पैदल (paidal)
adverb/adjective
One core meaning: on foot / walking, used mainly as an adverb but also as an adjective describing a walker or foot-based mode.
Sense
1
:
on foot, by walking
adverb Functions as an adverb modifying verbs of motion, e.g. पैदल जाना (paidal jaanaa, 'to go on foot').
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: In everyday Delhi-NCR conversation, पैदल (paidal) comes up constantly when people are deciding how to get somewhere short -- ऑटो ले लें या पैदल चलें? (oto le len yaa paidal chalen?, 'should we take an auto or just walk?') is a very ordinary line. It carries a slight practical undertone of saving money or the distance being manageable, not really a fitness connotation the way 'walking' can in English.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes add a postposition like से (se) after पैदल (paidal), saying पैदल से (paidal se) -- native speakers just say पैदल जाना (paidal jaanaa) or पैदल आना (paidal aanaa) without से (se). 2) Don't confuse with चलना (chalnaa) alone -- पैदल (paidal) specifically contrasts with going by vehicle, so it's often used precisely to make that contrast clear, as in पैदल जाओ या गाड़ी से? (paidal jaao yaa gaadii se?, 'will you go on foot or by car?').
Sample Sentences:
मैं रोज़ ऑफिस पैदल जाता हूँ।
I go to the office on foot every day.
(main roz ophis paidal jaataa hoon।)
ऑटो ले लें या पैदल चलें?
Should we take an auto or just walk?
(oto le len yaa paidal chalen?)
कल हम बाज़ार तक पैदल गए थे।
Yesterday we walked all the way to the market.
(kal ham baazaar tak paidal gae the।)
अगर बस न मिली तो हमें पैदल जाना पड़ेगा।
If we don't get a bus, we'll have to walk.
(agar bas n milii to hamen paidal jaanaa padegaa।)
तुम इतनी दूर पैदल मत जाओ, रिक्शा कर लो।
Don't walk so far, take a rickshaw.
(tum itnii door paidal mat jaao, rikshaa kar lo।)
अगर मेट्रो पास होती तो मैं पैदल ही चला जाता।
If the metro were nearby, I would just walk.
(agar metro paas hotii to main paidal hii chalaa jaataa।)
इतनी कम दूरी के लिए पैदल जाना ही ठीक है।
For such a short distance, it's better to just walk.
(itnii kam doorii ke lie paidal jaanaa hii thiik hai।)
पिछली बार पेट्रोल के दाम बढ़े तो बहुत लोग पैदल ही ऑफिस जाने लगे थे।
Last time petrol prices rose, a lot of people started walking to office instead.
(pichhlii baar petrol ke daam badhe to bahut log paidal hii ophis jaane lage the।)
श्रद्धालु मंदिर तक कई किलोमीटर पैदल चलते हैं।
The devotees walk several kilometers to reach the temple.
(shraddhaalu mandir tak kaii kilomiitar paidal chalte hain।)
सुझाव दिया गया कि सब लोग पैदल चलें और पेट्रोल बचाएँ।
It was suggested that everyone should walk and save petrol.
(sujhaav diyaa gayaa ki sab log paidal chalen aur petrol bachaaen।)
उस ज़माने में लोग गाँव से शहर तक पैदल ही जाते थे।
In those days, people used to travel from the village to the city entirely on foot.
(us zamaane men log gaanv se shahar tak paidal hii jaate the।)
Sense
2
:
pedestrian, on-foot (describing a person or mode)
adjective Used before a noun as an invariant modifier, e.g. पैदल यात्री (paidal yaatrii, 'pedestrian traveler') or पैदल सेना (paidal senaa, 'infantry').
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: You'll see this sense on road signs and in formal contexts -- पैदल यात्रियों के लिए (paidal yaatriyon ke lie, 'for pedestrians') is common signage near crossings in Delhi. पैदल सेना (paidal senaa, 'infantry') is the standard military term, built on the same root idea of moving on foot rather than by horse or vehicle.
Sample Sentences:
यह पुल सिर्फ़ पैदल यात्रियों के लिए बना है।
This bridge is built only for pedestrians.
(yah pul sirf paidal yaatriyon ke lie banaa hai।)
पैदल यात्रियों के लिए अलग रास्ता होना चाहिए।
There should be a separate path for pedestrians.
(paidal yaatriyon ke lie alag raastaa honaa chaahie।)
मुग़ल सेना में पैदल सिपाहियों की संख्या घोड़सवारों से कहीं अधिक थी।
In the Mughal army, the number of foot soldiers was far greater than that of cavalrymen.
(mughal senaa men paidal sipaahiyon kii sankhyaa ghodasvaaron se kahiin adhik thii।)
पैदल सेना को हमेशा सबसे आगे भेजा जाता था।
The infantry was always sent to the very front.
(paidal senaa ko hameshaa sabse aage bhejaa jaataa thaa।)
सिग्नल के पास पैदल पार करने वालों के लिए एक बटन लगा है।
Near the signal, there is a button installed for pedestrians crossing on foot.
(signal ke paas paidal paar karne vaalon ke lie ek batan lagaa hai।)
अगर पैदल यात्रियों की सुरक्षा का ध्यान न रखा जाए, तो दुर्घटनाएँ बढ़ेंगी।
If pedestrian safety is not looked after, accidents will increase.
(agar paidal yaatriyon kii surakshaa kaa dhyaan n rakhaa jaae, to durghatnaaen badhengii।)
सेनापति ने पैदल दस्ते को किले के पीछे से हमला करने का आदेश दिया।
The general ordered the infantry unit to attack from behind the fort.
(senaapti ne paidal daste ko kile ke piichhe se hamlaa karne kaa aadesh diyaa।)
पैदल यात्रियों के लिए फुटपाथ खाली रखिए।
Please keep the footpath clear for pedestrians.
(paidal yaatriyon ke lie phutpaath khaalii rakhie।)
अगर वह पैदल सेना में भर्ती होता, तो उसे कठिन प्रशिक्षण से गुज़रना पड़ता।
If he had joined the infantry, he would have had to go through harsh training.
(agar vah paidal senaa men bhartii hotaa, to use kathin prashikshan se guzarnaa padtaa।)
Morphology
Adjective (invariant)
invariant:
पैदल
(paidal)