Ways to say it
| Urdu | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| ذرا | zarā | |
| تھوڑا سا | thoṛā sā | |
| کم | kam | /kəm/ (Standard, Urdu) |
The phrase is used to indicate a small extent, degree or quantity. When you want to request something politely or emphasize a small amount, ذرا is a common choice. For a neutral description of an amount, use تھوڑا سا. Use کم when you mean "less" or want to express that an amount is insufficient or "not much".
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase تھوڑا سا is composed of تھوڑا, which means "little" or "some" and the particle سا, which acts as a diminutive or softening particle similar to saying "a bit of" in English.
Which one should you use?
ذرا is often used colloquially to mean "just a little" or "just a bit," especially during requests. تھوڑا سا is a more neutral way to describe a quantity. In contrast, کم means "less" or refers to an amount that is "not much" or "insufficient".
How do you pronounce it?
zarā
Did you know?
- The word ذرا shares its roots with the Arabic word for an atom or an infinitesimal particle, implying something so small it is almost invisible.
- Using ذرا when asking for a favor is a social strategy to minimize the burden on the other person, making the request feel 'smaller' and easier to grant.
- The particle سا in تھوڑا سا doesn't just mean 'a bit', but serves as a general diminutive that can be attached to other words to make them seem smaller or cuter.
Examples in context
- بس تھوڑا سا صبر اور۔Just a little more patience.This sentence is useful for demonstrating how to use تھوڑا سا to express a small amount of something like patience.Tatoeba #1434755 by nabeel_tahir, translation #31299 by Dejo
- بس تھوڑی سی مزید کردو۔Just do a little more.
- وہ تھوڑا سا ناراض ہو گیا۔He got a little angry.
- ذرا اونچا بولیں۔Zara ooncha bolein.Speak a little louder.
- ذرا انتظار کریں۔Zara intezar karein.Wait a little.
Example conversation
Zainab and Ahmed are discussing the salt in a dish.
- زینب Zainabاحمد، کیا سالن میں نمک ٹھیک ہے؟Ahmed, kya saalan mein namak theek hai?Ahmed, is the salt in the curry okay?
- احمد Ahmedیہ ذرا نمکین ہے۔Yeh zara namkeen hai.It is a little salty.
- زینب Zainabکیا میں اس میں پانی ڈالوں؟Kya mein is mein paani daloon?Should I add some water to it?
- احمد Ahmedہاں، ذرا سا پانی ڈال دیں۔Haan, zara sa paani daal dein.Yes, please add a little water.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “a little” translations and entries ذرا, کم, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries تھوڑا, ذرا, کم, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
