तरह तरह का (tarah tarah kaa)

adjective A fixed reduplicated phrase meaning 'of various/many kinds' -- built from तरह (tarah, 'kind, manner') doubled for emphasis, plus the possessive marker का (kaa) which agrees with the noun it modifies.
Sense 1 : of many different kinds/sorts
adjective Agrees with the noun it modifies like any का-adjective: तरह तरह का (tarah tarah kaa) with masculine singular, तरह तरह की (tarah tarah kii) with feminine, तरह तरह के (tarah tarah ke) with plural/oblique.
Synonyms: कई तरह का (kaii tarah kaa), अलग अलग तरह का (alag alag tarah kaa), विभिन्न (vibhinn, formal)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: This phrase has a warm, almost festive ring to it -- think of a mother describing a wedding spread: तरह तरह के पकवान (tarah tarah ke pakvaan, 'all sorts of dishes'). Reduplication like this (तरह तरह, thोड़ा थोड़ा, एक एक) is a very Hindi way of intensifying variety or repetition without needing a separate word for 'various'.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often leave तरह (tarah) unreduplicated and just say कई तरह का (kaii tarah kaa) -- both are fine, but तरह तरह का (tarah tarah kaa) specifically adds a flavor of delighted variety, often used when describing a spread of food, clothes, or people. 2) The का (kaa) must agree with the following noun, not with तरह (tarah) itself -- so तरह तरह की सब्ज़ियाँ (tarah tarah kii sabziyaan, 'all sorts of vegetables') takes की because सब्ज़ियाँ (sabziyaan) is feminine plural.
Sample Sentences:
शादी में तरह तरह के पकवान बने थे। All sorts of dishes were made at the wedding.
(shaadii men tarah tarah ke pakvaan bane the।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Passive
बाज़ार में तरह तरह के कपड़े मिलते हैं। You can find all sorts of clothes in the market.
(baazaar men tarah tarah ke kapde milte hain।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
वह तरह तरह के बहाने बनाता रहता है। He keeps making all kinds of excuses.
(vah tarah tarah ke bahaane banaataa rahtaa hai।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
मेले में तरह तरह की चीज़ें बिक रही थीं। All kinds of things were being sold at the fair.
(mele men tarah tarah kii chiizen bik rahii thiin।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Passive
अगर पैसे होते तो मैं तरह तरह के फल खरीदता। If I had had the money, I would have bought all sorts of fruits.
(agar paise hote to main tarah tarah ke phal khariidtaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
कृपया तरह तरह के व्यंजन परोसे जाएँ। Please have all sorts of dishes served.
(kripyaa tarah tarah ke vyanjan parose jaaen।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Voice: Passive
बच्चों के लिए तरह तरह के खिलौने लाओ। Bring all kinds of toys for the children.
(bachchon ke lie tarah tarah ke khilaune laao।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
उसने तरह तरह की किताबें पढ़ी हैं। She has read all sorts of books.
(usne tarah tarah kii kitaaben padhii hain।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
शायद वहाँ तरह तरह के लोग मिलें। Perhaps you might meet all sorts of people there.
(shaayad vahaan tarah tarah ke log milen।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Voice: Active
दुकान में तरह तरह की मिठाइयाँ सजी हुई थीं। All sorts of sweets were displayed in the shop.
(dukaan men tarah tarah kii mithaaiyaan sajii huii thiin।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
त्योहार पर घर में तरह तरह के पकवानों की खुशबू फैल जाएगी। On the festival, the aroma of all sorts of dishes will fill the house.
(tyohaar par ghar men tarah tarah ke pakvaanon kii khushboo phail jaaegii।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Adjective (variable)
(sg.m): तरह तरह का (tarah tarah kaa)
(pl.m): तरह तरह के (tarah tarah ke)
(sg.f): तरह तरह की (tarah tarah kii)
(pl.f): तरह तरह की (tarah tarah kii)