चंद (chand)
adjective
An invariant adjective meaning 'a few, some (small number of)' -- used before plural nouns to indicate a small, countable quantity.
Sense
1
:
a few, some (small in number)
adjective Placed directly before a plural noun, e.g. चंद दिन (chand din, 'a few days'), चंद लोग (chand log, 'a few people'). Does not itself inflect for the noun's gender or number.
Synonyms: कुछ (kuchh), थोड़े (thode), इकतरफ़ा (iktarfaa, rare)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: You will hear चंद (chand) a lot in news reports and everyday narration: चंद मिनटों में (chand minton men, 'in just a few minutes'), चंद रुपये (chand rupye, 'a few rupees'). It carries a slightly more literary, understated flavor than the everyday कुछ (kuchh), often used to emphasize just how small the number is -- 'a mere few.'
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes treat चंद (chand) like an ordinary adjective and try to inflect it (चंदा, चंदे) -- it never changes form, regardless of the noun's gender or number. 2) It is used only for countable nouns in the plural, not for uncountable amounts -- for 'a little milk' you would say थोड़ा दूध (thodaa doodh), not चंद दूध.
Sample Sentences:
चंद मिनटों में बारिश शुरू हो गई।
It started raining within just a few minutes.
(chand minton men baarish shuroo ho gaii।)
उसके पास चंद रुपये ही बचे हैं।
He has only a few rupees left.
(uske paas chand rupye hii bache hain।)
चंद लोग ही इस बात को समझ पाए।
Only a few people were able to understand this.
(chand log hii is baat ko samajh paae।)
चंद दिनों की मेहमानी है, फिर हमें लौटना होगा।
It's a stay of just a few days; then we'll have to go back.
(chand dinon kii mehmaanii hai, phir hamen lautnaa hogaa।)
चंद सवालों के जवाब दे दो, फिर तुम जा सकते हो।
Just answer a few questions, then you can go.
(chand savaalon ke javaab de do, phir tum jaa sakte ho।)
काश उसके पास चंद पल और होते।
If only he had had a few more moments.
(kaash uske paas chand pal aur hote।)
खबर के मुताबिक चंद घंटों में नतीजे घोषित किए जाएंगे।
According to the report, the results will be announced within just a few hours.
(khabar ke mutaabik chand ghanton men natiije ghoshit kie jaaenge।)
जब मैं छोटा था, तो चंद सिक्कों से भी दिन भर खुश रहता था।
When I was little, I used to be happy all day with just a few coins.
(jab main chhotaa thaa, to chand sikkon se bhii din bhar khush rahtaa thaa।)
शायद चंद वजहों से ही यह फैसला टाला गया हो।
Perhaps this decision was postponed for just a few reasons.
(shaayad chand vajahon se hii yah phaislaa taalaa gayaa ho।)
चंद शब्दों में उसने पूरी कहानी बयान कर दी।
In just a few words, she narrated the whole story.
(chand shabdon men usne poorii kahaanii bayaan kar dii।)
Morphology
Adjective (invariant)
invariant:
चंद
(chand)