थोड़ा (thodaa)
adjective/adverb
थोड़ा (thodaa) means 'a little/some' as a quantity adjective, and also works as an adverb meaning 'a bit, slightly' -- both senses are extremely common in daily speech.
Sense
1
:
a little, a small amount of
adjective, masculine/feminine Agrees in gender/number with the noun it modifies, e.g. थोड़ी चाय (thodii chaay, 'a little tea'), थोड़े पैसे (thode paise, 'a little money').
Synonyms: कुछ (kuchh, less precise, means 'some/any'), ज़रा (zaraa, colloquial, often used together as थोड़ा ज़रा (thodaa zaraa))
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: You will hear थोड़ा (thodaa) constantly in kitchens and shops -- थोड़ा नमक डालो (thodaa namak daalo, 'add a little salt') or थोड़ा और दो (thodaa aur do, 'give a bit more') -- it is the go-to word for moderating any request.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes use थोड़ा (thodaa) with plural countable nouns where a number or कुछ (kuchh) would sound more natural in English but थोड़े (thode) + plural is perfectly fine in Hindi, e.g. थोड़े लोग (thode log, 'a few people'). 2) Confusing थोड़ा (thodaa, 'a little') with बहुत (bahut, 'a lot') under time pressure -- they are opposite in meaning but both common intensifiers/quantifiers.
Sample Sentences:
कृपया इसमें थोड़ा नमक डालो।
Please add a little salt to this.
(kripyaa ismen thodaa namak daalo।)
मुझे थोड़ा पानी चाहिए।
I need a little water.
(mujhe thodaa paanii chaahie।)
मेरे पास थोड़ा समय बचा है।
I have a little time left.
(mere paas thodaa samay bachaa hai।)
दुकानदार ने उसे थोड़ा आटा दिया।
The shopkeeper gave him a little flour.
(dukaandaar ne use thodaa aataa diyaa।)
काश मेरे पास थोड़ा और पैसा होता।
If only I had a little more money.
(kaash mere paas thodaa aur paisaa hotaa।)
थोड़ा दूध रोज़ सुबह रखा जाता है।
A little milk is kept aside every morning.
(thodaa doodh roz subah rakhaa jaataa hai।)
क्या आप थोड़ा और चाय लेंगे?
Will you have a little more tea?
(kyaa aap thodaa aur chaay lenge?)
शायद उसे थोड़ा आराम मिल जाए।
Perhaps he will get a little rest.
(shaayad use thodaa aaraam mil jaae।)
थोड़ा घी डालने से स्वाद बढ़ जाता है।
Adding a little ghee increases the flavor.
(thodaa ghii daalne se svaad badh jaataa hai।)
उसने थैले में थोड़ा सामान रख रखा था।
He had kept a little luggage in the bag.
(usne thaile men thodaa saamaan rakh rakhaa thaa।)
बच्चे को थोड़ा दूध और दे दो।
Give the child a little more milk.
(bachche ko thodaa doodh aur de do।)
Sense
2
:
a bit, slightly, somewhat
adverb Modifies adjectives, adverbs, or verbs to soften intensity, e.g. थोड़ा मुश्किल (thodaa mushkil, 'a bit difficult') or थोड़ा धीरे बोलो (thodaa dhiire bolo, 'speak a bit slower').
Synonyms: ज़रा (zaraa, often softer/more polite in requests), कुछ (kuchh, can mean 'somewhat' before adjectives)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: This adverbial use is the softener behind Delhi's famous polite requests -- थोड़ा रुक जाओ (thodaa ruk jaao, 'wait a bit') or थोड़ा सुन लो (thodaa sun lo, 'just listen a bit') -- adding थोड़ा (thodaa) takes the edge off an instruction and makes it sound like a friendly ask rather than a command.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often forget that थोड़ा (thodaa) as an adverb before an adjective/verb typically stays in the masculine singular default form regardless of the following noun's gender, since it is modifying the adjective/verb, not agreeing with a noun -- compare थोड़ी चीज़ (thodii chiiz, adjective use, agrees) versus थोड़ा अच्छा (thodaa achchhaa, adverbial use, invariant).
Sample Sentences:
थोड़ा रुक जाओ, मैं अभी आता हूँ।
Wait a bit, I'm coming right now.
(thodaa ruk jaao, main abhii aataa hoon।)
थोड़ा सुन लो, फिर जो चाहे करना।
Just listen a bit, then do whatever you want.
(thodaa sun lo, phir jo chaahe karnaa।)
आज मौसम थोड़ा ठंडा है।
The weather is a bit cold today.
(aaj mausam thodaa thandaa hai।)
वह थोड़ा देर से पहुँचा।
He arrived a bit late.
(vah thodaa der se pahunchaa।)
क्या आप थोड़ा धीरे बोल सकते हैं?
Could you speak a little more slowly?
(kyaa aap thodaa dhiire bol sakte hain?)
अगर तुम थोड़ा ध्यान से सुनते, तो गलती नहीं होती।
If you had listened a little more carefully, the mistake wouldn't have happened.
(agar tum thodaa dhyaan se sunte, to galtii nahiin hotii।)
मैं चाहता हूँ कि वह थोड़ा जल्दी उठे।
I want him to wake up a little earlier.
(main chaahtaa hoon ki vah thodaa jaldii uthe।)
काम अभी भी थोड़ा बाकी है।
The work is still a bit remaining.
(kaam abhii bhii thodaa baakii hai।)
यह मामला जाँच के बाद थोड़ा स्पष्ट हो जाएगा।
This matter will become a bit clearer after investigation.
(yah maamlaa jaanch ke baad thodaa spasht ho jaaegaa।)
थोड़ा संभल कर चलिए, रास्ता फिसलन भरा है।
Please walk a bit carefully, the path is slippery.
(thodaa sambhal kar chalie, raastaa phislan bharaa hai।)
वह थोड़ा हैरान होकर मुझे देखने लगा।
He looked at me, a little surprised.
(vah thodaa hairaan hokar mujhe dekhne lagaa।)
Morphology
Adjective (variable)
(sg.m):
थोड़ा
(thodaa)
(pl.m):
थोड़े
(thode)
(sg.f):
थोड़ी
(thodii)
(pl.f):
थोड़ी
(thodii)