Meaning of Half in Tamil:
Spoken vs Formal
Formal / Written
பாதி / அரை
"Paadhi / Ara"
For textbooks, news, and formal speeches.
REAL LIFE
Spoken / Chatபாதி
"Paadhi"
Use this with friends, family, and on WhatsApp.
When to use which?
'Ara' is used specifically for units (e.g., Half a kilo).
Example Usage
English
"Give me half."
Formal
எனக்கு பாதி கொடுங்கள் (Enakku paadhi kodungal).
Spoken (Better)
பாதி குடு (Paadhi kudu).