ओला
olā/oː.lɑː/
In Hindi, the English word 'hail' (referring to balls of ice) is expressed as ओला (olā). If unsure, use ओला. Wiktionary also lists ओलावृष्टि (olāvŕṣṭi).
Meaning: balls of ice (noun)
Ways to say it
| Hindi | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| ओला | olā | /oː.lɑː/ (Hindi, Standard) | |
| ओलावृष्टि | olāvŕṣṭi | /oː.lɑːʋ.ɾɪʂ.ʈiː/ (Hindi, Standard) | feminine |
The term is used to describe the physical ice pellets that fall from the sky. To express the action of hailing, Hindi speakers typically use the verb phrase ओला गिरना, which literally means 'hail to fall'.
Which one should you use?
Use ओला when referring to the physical ice pellets themselves, whereas ओलावृष्टि refers to the weather event or the phenomenon of a hailstorm.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
ओलावृष्टि is a feminine noun used to refer specifically to the phenomenon of a hailstorm rather than the individual ice pellets.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced as /oː.lɑː/ (olā).
Did you know?
- The Sanskrit root upala not only led to ओला but is also found in ancient texts to describe gemstones and precious pebbles.
- In traditional Indian agricultural contexts, ओलावृष्टि is often discussed with a sense of dread because hailstorms can flatten an entire wheat crop in minutes.
- In Hindi, the term ओलावृष्टि blends the word for 'hailstone' with वृष्टि, which is a formal term for 'rain' often used in poetic or Vedic contexts.
Examples in context
- नमस्ते, क्या मैं आपकी मदद कर सकता हूँ?Hello, can I help you?
Example conversation
Pooja and Rahul are looking out the window during a storm.
- पूजा Poojaराहुल, खिड़की से देखो!Rahul, khidki se dekho!Rahul, look out the window!
- राहुल Rahulअरे, यह तो ओला है।Are, yeh toh ola hai.Oh, this is hail.
- पूजा Poojaक्या यह बहुत तेज़ है?Kya yeh bahut tez hai?Is it falling very hard?
- राहुल Rahulहाँ, हमें अंदर ही रहना चाहिए।Haan, humein andar hi rehna chahiye.Yes, we should stay inside.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hail” translations and entries ओला, ओलावृष्टि, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
