आहिस्ता

Hindi

Etymology

Borrowed from Classical Persian آهسته (āhista).

Pronunciation

• (Delhi Hindi) IPA^(key): /ɑː.ɪs.t̪ɑː/, [äː.ɪs.t̪äː]
• (formal) (Delhi Hindi) IPA^(key): /ɑː.ɦɪs.t̪ɑː/, [äː.ɦɪs.t̪äː]

Adverb

आहिस्ता • (āhistā) (Urdu spelling آہستہ)

1. slowly, sluggishly

   Synonyms: धीमे (dhīme), धीरे (dhīre), आराम से (ārām se), रफ़्ता-रफ़्ता (raftā-raftā), शनैः (śanaiḥ), हौले-हौले (haule-haule)

   रेलगाड़ी आहिस्ता क्यों चलने लगी है?

   relgāṛī āhistā kyõ calne lagī hai?

   Why has the train begun to slow?

   आहिस्ता-आहिस्ता ― āhistā-āhistā ― very slowly

2. quietly, quiet

   Synonyms: धीमे (dhīme), हौले-हौले (haule-haule)

   टीवी को आहिस्ता करो! ― ṭīvī ko āhistā karo! ― Make the TV quiet!

   आहिस्ता बात करना ― āhistā bāt karnā ― to whisper; to speak slowly

3. gently, softly

   Synonyms: आराम से (ārām se), हौले-हौले (haule-haule)

   आहिस्ता-आहिस्ता छूना ― āhistā-āhistā chūnā ― to touch gently

Derived terms

• आहिस्ता करना (āhistā karnā, “to make quiet; to do slowly; to do gently”)
• आहिस्ता होना (āhistā honā, “to be quiet; to be slow”)

References

• Bahri, Hardev (1989) “आहिस्ता”, in Siksarthi Hindi-Angrejhi Sabdakosa [Learners' Hindi-English Dictionary], Delhi: Rajpal & Sons.