नन्हा (nanhaa)

adjective An affectionate adjective meaning 'tiny, little' -- used almost always for small, endearing things like children, babies, or small creatures, rarely for inanimate objects.
Sense 1 : tiny, little (affectionate, for small/young beings)
adjective
Synonyms: छोटा (chhotaa), नन्हा-मुन्ना (nanhaa-munnaa, doubled affectionate form)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: This is the word every Hindi-speaking grandmother reaches for when cooing over a baby -- नन्हा सा बच्चा (nanhaa saa bachchaa, 'a tiny little child') has a warmth that छोटा बच्चा (chhotaa bachchaa) simply doesn't carry. You'll often see it doubled as नन्हा-मुन्ना (nanhaa-munnaa), a classic rhyming intensifier pattern common in baby-talk and children's rhymes.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often use नन्हा (nanhaa) interchangeably with छोटा (chhotaa), but नन्हा (nanhaa) carries a built-in tone of fondness or cuteness -- it's what you'd call a baby or a kitten, not a small room or a small mistake, where छोटा (chhotaa) is the natural choice. 2) It agrees in gender/number like a normal -आ adjective, but because it's mostly used for endearing small creatures, learners sometimes forget the feminine form नन्ही (nanhii) when describing, say, a baby girl or a little bird (चिड़िया, chidiyaa).
Sample Sentences:
देखो, कितना नन्हा सा बच्चा है! Look, what a tiny little child!
(dekho, kitnaa nanhaa saa bachchaa hai!)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
नन्ही सी चिड़िया डाल पर बैठी थी। The tiny little bird was sitting on the branch.
(nanhii sii chidiyaa daal par baithii thii।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
मेरी नन्ही बेटी हर सुबह मुझसे कहानी सुनने की ज़िद करती है। My little daughter insists on hearing a story from me every morning.
(merii nanhii betii har subah mujhse kahaanii sunne kii zid kartii hai।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
नन्हे-मुन्ने बच्चे बगीचे में खेल रहे हैं। The little tiny children are playing in the garden.
(nanhe-munne bachche bagiiche men khel rahe hain।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
काश मेरा भी कोई नन्हा सा साथी होता। I wish I too had a tiny little companion.
(kaash meraa bhii koii nanhaa saa saathii hotaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
उस नन्हे पौधे को रोज़ पानी देना, वरना सूख जाएगा। Water that tiny little plant every day, otherwise it will dry up.
(us nanhe paudhe ko roz paanii denaa, varnaa sookh jaaegaa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
नानी नन्हे हाथों को चूमकर लोरी गाने लगीं। Grandmother kissed the tiny little hands and began singing a lullaby.
(naanii nanhe haathon ko choomkar lorii gaane lagiin।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
अगर वह नन्हा कदम न उठाता, तो आज इतनी बड़ी सफलता न मिलती। If he had not taken that little step, such great success would not have come today.
(agar vah nanhaa kadam n uthaataa, to aaj itnii badii saphaltaa n miltii।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
कविता में नन्हे-मुन्ने फूल हवा में झूम रहे थे। In the poem, the little tiny flowers were swaying in the breeze.
(kavitaa men nanhe-munne phool havaa men jhoom rahe the।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
क्या तुम अपने नन्हे भाई का ख्याल रख सकती हो? Can you take care of your little brother?
(kyaa tum apne nanhe bhaaii kaa khyaal rakh saktii ho?)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Adjective (variable)
(sg.m): नन्हा (nanhaa)
(pl.m): नन्हे (nanhe)
(sg.f): नन्ही (nanhii)
(pl.f): नन्ही (nanhii)