Hindi Agent Nouns:
Use `-wālā` with oblique verbs (`-ne`) or direct nouns to describe people, specific objects, or immediate future actions.
The Rule in 30 Seconds
- Suffix -wālā creates doers or owners.
- Changes to -wālī (fem) or -wāle (plural).
- Verbs must change -nā to -ne before adding.
- Used for professions, identifiers, or 'about to'.
Quick Reference
| Base Type | Base Word | Modified Base | Full Agent Noun | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Noun (M) | dūdh (milk) | dūdh | dūdh-wālā | Milkman |
| Noun (F) | sabsī (veg) | sabzī | sabzī-wālī | Vegetable seller (F) |
| Verb | ānā (to come) | āne | āne-wālā | Comer / About to come |
| Adjective | lāl (red) | lāl | lāl-wālā | The red one |
| Adverb | ūpar (up) | ūpar | ūpar-wālā | The one above / God |
| Noun (Urdu) | dukān (shop) | dukān | dukāndār | Shopkeeper |
| Noun (Urdu) | dhokhā (fraud) | dhokhe | dhokhebāz | Fraudster/Deceiver |
Ejemplos clave
3 de 9Wo akhbār-wālā roz subah ātā hai.
That newspaper-man comes every morning.
Mujhe wo nīlī wālī kitāb dikhāiye.
Please show me that blue book (the blue one).
Train bas chūṭne wālī hai!
The train is just about to leave!
The "Which One?" Hack
If you go shopping, `-wālā` is your best friend. Just point and say `ye wālā` (this one) or `wo wālā` (that one). It saves you from needing to know the names of everything!
The Husband/Wife Trap
Be careful with `ghar-wālā` and `ghar-wālī`. While they literally mean 'house-person', they are universally understood as 'husband' and 'wife'. Don't use them for your roommate!
The Rule in 30 Seconds
- Suffix -wālā creates doers or owners.
- Changes to -wālī (fem) or -wāle (plural).
- Verbs must change -nā to -ne before adding.
- Used for professions, identifiers, or 'about to'.
Overview
Imagine a magical suffix that turns almost any word into a person or a specific thing. That is the power of Agent Nouns in Hindi, specifically the superstar suffix -wālā (-वाला). It effectively translates to "the guy who does...", "the one with...", or "the seller of...". While there are other suffixes like -dār (-दार) or -bāz (-बाज़), -wālā is the one you will use 90% of the time. It is the ultimate vocabulary hack. If you forget the word for "florist," you just say "flower-guy" (phūl-wālā), and everyone understands. It is colloquial, flexible, and essential for sounding like a local.
How This Grammar Works
At its core, an agent noun identifies a person by their relationship to a noun or an action. You take a base word—a noun, an adjective, or a verb—and glue a suffix onto it. The suffix acts like a label maker. It changes the function of the word from "milk" to "milkman," or from "run" to "runner" (or "about to run").
Gender matters here. Since these words describe people or specific things, they must agree with the gender and number of what they describe. So, -wālā changes to -wālī (-वाली) for females/feminine objects and -wāle (-वाले) for plural or respect.
Formation Pattern
- 1The pattern depends on what you are sticking the suffix to.
- 2With Nouns: Just add the suffix.
- 3
Noun+wālā - 4
chāy(tea) +wālā=chāy-wālā(tea seller) - 5With Verbs: Change the verb infinitive ending
-nāto the oblique-ne. - 6
Verb (infinitive)→Verb (-ne)+wālā - 7
jānā(to go) →jāne+wālā=jāne-wālā(the one who goes / is about to go) - 8Other Suffixes (Fixed Forms): These usually attach to nouns (often Persian/Urdu roots).
- 9
Noun+dār/bāz/chī - 10
dukān(shop) +dār=dukāndār(shopkeeper)
When To Use It
1. Professions and Roles: Identifying people by their trade. dūdh-wālā (milkman), akhbār-wālā (newspaper guy), dukāndār (shopkeeper).
2. Describing People/Things by Attributes: When pointing someone out.
"That red shirt guy." → wo lāl kamīz wālā.
"The big one." → baṛā wālā.
3. Immediate Future (Verbs): To say you are "about to" do something.
"I am about to come." → main āne wālā hūn.
4. Specific Identification: Distinguishing one thing from a group.
"Not that one, the spicy one." → wo nahīn, tīkhā wālā.
When Not To Use It
Do not use -wālā when a specific, common professional title is expected in very formal contexts, although it is rarely "wrong." Calling a doctor dawāī-wālā (medicine guy) sounds a bit childish, though people might say it jokingly. Also, be careful with specific relationships. Ghar-wālā implies "husband" and ghar-wālī implies "wife" (literally "house-person"), so do not use it to describe your landlord casually unless you want to confuse people!
Common Mistakes
- Forgetting the Oblique: Beginners often say
karnā-wālā(wrong) instead ofkarne-wālā(correct). Remember: verbs must bend (-ne) before they stick. - Ignoring Gender: Using
wālāfor everything. If you are talking about a girl reading a book, she is apaṛhne wālī, notwālā. - Over-translating: Trying to use it for English "-er" words that do not translate directly. A "computer" is not a
ginne-wālā(counting-guy); it's justcomputer.
Contrast With Similar Patterns
-wālā (Future) vs. Future Tense (-gā):
Main jāūngā= I will go (sometime).Main jāne wālā hūn= I am about to go / I am a goer.
The second one feels more immediate or descriptive of your state.
Quick FAQ
Q: Can I stick -wālā to English words?
A: Absolutely. Office-wālā, Taxi-wālā. It is very Hinglish friendly.
Q: Are -dār and -wālā interchangeable?
A: rarely. -dār is for fixed words (imāndār - honest). You cannot coin imān-wālā freely; it sounds odd. Stick to -wālā for your creative inventions.
Reference Table
| Base Type | Base Word | Modified Base | Full Agent Noun | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Noun (M) | dūdh (milk) | dūdh | dūdh-wālā | Milkman |
| Noun (F) | sabsī (veg) | sabzī | sabzī-wālī | Vegetable seller (F) |
| Verb | ānā (to come) | āne | āne-wālā | Comer / About to come |
| Adjective | lāl (red) | lāl | lāl-wālā | The red one |
| Adverb | ūpar (up) | ūpar | ūpar-wālā | The one above / God |
| Noun (Urdu) | dukān (shop) | dukān | dukāndār | Shopkeeper |
| Noun (Urdu) | dhokhā (fraud) | dhokhe | dhokhebāz | Fraudster/Deceiver |
The "Which One?" Hack
If you go shopping, `-wālā` is your best friend. Just point and say `ye wālā` (this one) or `wo wālā` (that one). It saves you from needing to know the names of everything!
The Husband/Wife Trap
Be careful with `ghar-wālā` and `ghar-wālī`. While they literally mean 'house-person', they are universally understood as 'husband' and 'wife'. Don't use them for your roommate!
Respecting the 'Wālā'
While calling someone `rickshaw-wālā` is common, adding `bhāīyā` (brother) or `jī` makes it polite: `Rickshaw-wāle bhāīyā`. It sounds much less demanding.
The English-Hindi Fusion
Hindi speakers love attaching `-wālā` to English words. `College-wālā friend`, `Office-wālī girl`. Don't be afraid to mix languages; it sounds very natural.
Ejemplos
9Wo akhbār-wālā roz subah ātā hai.
Focus: akhbār-wālā
That newspaper-man comes every morning.
Noun + wālā usually denotes a seller or distributor.
Mujhe wo nīlī wālī kitāb dikhāiye.
Focus: nīlī wālī
Please show me that blue book (the blue one).
Adjective + wālā distinguishes one object from others.
Train bas chūṭne wālī hai!
Focus: chūṭne wālī
The train is just about to leave!
Verb root + ne + wālā indicates imminent action.
Ūpar-wālā sab dekhtā hai.
Focus: Ūpar-wālā
The One Above (God) watches everything.
Common euphemism for God using an adverb.
Wo gānā-wālā laṛkā kaun hai? (✗) -> Wo gāne-wālā laṛkā kaun hai? (✓)
Focus: gāne-wālā
Who is that singing boy?
Verbs must change 'ā' to 'e' (oblique) before adding wālā.
Chāy-wālā ne paise māñge. (✗) -> Chāy-wāle ne paise māñge. (✓)
Focus: Chāy-wāle
The tea-seller asked for money.
The agent noun itself changes to oblique (-e) when followed by 'ne'.
Ye bārah kamron wālā ghar hai.
Focus: kamron wālā
This is a twelve-room house.
Literally 'twelve-rooms-having house'.
Wo bahut baṛā nāṭakbāz hai.
Focus: nāṭakbāz
He is a huge drama-queen/actor.
-bāz implies someone skilled in or addicted to something (often negative).
Are, taxi-wāle! Ruko!
Focus: taxi-wāle
Hey, taxi driver! Stop!
Very common way to address service providers.
Ponte a prueba
Convert the verb 'to sleep' (sonā) into 'the one who sleeps'.
Ye bachchā bahut _____ hai.
Infinitive 'sonā' becomes oblique 'sone' before adding 'wālā'.
Choose the correct form for a female shopkeeper.
Wo _____ bahut acchī hai.
The suffix must agree with the gender of the person (female) -> 'wālī'.
Identify the 'honest' person using the correct suffix.
Raju ek _____ ādmī hai.
'Imān' (faith/honesty) traditionally takes the Persian suffix '-dār', not '-wālā'.
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Ayudas visuales
Suffix Showdown
Making a Verb Agent
Is it a verb?
Does it end in -nā?
Change -nā to -ne?
Add -wālā?
Common Agent Suffixes
The Default
- • -wālā
- • -wālī
Persian Roots
- • -dār
- • -mand
Skilled/Negative
- • -bāz
- • -chī
Doer/Maker
- • -kār
- • -gar
Preguntas frecuentes
22 preguntasIt doesn't have a single translation. It contextually means 'doer', 'owner', 'seller', or 'the one associated with'. Think of it as a flexible label.
Almost any concrete noun, yes. Pānī-wālā (water guy), ticket-wālā (ticket seller). Abstract nouns are rarer but possible in specific idioms.
Change the ā to e. Dūdh-wālā becomes Dūdh-wāle. Ye sabzi-wāle acche hain (These vegetable sellers are good).
-dār is a Persian suffix that stuck to specific words, mostly regarding possession or attributes. Dukāndār, Zimmedār. You have to memorize these as set vocabulary.
Lekhak is the formal word for 'author'. Likhne-wālā is just 'one who writes'. You'd use lekhak for a professional bio, and likhne-wālā if describing someone holding a pen.
No, it's the standard term. However, shouting "Oye chāy-wālā!" is rude. Calling out "Chāy-wāle bhāiyā!" is polite.
It means 'about to be' or 'would-be'. Meri hone wālī patnī means 'my future wife' (fiancée).
No, if you mean 'the one eating'. It must be khāne wālā (verb in oblique). If you mean 'the food guy' (noun), then khānā-wālā is technically okay but rare.
Another Turkish/Persian import denoting a profession, often distinct tools. Bāwarchī (cook), Khazānchī (treasurer). It's less productive than wālā.
Yes. If referring to an elder or someone respected, use the plural/oblique wāle. Papa aane wāle hain (Dad is about to come).
Paneer-wālā is the man selling cheese. Paneer-wālī could be the woman selling cheese OR a dish containing cheese (paneer-wālī sabzi). Context is key!
Use the past tense of 'to be'. Main jāne wālā thā. The wālā part stays the same; the auxiliary verb changes time.
Yes, extremely common. Formal is police adhikārī, but everyone says police-wālā.
These mean 'doer/maker' in Urdu/Persian loans. Jādūgar (magician), Kalākār (artist). You can't usually stick them on new words.
Yes! Pañkhe-wālā kamrā (The room with the fan). It describes a feature of the object.
Literally 'money-guy', but it means 'rich'. Wo bahut paise-wālā hai (He is very rich).
Sometimes you might hear it as vālā or even ālā in fast speech, but stick to a clear wālā sound.
Not really. You wouldn't say dukāndār-wālā. It's redundant. Just dukāndār.
Jā rahā is 'going' (process). Jāne wālā is 'about to go' (imminent future). Main jāne wālā hūn = I'm just leaving now.
Yes. Kam dām wālā dikhao (Show me the low price one).
Less so. In formal literature, specific nouns are preferred (Vikretā instead of bechne-wālā), but in dialogue, it's everywhere.
Idiomatically, if someone asks for chāy-pānī (tea-water), they might be hinting at a bribe! But chāy-wālā is just the tea seller.
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