कार्यालय (kaaryaalay)

noun A formal Hindi word for 'office' -- the place where administrative or official work happens. Single, straightforward sense.
Sense 1 : office (place of work, especially official/administrative)
noun, masculine
Synonyms: दफ़्तर (daftar), ऑफिस (ophis, very common in casual speech)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: You'll see कार्यालय (kaaryaalay) painted on government building signboards -- डाकघर कार्यालय (daakghar kaaryaalay, 'post office'), प्रधान कार्यालय (pradhaan kaaryaalay, 'head office') -- and hear it in official announcements or news reports, but in daily chat about 'going to office,' Delhi-ites almost always say ऑफिस जाना है (ophis jaanaa hai, 'have to go to office') rather than कार्यालय जाना है (kaaryaalay jaanaa hai). Think of दफ़्तर (daftar) as the everyday cousin and कार्यालय (kaaryaalay) as its formal, official-paperwork sibling.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often use this word in casual speech where a Delhi speaker would simply say ऑफिस (ophis) or दफ़्तर (daftar); कार्यालय (kaaryaalay) sounds formal or bureaucratic in everyday conversation, more like something you'd see on a signboard or hear in an announcement than say to a friend about your workplace.
Sample Sentences:
यह पत्र कार्यालय के पते पर भेजिए। Please send this letter to the office address.
(yah patr kaaryaalay ke pate par bhejie।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
प्रधान कार्यालय दिल्ली में स्थित है। The head office is located in Delhi.
(pradhaan kaaryaalay dillii men sthit hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
कार्यालय सुबह दस बजे खुलता है और शाम छह बजे बंद होता है। The office opens at ten in the morning and closes at six in the evening.
(kaaryaalay subah das baje khultaa hai aur shaam chhah baje band hotaa hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
डाकघर कार्यालय में आज बहुत भीड़ थी। There was a huge crowd at the post office today.
(daakghar kaaryaalay men aaj bahut bhiid thii।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
यह आदेश कार्यालय द्वारा जारी किया गया है। This order has been issued by the office.
(yah aadesh kaaryaalay dvaaraa jaarii kiyaa gayaa hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
अगर सारे दस्तावेज़ पूरे होते, तो कार्यालय आज ही अनुमति दे देता। If all the documents had been complete, the office would have given permission today itself.
(agar saare dastaavez poore hote, to kaaryaalay aaj hii anumti de detaa।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
कार्यालय में सभी कर्मचारियों को समय पर पहुँचना चाहिए। All employees should reach the office on time.
(kaaryaalay men sabhii karmchaariyon ko samay par pahunchnaa chaahie।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
नया कार्यालय अगले महीने से काम करना शुरू करेगा। The new office will start functioning from next month.
(nayaa kaaryaalay agle mahiine se kaam karnaa shuroo karegaa।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Active
मुख्यमंत्री ने आज नए कार्यालय भवन का उद्घाटन किया। The chief minister inaugurated the new office building today.
(mukhymantrii ne aaj nae kaaryaalay bhavan kaa udghaatan kiyaa।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
सभी संबंधित कार्यालयों को सूचना भेज दी गई है। Notification has been sent to all concerned offices.
(sabhii sambandhit kaaryaalyon ko soochnaa bhej dii gaii hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct): कार्यालय (kaaryaalay)
(sg.m.oblique): कार्यालय (kaaryaalay)
(pl.m.direct): कार्यालय (kaaryaalay)
(pl.m.oblique): कार्यालयों (kaaryaalyon)