धेरै
dherai[d̪ʱe̤ɾʌi̯]
The English phrase "a lot" is translated into Nepali as धेरै (dherai).
धेरै is used to mean "very much" or to quantify amounts. It is a versatile word that can be used to describe both countable nouns, such as people and uncountable nouns, such as rice.
Meaning: very much (adv)
Which one should you use?
While धेरै is the standard term, अत्यधिक can also be used to convey the idea of "a lot" specifically in formal contexts.
How does it change in a sentence?
धेरै functions both as an adverb meaning "very much" and as an adjective meaning "many" or "much." It does not change its form regardless of whether you are quantifying countable or uncountable nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
dherai
Did you know?
- The root of धेरै traces back to the Khasa Prakrit word धेइ, a connection that links modern Nepali directly to ancient linguistic structures.
- In some rural dialects, people may use धेरै to describe not just a large amount, but a high level of intensity or strength in an emotion.
- While धेरै is used for quantity, the word धेरै is also frequently paired with the word पटक to specifically count the number of times something has happened.
Examples in context
- म धेरै भात खान्छु।I eat a lot of rice.This sentence is useful for practicing how to use धेरै with an uncountable noun.Tatoeba #11763508 by taro, translation #7937848 by CK
- आज धेरै मान्छे आए ।A lot of people came today.This sentence demonstrates the use of धेरै with a countable noun.Tatoeba #11861837 by taro, translation #9203466 by LanguageExpert
- म धेरै अपेक्षा गर्छु।I expect a lot.This sentence shows how धेरै functions as an adverb.Tatoeba #11766443 by taro, translation #5852299 by CK
- मेरो काम धेरै छ।I have a lot of work.
- तपाईंले अत्यधिक छानबिन गर्नुभयो।You have done a lot of research.
- हामी धेरै मजाक गर्छौ।We joke around a lot.
- 37 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
At a cafe, Avinash and Anita are talking about a movie.
- अविनाश Avinashयो फिल्म धेरै राम्रो छ।Yo film dherai ramro cha.This movie is very good.
- अनीता Anitaहो, मलाई धेरै मन पर्यो।Ho, malai dherai man paryo.Yes, I liked it a lot.
- अविनाश Avinashके तिमीलाई धेरै हाँसो उठ्यो?Ke timilai dherai hanso uthyo?Did you laugh a lot?
- अनीता Anitaअँ, धेरै हाँसें।An, dherai hasen.Yes, I laughed a lot.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry धेरै, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries धेरै, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
