थोड़ी-थोड़ी
thoṛī-thoṛī
The English phrase 'a little' can be translated into Hindi. The default form is थोड़ी-थोड़ी (thoṛī-thoṛī). Wiktionary also lists थोड़ा सा (thoṛā sā) and थोड़ा-थोड़ा (thoṛā-thoṛā).
Meaning: to a small extent or degree (adv)
Ways to say it
| Hindi | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| थोड़ी-थोड़ी | thoṛī-thoṛī | |
| थोड़ा सा | thoṛā sā | |
| थोड़ा-थोड़ा | thoṛā-thoṛā | |
| ज़रा | zarā | /zə.ɾɑː/ (Hindi, Standard) /d͡ʒə.ɾɑː/ (Hindi, Standard) |
| कम | kam | /kəm/ (Hindi, Standard) |
What does it mean word for word?
Adding the particle सा to थोड़ा to create थोड़ा सा makes the expression sound more natural and emphasizes the smallness of the amount, similar to 'just a little bit' in English.
Which one should you use?
थोड़ा-थोड़ा uses reduplication to express the idea of 'little by little' or 'in small increments' rather than just a small amount. ज़रा often implies a much smaller, more negligible amount than थोड़ा. Unlike थोड़ा, which describes a small absolute amount, कम is used to describe a quantity that is 'less' or 'low' in comparison to something else.
How do you pronounce it?
thoṛī-thoṛī
Did you know?
- ज़रा is often used in polite requests or commands to soften the tone, acting more as a social lubricant than a measurement of quantity.
- The word ज़रा is closely related to the Arabic word for 'atom', implying that the amount is almost microscopic or non-existent.
- Depending on the noun it modifies, थोड़ा changes its ending to थोड़ी to match the gender of the object being described.
Examples in context
- जो कम से संतुष्ट नहीं, किसी भी चीज़ से संतुष्ट नहीं है.He who is not satisfied with a little, is satisfied with nothing.This sentence demonstrates the use of कम.Tatoeba #2056581 by RadiumCat, translation #1542078 by Scott
- क्या आप थोड़े धीमे बोल सकते हैं?Could you please speak a little slower?
- मुझे हिंदी थोड़ी-सी आती है।I know a little bit of Hindi.
- क्या मुझे थोड़ी सी और आइसक्रीम मिल सकती है?Can I have a little more ice cream?
- वो यहाँ से थोड़ी दूर रहता है।He lives a little away from here.
Example conversation
Rahul and Pooja are talking about learning a new instrument.
- राहुल Rahulक्या तुम गिटार बजाना जानती हो?Kya tum guitar bajaana jaanti ho?Do you know how to play the guitar?
- पूजा Poojaहाँ, मैं थोड़ी-थोड़ी कोशिश कर रही हूँ।Haan, main thodi-thodi koshish kar rahi hoon.Yes, I am trying a little bit.
- राहुल Rahulयह बहुत अच्छा शौक है।Yeh bahut accha shauk hai.That is a very nice hobby.
- पूजा Poojaशुक्रिया, राहुल!Shukriya, Rahul!Thank you, Rahul!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “a little” translations and entries थोड़ा-थोड़ा, ज़रा, कम, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ज़रा, थोड़ा, थोड़ा-थोड़ा, सा, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
