hardly
intermediateB1/ˈhɑːrdli/ · hard-ly
Barely; only just; with difficulty.
Meanings
Barely; only just; with difficulty.
بہت کم؛ صرف تھوڑا سا؛ مشکل سے۔
مشکل سے
mushkil se
Synonyms
Common Collocations
- hardly anything
- hardly ever
- hardly noticeable
Example Sentences
I could hardly believe my eyes when I saw the result.
جب میں نے نتیجہ دیکھا تو مجھے مشکل سے یقین آیا۔
jab main ne nateeja dekha to mujhe mushkil se yaqeen aaya.
She hardly spoke during the entire meeting.
اس نے پوری ملاقات کے دوران بہت کم بولی۔
us ne poori mulaqat ke dauran bohat kam boli.
There was hardly any food left after the party.
پارٹی کے بعد وہاں بہت کم کھانا بچا تھا۔
party ke baad wahan bohat kam khana bacha tha.
Easily Confused With
💡 Memory Tip
Think of 'hard' to remember that 'hardly' indicates something done with difficulty.
Imagine a person trying to lift a heavy object, illustrating the difficulty.
✍️ Urdu Poetry
کتنی مشکل ہے اُن کا ذکر کرنا، جب دل کی بات ہو اور لفظوں کی کمی ہو۔
Kitni mushkil hai unka zikr karna, jab dil ki baat ho aur lafzon ki kami ho.
How difficult it is to mention them when it concerns the heart, and there is a lack of words.
— Unknown, Unverified
* Poetry attribution is AI-generated and may require verification.
🗣️ Urdu Proverb
مشکل کا سامنا کرنا ہے تو حوصلہ دیا جاؤ۔
Mushkil ka samna karna hai to hosla diya jao.
If you are to face difficulty, gather courage.
📖 Etymology
Origin: Old English "heardlice" — in a hard manner
First known use: 14th century
The word 'hardly' evolved from the Old English term 'heardlice', referring to doing something in a hard or difficult manner.