आजकल (aajkal)

adverb A single-sense time adverb meaning 'these days, nowadays' -- a compound of आज (aaj, today) and कल (kal, yesterday/tomorrow) that together point to the general present period.

Sense 1 : nowadays, these days

adverb

Synonyms: इन दिनों (in dinon), वर्तमान में (vartmaan men, formal)

Frequency: high

Cultural Note: आजकल (aajkal) literally stitches together 'today' and 'tomorrow/yesterday' (aaj and kal) into a single idea of 'the present era' -- a nice example of how Hindi builds time words by pairing adjacent days rather than coining a separate abstract word. You will hear it constantly in small talk: आजकल क्या चल रहा है? (aajkal kyaa chal rahaa hai?, 'what's going on these days?') is a classic way to ask someone what they have been up to.

Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes reach for अभी (abhii) when they mean 'these days' -- अभी (abhii) points to this exact moment ('right now'), while आजकल (aajkal) spans a whole recent period ('this month, this year'). 2) It typically opens or follows early in the sentence as a scene-setting time word, not tucked in right before the verb the way English 'nowadays' can float anywhere.

Sample Sentences:

आजकल क्या चल रहा है? What's going on these days?

(aajkal kyaa chal rahaa hai?)

आजकल मैं सुबह जल्दी उठता हूँ। These days I get up early in the morning.

(aajkal main subah jaldii uthtaa hoon।)

आजकल बाज़ार में सब्ज़ियों के दाम बहुत बढ़ गए हैं। These days vegetable prices in the market have gone up a lot.

(aajkal baazaar men sabziyon ke daam bahut badh gae hain।)

आजकल वह किसी से बात नहीं कर रही थी। These days she wasn't talking to anyone.

(aajkal vah kisii se baat nahiin kar rahii thii।)

आजकल लोग सोशल मीडिया पर बहुत समय बिताते हैं। These days people spend a lot of time on social media.

(aajkal log soshal miidiyaa par bahut samay bitaate hain।)

आजकल नौकरी मिलना पहले जैसा आसान नहीं रहा। These days getting a job isn't as easy as it used to be.

(aajkal naukrii milnaa pahle jaisaa aasaan nahiin rahaa।)

आजकल हर जगह ऑनलाइन खरीदारी को बढ़ावा दिया जा रहा है। These days online shopping is being promoted everywhere.

(aajkal har jagah onlaain khariidaarii ko badhaavaa diyaa jaa rahaa hai।)

आजकल तो कोई किसी की सुनता ही नहीं। These days no one listens to anyone at all.

(aajkal to koii kisii kii suntaa hii nahiin।)

आजकल के बच्चे बहुत समझदार हो गए हैं। Children these days have become very sensible.

(aajkal ke bachche bahut samajhdaar ho gae hain।)

अगर आजकल थोड़ा वक़्त होता, तो मैं तुमसे मिलने आ जाता। If I had a bit of time these days, I would come to meet you.

(agar aajkal thodaa vaqt hotaa, to main tumse milne aa jaataa।)

आजकल थोड़ा ध्यान से रहना, चोरियाँ बढ़ गई हैं। Be a bit careful these days, thefts have increased.

(aajkal thodaa dhyaan se rahnaa, choriyaan badh gaii hain।)