अकेले (akele)
adverb/adjective
Mainly used as an adverb meaning 'alone, by oneself'; also functions as the oblique/plural form of the adjective अकेला (akelaa) when describing a masculine plural or oblique noun.
Sense
1
:
alone, by oneself
adverb Used invariantly as an adverb regardless of the subject's gender or number: मैं अकेले जाता हूँ (main akele jaataa hoon, 'I go alone' - masculine speaker), मैं अकेले जाती हूँ (main akele jaatii hoon, 'I go alone' - feminine speaker).
Synonyms: एकांत में (ekaant men, more literary/formal), खुद (khud, by oneself, emphasizes self-reliance rather than solitude)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: In everyday Delhi speech, अकेले (akele) carries a mild emotional undertone beyond simple solitude -- अकेले रहना (akele rahnaa, 'to live alone') often evokes ideas about family and independence, since living apart from family is still notable in much of Indian society. Parents might worry aloud, 'अकेले मत जाओ (akele mat jaao, 'do not go alone')' as much out of safety concern as convention.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes try to match अकेले (akele) to the subject's gender as if it were a regular adjective form, saying अकेला (akelaa) or अकेली (akelii) for 'I go alone' -- but the adverbial sense is frozen in this one oblique-looking form for everyone. 2) अकेले में (akele men) means 'in private/alone together' (e.g. talking privately), which learners can confuse with simply 'alone' -- it specifically implies away from others' eyes or ears.
Sample Sentences:
मैं अकेले रहता हूँ।
I live alone.
(main akele rahtaa hoon।)
अकेले मत जाओ, रात हो गई है।
Don't go alone, it's gotten late at night.
(akele mat jaao, raat ho gaii hai।)
वह पूरी शाम अकेले बैठी रही।
She sat alone the whole evening.
(vah poorii shaam akele baithii rahii।)
अगर तुम अकेले रहते, तो इतनी परेशानी न होती।
If you lived alone, there wouldn't be so much trouble.
(agar tum akele rahte, to itnii pareshaanii n hotii।)
क्या तुम सच में अकेले सफर करोगी?
Will you really travel alone?
(kyaa tum sach men akele saphar karogii?)
माँ को चिंता है कि मैं अकेले क्यों रहना चाहता हूँ।
Mom is worried about why I want to live alone.
(maan ko chintaa hai ki main akele kyon rahnaa chaahtaa hoon।)
बच्चे को कभी अकेले घर पर मत छोड़ो।
Never leave the child alone at home.
(bachche ko kabhii akele ghar par mat chhodo।)
उसे अकेले काम पूरा करना पड़ा।
He had to finish the work alone.
(use akele kaam pooraa karnaa padaa।)
संभव है कि वह अकेले ही निर्णय ले ले।
It's possible that she might make the decision alone.
(sambhav hai ki vah akele hii nirnay le le।)
यह फैसला अकेले नहीं लिया जाना चाहिए।
This decision should not be made alone.
(yah phaislaa akele nahiin liyaa jaanaa chaahie।)
बुढ़ापे में अकेले रह जाना सबसे बड़ा डर है।
Being left alone in old age is the biggest fear.
(budhaape men akele rah jaanaa sabse badaa dar hai।)
Sense
2
:
alone, solitary (inflected form)
adjective This is the masculine plural/oblique inflection of अकेला (akelaa), used when modifying a masculine plural or oblique-case noun: अकेले लड़के (akele ladke, 'the lone boys / to the lone boy').
Synonyms: तनहा (tanahaa, literary/poetic, evokes loneliness more than mere solitude)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: This form is simply the grammatical shadow of अकेला (akelaa) rather than a separate word to learn afresh -- once you know अकेला's (akelaa) pattern, this slots right in.
Sample Sentences:
दोनों लड़के अकेले घर में रहते हैं।
Both boys live alone in the house.
(donon ladke akele ghar men rahte hain।)
वे अकेले बैठे थे जब मैं वहाँ पहुँचा।
They were sitting alone when I arrived there.
(ve akele baithe the jab main vahaan pahunchaa।)
इन अकेले बच्चों की मदद कौन करेगा?
Who will help these lonely children?
(in akele bachchon kii madad kaun karegaa?)
काश वे लड़के अकेले न होते।
If only those boys were not alone.
(kaash ve ladke akele n hote।)
अकेले बुज़ुर्गों के लिए यह योजना बनाई गई है।
This scheme has been made for elderly people who are alone.
(akele buzurgon ke lie yah yojnaa banaaii gaii hai।)
अकेले यात्रियों को यहाँ ठहरने की इजाज़त नहीं है।
Solitary travelers are not allowed to stay here.
(akele yaatriyon ko yahaan thaharne kii ijaazat nahiin hai।)
उन अकेले मुसाफ़िरों को देखकर मुझे दुख हुआ।
Seeing those lone travelers, I felt sad.
(un akele musaafiron ko dekhkar mujhe dukh huaa।)
क्या तुम चाहते हो कि वे दोनों अकेले रहें?
Do you want the two of them to remain alone?
(kyaa tum chaahte ho ki ve donon akele rahen?)
अकेले पड़ गए बुज़ुर्गों की देखभाल ज़रूरी है।
It is necessary to take care of elderly people who have been left alone.
(akele pad gae buzurgon kii dekhbhaal zaroorii hai।)
Morphology
Adjective (variable)
(sg.m):
अकेले
(akele)
(pl.m):
अकेलेे
([[अकेलेे]])
(sg.f):
अकेलेी
([[अकेलेी]])
(pl.f):
अकेलेी
([[अकेलेी]])