, then at a natural pace. Any spoken model should be verified by a fluent Hindi speaker before being treated as a pronunciation standard.
"कबीर ने शाम को अपना अनुवर्ती ईमेल भेजा। उसने लिखा कि उसने एक महीने पहले कंपनी में नौकरी के लिए आवेदन किया था, और वह विनम्रता से जानना चाहता था कि उसके आवेदन पर अब तक क्या निर्णय लिया गया है। उसने यह भी लिखा कि यदि किसी अतिरिक्त दस्तावेज़ की आवश्यकता हो, तो वह उसे जल्द से जल्द भेज सकता है। अगले दिन कंपनी से जवाब आया, जिसमें लिखा था कि उसका आवेदन स्वीकार कर लिया गया है और उसे अगले हफ़्ते साक्षात्कार के लिए बुलाया जाएगा। कबीर ने यह ख़बर तुरंत प्रिया और आदित्य को बताई।"
सुनने का काम — Listening task:
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| कबीर ने अपने ईमेल में विनम्रता से क्या पूछा? (What did Kabir politely ask in his email?) | ______ |
| कबीर ने अतिरिक्त दस्तावेज़ों के बारे में क्या कहा? (What did Kabir say about additional documents?) | ______ |
| कंपनी के जवाब में कौन-सा निष्क्रिय-सा रूप (passive-like form) इस्तेमाल हुआ? (Which passive-like form was used in the company's reply?) | ______ |
Reading Practice
Read Meera Ji's formal email to the community hall's booking office, then answer the questions.
आदरणीय महोदय/महोदया,
मैं यह ईमेल इसलिए लिख रही हूँ ताकि आपको हमारे अगले सामुदायिक कार्यक्रम के बारे में सूचित कर सकूँ। पिछले महीने हमने आपके हॉल में एक सफल कार्यक्रम आयोजित किया था, जिसमें लगभग साठ लोग शामिल हुए थे। कई पड़ोसियों ने कहा है कि वे चाहते हैं कि हम हर तीन महीने में ऐसा कार्यक्रम करें।
इसी सिलसिले में, मैं अनुरोध करती हूँ कि हमें अगली 15 तारीख़ को शाम पाँच से आठ बजे तक हॉल उपलब्ध कराया जाए। हमें लगभग साठ से सत्तर लोगों के लिए जगह चाहिए। यदि संभव हो तो, कृपया मुझे बताएँ कि क्या कुर्सियाँ और माइक्रोफ़ोन भी उपलब्ध होंगे, या हमें स्वयं इनकी व्यवस्था करनी होगी।
कृपया इस अनुरोध की पुष्टि जल्द से जल्द भेज दें, ताकि हम आगे की योजना बना सकें। यदि किसी अतिरिक्त जानकारी या दस्तावेज़ की आवश्यकता हो, तो कृपया मुझे बताएँ।
धन्यवाद सहित,
सादर,
मीरा शर्मा
समुदाय आयोजन समिति
समझ के प्रश्न — Comprehension questions:
- Identify the sentence that states the purpose of the email.
- What exact request does Meera Ji make, including date, time, and number of people?
- What two questions does she ask about equipment?
- Identify the opening and closing formulas used in this email.
Writing Workshop
Write a formal email, औपचारिक अनुरोध ("Formal Request"), for one of the following situations: requesting a deadline extension, applying for a course or position, following up on an application, or making a service request or complaint.
लेखन कार्य — Writing task: Write a connected 120-180 word formal email in standard Devanagari that includes:
- An appropriate opening (आदरणीय...) matched to the relationship and institution.
- A clear statement of purpose using मैं यह ईमेल इसलिए लिख रहा/रही हूँ ताकि... or an equivalent frame.
- Background using at least one cause-result or relative-correlative sentence recycled from earlier chapters.
- A clear formal request using मैं अनुरोध करता/करती हूँ कि..., with one detail softened by यदि संभव हो तो....
- An appropriate closing (सादर / धन्यवाद सहित) with your name.
संपादन सूची — Editing checklist:
- The opening and closing match the level of formality required by the situation.
- The purpose of the email is stated clearly within the first two sentences.
- The request itself is unambiguous and includes any necessary dates, numbers, or details.
- Passive-like forms, if used, are limited to fixed, correctly formed patterns rather than freely constructed.
- Vocabulary avoids unnecessary casual expressions, English loans used casually, or overly decorative Sanskritic language.
- Gender, number, agreement, oblique forms, and postpositions are applied correctly throughout.
- Spelling, matras, conjuncts, word spacing, and punctuation are correct throughout.
Speaking Practice
नियंत्रित अभ्यास — Controlled practice: कैज़ुअल से औपचारिक — Casual to Formal
With a partner, take turns: one person states a request casually (e.g., asking a friend for more time, a favor, or information), and the other restates it as a formal request suitable for an email or institutional conversation, using the frames from this chapter.
संचार कार्य — Communicative task: ईमेल पढ़कर सुनाना
Draft your formal email from the Writing Workshop, then read it aloud to a partner as though leaving a formal voicemail or reading it before sending. Your partner should identify the purpose, the specific request, and suggest one place where the tone could be clearer or more polite.
अकेले अभ्यास — Solo alternative
Record yourself reading your formal email aloud at a measured pace. Listen back and check whether your pausing and intonation match the level, unhurried style described in the Pronunciation section.
Culture and Communication
The right level of formality in a Hindi email depends on the institution, the relationship, and the purpose of the message — not on a fixed rule that "more Sanskritic" always means "more correct." A message to a close colleague may reasonably mix Hindi and English and use a simpler opening, while a message to an unfamiliar office or senior official typically calls for fuller formal conventions such as आदरणीय and सादर.
Excessively Sanskritized or bureaucratic language can sound stiff or even insincere in many everyday institutional contexts. Clear, polite, well-organized Hindi is usually more effective than decorative formality. As Kabir's example shows, a direct but respectful question is often better received than an overly elaborate one.
Common Mistakes
Error: हाय सर, मुझे थोड़ा टाइम चाहिए असाइनमेंट के लिए। (casual greeting and vocabulary in an email to an instructor or official)
Correction: आदरणीय महोदय, मैं अनुरोध करता हूँ कि मुझे असाइनमेंट जमा करने के लिए कुछ अतिरिक्त समय दिया जाए। — match the opening, vocabulary, and request frame to the formal context.
Error: A long email that describes background in detail for several paragraphs without ever clearly stating what is being requested.
Correction: State the purpose early (मैं यह ईमेल इसलिए लिख रहा/रही हूँ ताकि...), then give brief background, then state the specific request clearly using मैं अनुरोध करता/करती हूँ कि....
Error: यह बताया जाता है कि यह अनुरोध किया जा रहा है कि हॉल दिया जाए। (an unnatural chain of passive-like forms that a B2 learner is not yet ready to construct reliably)
Correction: मैं अनुरोध करती हूँ कि हमें हॉल दिया जाए। — use one controlled passive-like clause where natural, and otherwise keep sentences active and direct.
Chapter Review
भाग A — समझ (Comprehension)
1. Return to the Model Dialogue and Reading passage and answer in English:
- What change does Aditya suggest to make Priya's email clearer?
- What two things does Meera Ji ask the booking office to confirm, besides the date and time?
भाग B — व्याकरण (Grammar)
1. Rewrite each casual sentence as a formal request:
- मुझे और समय चाहिए, यार।
- क्या तुम मुझे बता सकते हो कि मेरा आवेदन मिला या नहीं?
- हमें हॉल चाहिए अगली तारीख़ के लिए।
2. Identify the purpose expression, the request expression, and the closing formula in Meera Ji's email from the Reading Practice section.
भाग C — पठन (Reading)
1. Return to Meera Ji's email and identify one sentence that softens a request. What word or phrase does the softening?
भाग D — लेखन (Writing)
1. Write your complete formal email, following all requirements from the Writing Workshop above.
भाग E — वाचन (Speaking)
1. Complete the communicative speaking task described in the Speaking Practice section above.
Cumulative Review
This chapter recycles purpose expressions from Chapter 3, cause-result connectors from Chapter 7, and reported/requested information patterns from Chapter 14, while introducing formal correspondence structure, formal request frames, and controlled recognition of passive-like institutional forms.
Practical Performance Task
औपचारिक अनुरोध — Formal Request
Complete the following connected tasks in order.
- Listen to the follow-up-email passage above and complete the listening table.
- Read Meera Ji's hall-booking email and answer the comprehension questions.
- Speak with a partner, restating a casual request in formal register and reading your draft email aloud for feedback.
- Write your complete 120-180 word formal email, following the Writing Workshop checklist.
- Edit your written text for opening/closing formality, clarity of purpose and request, and Devanagari accuracy.
| Criterion | What is assessed |
|---|---|
| Task completion | Appropriate opening and closing, a clear statement of purpose, necessary background, and a specific, unambiguous request are present. |
| Register control | Vocabulary and sentence choices consistently match the formal register required, without lapsing into casual phrasing or overloading with decorative formality. |
| Request clarity | The formal request frame is used accurately, and any softened or conditional element is clearly marked. |
| Grammar and mechanics | Gender, number, agreement, oblique forms, and postpositions are applied correctly; Devanagari spelling, matras, and punctuation are correct. |
| Comprehensibility and pronunciation | Intelligible, measured spoken delivery when reading the email aloud. |
This task evaluates the ability to produce clear, appropriately formal written and spoken Hindi for a realistic institutional request.
Answer Key
Model Dialogue — Comprehension
- Priya is requesting a one-week extension to submit her assignment, because she was unwell last week and did not have time to study.
- Aditya suggests she state directly what she wants rather than only saying she wants to "inform" her instructor.
- Kabir wants to politely ask what decision has been made about his application, without seeming impatient.
Listening
- Kabir politely asked what decision had been made about his application so far.
- He said that if any additional documents were needed, he could send them as soon as possible.
- The passive-like form used was स्वीकार कर लिया गया है ("has been accepted").
Reading — Comprehension
- Purpose sentence: मैं यह ईमेल इसलिए लिख रही हूँ ताकि आपको हमारे अगले सामुदायिक कार्यक्रम के बारे में सूचित कर सकूँ।
- She requests the hall on the 15th, from 5 to 8 p.m., for about sixty to seventy people.
- She asks whether chairs and a microphone will be available, or whether they must arrange these themselves.
- Opening: आदरणीय महोदय/महोदया; closing: धन्यवाद सहित, सादर.
Chapter Review — भाग B
- (a) मैं अनुरोध करता/करती हूँ कि मुझे कुछ अतिरिक्त समय दिया जाए।; (b) कृपया सूचित करें कि मेरा आवेदन प्राप्त हुआ है या नहीं।; (c) मैं अनुरोध करता/करती हूँ कि हमें अगली तारीख़ के लिए हॉल उपलब्ध कराया जाए।
- Purpose: मैं यह ईमेल इसलिए लिख रही हूँ ताकि...; request: मैं अनुरोध करती हूँ कि...; closing: धन्यवाद सहित, सादर.
Looking Ahead
अब आप क्या कर सकते हैं — What you can do now
You can write a clear, appropriately formal Hindi email that states its purpose, gives necessary background, makes a specific request, and closes appropriately — and you can revise a casual message into formal register when the situation calls for it.