एकाएक (ekaaek)
adverb
A single-sense adverb meaning 'suddenly, all of a sudden' -- used to describe an abrupt, unexpected change or event.
Sense
1
:
suddenly, all at once
adverb
Synonyms: अचानक (achaanak), अकस्मात (akasmaat, literary), सहसा (sahsaa, literary), झटपट (jhatpat, quickness of action rather than surprise)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: You will hear this a lot in narrated stories or news reports -- 'एकाएक बारिश शुरू हो गई (ekaaek baarish shuroo ho gaii, 'suddenly it started raining')' has a slightly more dramatic, literary color than the everyday अचानक (achaanak), though both are perfectly common in speech. The word is literally built from एक (ek, 'one') doubled, giving a sense of 'in one single instant.'
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often reach only for अचानक (achaanak) and never encounter एकाएक (ekaaek), but the two are freely interchangeable in speech -- एकाएक (ekaaek) just sounds slightly more literary or narrative, as in storytelling or news reports. 2) It describes the suddenness of an event, not the speed of an action -- don't use it where English 'quickly' (not 'suddenly') is meant.
Sample Sentences:
एकाएक बारिश शुरू हो गई।
Suddenly it started raining.
(ekaaek baarish shuroo ho gaii।)
एकाएक बिजली चली गई और पूरा कमरा अंधेरे में डूब गया।
Suddenly the power went out and the whole room was plunged into darkness.
(ekaaek bijlii chalii gaii aur pooraa kamraa andhere men doob gayaa।)
वह एकाएक रुक जाता है और पीछे मुड़ कर देखता है।
He suddenly stops and turns to look back.
(vah ekaaek ruk jaataa hai aur piichhe mud kar dekhtaa hai।)
क्या तुम्हें याद है जब ट्रेन एकाएक रुक गई थी?
Do you remember when the train suddenly stopped?
(kyaa tumhen yaad hai jab tren ekaaek ruk gaii thii?)
अगर वह एकाएक चला जाता, तो हमें बहुत झटका लगता।
If he had suddenly left, it would have shocked us deeply.
(agar vah ekaaek chalaa jaataa, to hamen bahut jhatkaa lagtaa।)
एकाएक सन्नाटा टूटा और सब चौंक गए।
Suddenly the silence broke and everyone was startled.
(ekaaek sannaataa tootaa aur sab chaunk gae।)
पुलिस अधिकारी ने बताया कि आरोपी एकाएक भीड़ में गायब हो गया।
The police officer stated that the accused suddenly disappeared into the crowd.
(pulis adhikaarii ne bataayaa ki aaropii ekaaek bhiid men gaayab ho gayaa।)
उम्मीद है कि हालात एकाएक न बदल जाएँ।
Let's hope the situation doesn't suddenly change.
(ummiid hai ki haalaat ekaaek n badal jaaen।)
बच्चा एकाएक रो पड़ा, किसी को समझ नहीं आया क्यों।
The child suddenly burst into tears, and no one understood why.
(bachchaa ekaaek ro padaa, kisii ko samajh nahiin aayaa kyon।)
एकाएक उसकी आवाज़ काँप उठी।
Suddenly her voice trembled.
(ekaaek uskii aavaaz kaamp uthii।)