दुबला-पतला (dublaa-patlaa)

adjective A single-sense descriptive adjective meaning 'thin/lean/skinny,' used for people's physique. It is a reduplicative-style pair of near-synonyms (दुबला (dublaa) + पतला (patlaa)) joined for emphasis, a very common pattern in Hindi descriptive adjectives.

Sense 1 : thin, lean, skinny (of a person's build)

adjective

Synonyms: पतला (patlaa), कमज़ोर (kamzor, often implies weak/frail rather than just slim), छरहरा (chharahraa, slim in a fit, attractive way)

Frequency: high

Cultural Note: This is the classic phrase a Delhi aunty uses when fussing over a guest: 'तुम तो बहुत दुबले-पतले हो गए हो, खाना ठीक से खाते हो या नहीं?' (tum to bahut duble-patle ho gae ho, khaanaa thiik se khaate ho yaa nahiin, 'You've become so thin, are you even eating properly?'). Pairing two close synonyms like this (दुबला (dublaa) + पतला (patlaa)) is a common Hindi habit for emphasis, similar in spirit to English 'thin and lanky.'

Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes use it for thin objects like paper or rope, but दुबला-पतला (dublaa-patlaa) is reserved for describing a person's or animal's body -- for a thin object, use पतला (patlaa) alone. 2) It is usually neutral-to-sympathetic in tone, not necessarily negative like 'skinny' can sound in English; calling someone this is not normally rude.

Sample Sentences:

वह लड़का बहुत दुबला-पतला है। That boy is very thin and lean.

(vah ladkaa bahut dublaa-patlaa hai।)

तुम तो बहुत दुबले-पतले हो गए हो, खाना ठीक से खाते हो या नहीं? You've become so thin, are you even eating properly?

(tum to bahut duble-patle ho gae ho, khaanaa thiik se khaate ho yaa nahiin?)

बीमारी के बाद वह बहुत दुबला-पतला हो गया था। After the illness, he had become very thin and lean.

(biimaarii ke baad vah bahut dublaa-patlaa ho gayaa thaa।)

अगर वह ठीक से खाना खाता तो इतना दुबला-पतला नहीं होता। If he ate properly, he wouldn't be so thin and lean.

(agar vah thiik se khaanaa khaataa to itnaa dublaa-patlaa nahiin hotaa।)

दुबला-पतला दिखने के लिए वह रोज़ जिम जाती है। She goes to the gym every day to look thin and lean.

(dublaa-patlaa dikhne ke lie vah roz jim jaatii hai।)

दुबला-पतला मत बनो, थोड़ा खाना बढ़ाओ। Don't stay so thin and lean, eat a bit more.

(dublaa-patlaa mat bano, thodaa khaanaa badhaao।)

शायद तनाव की वजह से वह इतना दुबला-पतला हो गया हो। Maybe he became this thin and lean because of stress.

(shaayad tanaav kii vajah se vah itnaa dublaa-patlaa ho gayaa ho।)

उस दुबले-पतले आदमी को सब लोग पहचानते हैं। Everyone recognizes that thin, lean man.

(us duble-patle aadmii ko sab log pahchaante hain।)

डॉक्टर ने कहा कि बच्चे का दुबला-पतला शरीर कमज़ोरी की निशानी है। The doctor said that the child's thin, lean body is a sign of weakness.

(doktar ne kahaa ki bachche kaa dublaa-patlaa shariir kamzorii kii nishaanii hai।)

गाँव में लोग दुबले-पतले बच्चों को देखकर चिंता जताते हैं। In the village, people express concern upon seeing thin, lean children.

(gaanv men log duble-patle bachchon ko dekhkar chintaa jataate hain।)

जब मैं छोटा था, तब बहुत दुबला-पतला हुआ करता था। When I was little, I used to be very thin and lean.

(jab main chhotaa thaa, tab bahut dublaa-patlaa huaa kartaa thaa।)

Morphology

Adjective (variable)

Morphology could not be generated (hyphen-joined variable adjective 'दुबला-पतला').