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half

Urdu translation: ساڑھے vs آدھا، نصف، نیم

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
English term or phrase:half
Urdu translation:ساڑھے vs آدھا، نصف، نیم
Entered by: Quamrul Islam

18:21 Nov 19, 2009
English to Urdu translations [PRO]
General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters
English term or phrase: half
I would especially like to learn about the differences in meaning or usage between the Urdu words آدھا (aadha) and ساڑھے (saarhe). Is "saarhe" only used in time expressions such as "half past four"?
KMP88
ساڑھے vs آدھا، نصف، نیم
Explanation:
ساڑھے is a local suffix, added to numbers three and above, to denote "-and a half", as well as "half past-".
Thus:
ساڑھے چار سال => four and a half years,
ساڑھے دس بجے => at 10:30, at half past ten

To denote "one and a half" or "half past one", please use ڈیڑھ , which itself is complete and no extra "one" is necessary.
Similarly, use ڈھائی for "two and a half" or "half past two".

آدھا is of Sanskrit origin, and is commonly used to mean just half or incompleteness of something:
آدھا حصہ مجھے دے دو => give me half the share

نیم is of Persian origin and mostly used to denote "half-", "semi-", "mid-", "incomplete" or similar ideas:
نیم سرکاری => semi-official
نیم حکیم => inexperienced physician
نیم شب => midnight ; also : آدھی رات

نصف is of Arabic origin, and is more formal or technical in nature, used in specific cases to mean "half-" in compounds:
نصف روزہ سفر => half-day tour
نصف سالانہ => half-yearly
نصف ملین ڈالر => half a million dollar

I hope the explanation would be helpful to all, and I welcome any comments on it.


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Note added at 1 day7 hrs (2009-11-21 01:25:59 GMT) Post-grading
--------------------------------------------------

Special thanks to KMP88 for choosing this answer, and thanks also to all who have spent time to read my long answer. Best regards to all !!
Selected response from:

Quamrul Islam
Local time: 08:25
Grading comment
Thank you, this is hard for an English speaker, very clear explanation.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
5 +3آدھا، نصف
abufaraz
5 +1ساڑھے vs آدھا، نصف، نیم
Quamrul Islam


Discussion entries: 1





  

Answers


11 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +3
آدھا، نصف


Explanation:
ٰIt is is used as a prefix with all the numbers (except 1 and 2) to denote 'half' . Like:
ساڑھے تین، ساڑھے چار، ساڑھے پانچ and so on.

It is used with the all the numbers to denote time, weight, measurement etc.

abufaraz
Pakistan
Local time: 07:25
Native speaker of: Native in UrduUrdu, Native in PunjabiPunjabi
PRO pts in category: 20

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Qudsia Lone
1 hr
agree  Ramesh Bhatt
6 hrs
agree  Haris Ali Dogar
21 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

8 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +1
ساڑھے vs آدھا، نصف، نیم


Explanation:
ساڑھے is a local suffix, added to numbers three and above, to denote "-and a half", as well as "half past-".
Thus:
ساڑھے چار سال => four and a half years,
ساڑھے دس بجے => at 10:30, at half past ten

To denote "one and a half" or "half past one", please use ڈیڑھ , which itself is complete and no extra "one" is necessary.
Similarly, use ڈھائی for "two and a half" or "half past two".

آدھا is of Sanskrit origin, and is commonly used to mean just half or incompleteness of something:
آدھا حصہ مجھے دے دو => give me half the share

نیم is of Persian origin and mostly used to denote "half-", "semi-", "mid-", "incomplete" or similar ideas:
نیم سرکاری => semi-official
نیم حکیم => inexperienced physician
نیم شب => midnight ; also : آدھی رات

نصف is of Arabic origin, and is more formal or technical in nature, used in specific cases to mean "half-" in compounds:
نصف روزہ سفر => half-day tour
نصف سالانہ => half-yearly
نصف ملین ڈالر => half a million dollar

I hope the explanation would be helpful to all, and I welcome any comments on it.


--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 day7 hrs (2009-11-21 01:25:59 GMT) Post-grading
--------------------------------------------------

Special thanks to KMP88 for choosing this answer, and thanks also to all who have spent time to read my long answer. Best regards to all !!

Quamrul Islam
Local time: 08:25
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in BengaliBengali
PRO pts in category: 8
Grading comment
Thank you, this is hard for an English speaker, very clear explanation.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  abufaraz: Absolutely detailed explanation and very helpful in understand the term
1 day 10 hrs
  -> Thanks, Abu Riaz Bhai !!!
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)



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