रातोंरात (raatonraat)
adverb
An adverb meaning 'overnight' -- both literally (during the course of one night) and, more commonly, figuratively (very suddenly, with startling speed). Built by doubling रात (raat, 'night') with the oblique plural marker, a common pattern in Hindi time-adverbs.
Sense
1
:
suddenly, overnight (figurative -- rapid change)
adverb
Synonyms: अचानक (achaanak), एकदम (ekdam)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: This is the word Hindi speakers reach for when talking about someone who became a star, went bankrupt, or had their life turned upside down 'रातोंरात' (raatonraat) -- think of gossip about a Bollywood newcomer's rise or a businessman's sudden ruin. It carries a slight flavor of disbelief, as if to say 'can you imagine, that fast?'
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes treat this as literally about nighttime only; in most everyday use it describes the speed of a change (fame, fortune, decisions) rather than the actual passage of a single night. 2) It is invariant -- it does not take postpositions or inflect like a noun, even though it is built from रात (raat).
Sample Sentences:
वह रातोंरात स्टार बन गया।
He became a star overnight.
(vah raatonraat staar ban gayaa।)
उसकी कंपनी रातोंरात दिवालिया हो गई।
His company went bankrupt overnight.
(uskii kampnii raatonraat divaaliyaa ho gaii।)
क्या कोई रातोंरात इतना मशहूर हो सकता है?
Can someone really become this famous overnight?
(kyaa koii raatonraat itnaa mashahoor ho saktaa hai?)
अगर तुम मेहनत करते रहे, तो चीज़ें रातोंरात नहीं बदलेंगी, धीरे-धीरे बदलेंगी।
If you keep working hard, things won't change overnight, they'll change gradually.
(agar tum mehnat karte rahe, to chiizen raatonraat nahiin badlengii, dhiire-dhiire badlengii।)
अगर उसे यह मौका मिल जाता, तो वह रातोंरात करोड़पति बन जाता।
If he had gotten this chance, he would have become a millionaire overnight.
(agar use yah maukaa mil jaataa, to vah raatonraat karodapti ban jaataa।)
उसका गाना रातोंरात वायरल हो रहा है, यकीन नहीं होता।
Her song is going viral overnight, it's hard to believe.
(uskaa gaanaa raatonraat vaayral ho rahaa hai, yakiin nahiin hotaa।)
सरकार की एक घोषणा से बाज़ार रातोंरात बदल गया।
With one government announcement, the market changed overnight.
(sarkaar kii ek ghoshnaa se baazaar raatonraat badal gayaa।)
यह मत सोचो कि सफलता रातोंरात मिल जाएगी।
Don't think that success will come overnight.
(yah mat socho ki saphaltaa raatonraat mil jaaegii।)
उस वीडियो की वजह से वह लड़की रातोंरात सोशल मीडिया पर मशहूर हो गई।
Because of that video, the girl became famous on social media overnight.
(us viidiyo kii vajah se vah ladkii raatonraat soshal miidiyaa par mashahoor ho gaii।)
कहा जाता है कि उसकी किस्मत रातोंरात बदल गई थी।
It's said that his fortune changed overnight.
(kahaa jaataa hai ki uskii kismat raatonraat badal gaii thii।)
ऐसा लगता है जैसे शहर की सूरत रातोंरात बदल दी गई हो।
It feels as if the city's appearance was changed overnight.
(aisaa lagtaa hai jaise shahar kii soorat raatonraat badal dii gaii ho।)
Sense
2
:
during the course of a single night (literal)
adverb
Synonyms: एक रात में (ek raat men, descriptive phrase)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: You will hear this literal sense in practical contexts too -- a tailor promising a suit 'रातोंरात' (raatonraat) tailored by morning, or dough left to ferment overnight. It is the same word as the figurative sense, just anchored to real clock-time rather than metaphorical speed.
Sample Sentences:
दर्जी ने कहा कि सूट रातोंरात तैयार हो जाएगा।
The tailor said the suit would be ready overnight.
(darjii ne kahaa ki soot raatonraat taiyaar ho jaaegaa।)
आटे को रातोंरात गूँधकर रख दो, सुबह इडली बनेगी।
Knead the batter and leave it overnight, we'll make idlis in the morning.
(aate ko raatonraat goondhkar rakh do, subah idlii banegii।)
उसने रातोंरात पूरा निबंध लिख दिया।
He wrote the entire essay overnight.
(usne raatonraat pooraa nibandh likh diyaa।)
यह दही रातोंरात जमकर तैयार हो जाता है।
This yogurt sets and is ready overnight.
(yah dahii raatonraat jamkar taiyaar ho jaataa hai।)
क्या तुम रातोंरात यह रिपोर्ट पूरी कर सकते हो?
Can you finish this report overnight?
(kyaa tum raatonraat yah riport poorii kar sakte ho?)
अगर मजदूर रातोंरात काम करते तो पुल आज तक बन जाता।
If the workers had worked through the night, the bridge would have been finished by now.
(agar majdoor raatonraat kaam karte to pul aaj tak ban jaataa।)
माल रातोंरात गोदाम से गाड़ी में लाद दिया गया।
The goods were loaded onto the truck from the warehouse overnight.
(maal raatonraat godaam se gaadii men laad diyaa gayaa।)
अनुरोध है कि दस्तावेज़ रातोंरात तैयार करवा लिए जाएँ।
It is requested that the documents be gotten ready overnight.
(anurodh hai ki dastaavez raatonraat taiyaar karvaa lie jaaen।)
शायद मिस्त्री रातोंरात दीवार बना दे।
Maybe the mason will build the wall overnight.
(shaayad mistrii raatonraat diivaar banaa de।)
बर्फ रातोंरात पिघलकर पूरी सड़क को कीचड़ में बदल देती है।
The snow melts overnight and turns the whole road into slush.
(barph raatonraat pighalkar poorii sadak ko kiichad men badal detii hai।)