નાનું
nānũ/ˈnɑ.nũ/
The Gujarati word for "little" (meaning small in size) is નાનું (nānũ).
નાનું is used specifically to describe something that is small in physical size.
Meaning: small in size (adj)
Which one should you use?
While નાનું refers to physical size, use થોડું when you want to say "a little" in the sense of a small amount or quantity of something.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The form of the adjective changes depending on the gender and number of the noun it describes. Use નાની to describe a feminine noun, and use નાના to describe masculine plural nouns or to express respect as an honorific.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is nānũ. It has two syllables, with the stress on the first syllable.
Did you know?
- The word નાનું originally described something 'smooth' or 'soft' rather than its size. It evolved from the Sanskrit word श्लक्ष्ण (ślakṣṇá), which meant 'smooth' or 'polished'.
- The word નાનું belongs to a language family that traces back to Proto-Indo-European, making it a very distant relative of the English word 'small'.
- If you are speaking about someone you highly respect, you might use the masculine plural form નાના even if the person is a single individual. This uses the grammatical feature of honorific plurality to show politeness.
Examples in context
- આ ઘર ખૂબ નાનું છે.ā ghar khūba nānu che.This house is very small.
- મને નાનું બોક્સ આપો.mane nānu bōksa āpō.Give me a small box.
Example conversation
Priya and Hardik are looking at a gift in a shop.
- પ્રિયા Priyaઆ રમકડું નાનું છે?ā ramaḳaḍu nānu che?Is this toy small?
- હાર્દિક Hardikહા, આ રમકડું નાનું છે.hā, ā ramaḳaḍu nānu che.Yes, this toy is small.
- પ્રિયા Priyaતમારે મોટું રમકડું જોઈએ છે?tamārē mōṭu ramaḳaḍu jōīē chē?Do you want a big toy?
- હાર્દિક Hardikના, મને આ નાનું રમકડું ગમશે.nā, manē ā nānu ramaḳaḍu gamashē.No, I will like this small toy.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “little” translations and entries નાનું, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries નાનું, CC BY-SA 4.0.
