एकदम (ekdam)
adverb
A very common intensifier/adverb meaning 'absolutely, completely' or 'suddenly, all at once' -- the two senses both come from the same idea of 'in one go' but split by whether the emphasis is on degree or on abruptness.
Sense
1
:
absolutely, totally, completely (intensifier)
adverb Placed directly before the adjective or adverb it intensifies, e.g. एकदम सही (ekdam sahii, 'totally right').
Synonyms: बिल्कुल (bilkul), पूरी तरह (poorii tarah)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: This is the word you'll hear a Delhi shopkeeper or friend use for emphasis constantly -- एकदम सही (ekdam sahii, 'exactly right'), एकदम बढ़िया (ekdam badhiyaa, 'absolutely great'). It has a punchy, conversational energy that बिल्कुल (bilkul) shares but पूरी तरह (poorii tarah) doesn't quite match.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often reach for बहुत (bahut) when they mean a strong, emphatic 'totally' -- एकदम (ekdam) hits harder and sounds more emphatic/colloquial than बहुत (bahut), which is more a plain 'very.' 2) It pairs naturally with words that are already somewhat absolute in meaning (सही sahii, गलत galat, नया nayaa), so 'एकदम बहुत' type stacking sounds off to native ears.
Sample Sentences:
यह जवाब एकदम सही है।
This answer is exactly right.
(yah javaab ekdam sahii hai।)
यह खाना एकदम बढ़िया बना है।
This food has turned out absolutely great.
(yah khaanaa ekdam badhiyaa banaa hai।)
मुझे एकदम यकीन नहीं हो रहा।
I absolutely can't believe it.
(mujhe ekdam yakiin nahiin ho rahaa।)
कमरा एकदम साफ होना चाहिए।
The room should be absolutely clean.
(kamraa ekdam saaph honaa chaahie।)
यह प्लान एकदम सही रहेगा।
This plan will be totally right.
(yah plaan ekdam sahii rahegaa।)
अगर तुम मेहनत करते तो नतीजा एकदम अलग होता।
If you had worked hard, the result would have been completely different.
(agar tum mehnat karte to natiijaa ekdam alag hotaa।)
कमरे को एकदम साफ रखो।
Keep the room absolutely clean.
(kamre ko ekdam saaph rakho।)
उसकी बात सुनकर मुझे एकदम गुस्सा आ गया।
Hearing what he said, I got absolutely furious.
(uskii baat sunkar mujhe ekdam gussaa aa gayaa।)
यह काम एकदम सही तरीके से किया जाना चाहिए।
This work should be done in a completely correct way.
(yah kaam ekdam sahii tariike se kiyaa jaanaa chaahie।)
उसका जवाब सुनकर सब एकदम हैरान रह गए।
Hearing his answer, everyone was left absolutely stunned.
(uskaa javaab sunkar sab ekdam hairaan rah gae।)
यार, वो लड़की एकदम पागल है!
Dude, that girl is absolutely crazy!
(yaar, vo ladkii ekdam paagal hai!)
Sense
2
:
suddenly, all at once, abruptly
adverb Typically modifies the verb of a clause describing an unexpected change, e.g. वह एकदम रुक गया (vah ekdam ruk gayaa, 'he stopped all of a sudden').
Synonyms: अचानक (achaanak), फ़ौरन (fauran, immediately -- close but emphasizes speed of response more than suddenness)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: Literally 'one breath/stroke' (एक ek + दम dam) -- the image is of something happening in a single breath, which is why it covers both 'in one complete go' (the intensifier sense) and 'in one sudden instant' (this sense). Knowing that root helps the two meanings feel like one word rather than two unrelated ones.
Common Mistakes: 1) Confusing this sense with the intensifier sense -- एकदम रुक गया (ekdam ruk gayaa) means 'stopped suddenly,' not 'stopped completely,' even though 'completely' is a tempting literal read for English speakers.
Sample Sentences:
बत्ती एकदम बुझ गई।
The light suddenly went out.
(battii ekdam bujh gaii।)
वह एकदम रुक गया, जैसे कुछ याद आ गया हो।
He suddenly stopped, as if he had remembered something.
(vah ekdam ruk gayaa, jaise kuchh yaad aa gayaa ho।)
मौसम एकदम बदल जाता है यहाँ।
The weather changes all of a sudden here.
(mausam ekdam badal jaataa hai yahaan।)
दरवाज़ा मत खोलो, कोई एकदम अंदर आ सकता है।
Don't open the door, someone might suddenly come in.
(darvaazaa mat kholo, koii ekdam andar aa saktaa hai।)
गाड़ी एकदम रुक जाएगी अगर तुमने ब्रेक ज़ोर से दबाया।
The car will stop abruptly if you press the brake hard.
(gaadii ekdam ruk jaaegii agar tumne brek zor se dabaayaa।)
अगर बिजली एकदम चली जाती, तो सब घबरा जाते।
If the power had suddenly gone out, everyone would have panicked.
(agar bijlii ekdam chalii jaatii, to sab ghabraa jaate।)
उसकी तबीयत एकदम बिगड़ गई थी, इसलिए उसे हस्पताल ले जाया गया।
His health had suddenly deteriorated, so he was taken to the hospital.
(uskii tabiiyat ekdam bigad gaii thii, islie use hasptaal le jaayaa gayaa।)
बादल घिरे थे कि एकदम बारिश शुरू हो गई।
The clouds had gathered when suddenly it started raining.
(baadal ghire the ki ekdam baarish shuroo ho gaii।)
भीड़ में से एकदम एक आवाज़ आई।
A voice suddenly came from the crowd.
(bhiid men se ekdam ek aavaaz aaii।)
वह एकदम मुड़ा और चला गया, बिना कुछ कहे।
He turned around abruptly and left, without saying anything.
(vah ekdam mudaa aur chalaa gayaa, binaa kuchh kahe।)
कृपया एकदम फैसला न लें, थोड़ा सोच लीजिए।
Please don't decide all of a sudden, think it over a little.
(kripyaa ekdam phaislaa n len, thodaa soch liijie।)