Ways to say it
| Hindi | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| धीरे-धीरे | dhīre-dhīre | |
| आहिस्ता | āhistā | /ɑː.ɪs.t̪ɑː/ (Hindi, Standard) /ɑː.ɦɪs.t̪ɑː/ (formal) |
| धीरे | dhīre | /d̪ʱiː.ɾeː/ (Hindi, Standard) |
The primary way to express doing something at a slow pace is through the forms धीरे, धीरे-धीरे or आहिस्ता.
Which one should you use?
While धीरे means 'slowly', the reduplicated form धीरे-धीरे often implies a sense of 'gradually' or 'little by little' through a process. Additionally, you might use the phrase Araam se to suggest someone perform an action slowly and with ease.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The word आहिस्ता is more formal or poetic than धीरे and is frequently used in Urdu-influenced Hindi or song lyrics.
How does it change in a sentence?
Adding the particle 'से' (se) to धीरे creates the adverbial construction धीरे से, which is often used to mean 'gently' or 'quietly', such as when speaking softly or touching something lightly.
How do you pronounce it?
dhīre-dhīre
When do people say it?
Using धीरे! as a single-word exclamation is a common way to tell someone to slow down their movement or reduce their speed immediately.
Did you know?
- The word धीरे is derived from धीरा, which historically describes a person who is patient and steady rather than just slow in movement.
- The word आहिस्ता is a loanword from Classical Persian.
- The phrase आराम से (aarām se) can be used to mean 'slowly', but it actually derives from a word meaning 'rest' or 'comfort'.
Examples in context
- धीरे!Slowly!This sentence shows how to use धीरे as an exclamation to mean 'Slow down!' or 'Easy!'Tatoeba #11371073 by Sorcien, translation #6581112 by Eccles17
- धीरे चल।Walk slowly.This sentence demonstrates the use of धीरे to describe the manner of walking.Tatoeba #6829751 by aboi, translation #30117 by CK
- धीरे काम कर।Work slowly.This sentence demonstrates the use of धीरे to describe the manner of working.Tatoeba #6829755 by aboi, translation #30124 by CK
- 17 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Rahul and Pooja are walking in a park.
- पूजा Poojaराहुल, धीरे-धीरे चलो।Rahul, dheere-dheere chalo.Rahul, walk slowly.
- राहुल Rahulठीक है, पूजा।Thik hai, Pooja.Okay, Pooja.
- पूजा Poojaमैं थक गई हूँ।Main thak gayi hoon.I am tired.
- राहुल Rahulहम अब आराम से चलेंगे।Hum ab aaram se chalenge.We will walk leisurely now.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “slowly” translations and entries आहिस्ता, धीरे, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries आहिस्ता, धीरे, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
