अफ़सर (afsar)
noun
A single-sense loanword meaning 'officer, official' -- someone in a position of administrative or governmental authority.
Sense
1
:
officer, official
noun, masculine
Synonyms: अधिकारी (adhikaarii), साहब (saahab, used as a form of address rather than a plain synonym)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: अफ़सर (afsar) comes from Persian/Arabic via Urdu and carries a distinct whiff of bureaucratic power in Indian life -- the word conjures the classic sarkaari daftar (sarkaarii daftar, 'government office') scene, where an अफ़सर (afsar) sits behind a desk piled with files while people wait outside. It is often paired with बड़ा (badaa, 'big/senior') to mean a high-ranking official, and with सरकारी (sarkaarii, 'government') to specify a public-sector officer as opposed to a private-company manager.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes assume अफ़सर (afsar) only means a police officer, but it covers any government or administrative official -- a बड़ा अफ़सर (badaa afsar, 'a big/senior officer') might work in a tax office, a bank, or a ministry. 2) The nuqta in अफ़सर (afsar) is often dropped in casual writing as अफसर (aphsar); both are understood, but the dotted form is standard.
Sample Sentences:
मेरे पिताजी एक सरकारी अफ़सर हैं।
My father is a government officer.
(mere pitaajii ek sarkaarii afsar hain।)
वह बहुत बड़ा अफ़सर है, उससे मिलना आसान नहीं।
He's a very senior officer -- it's not easy to meet him.
(vah bahut badaa afsar hai, usse milnaa aasaan nahiin।)
दफ़्तर में अफ़सर अपनी मेज़ पर फ़ाइलों के ढेर के पीछे बैठा था।
The officer was sitting behind a pile of files at his desk in the office.
(daftar men afsar apnii mez par faailon ke dher ke piichhe baithaa thaa।)
अगर मैं अफ़सर होता, तो सबकी शिकायतें फ़ौरन सुनता।
If I were an officer, I would listen to everyone's complaints right away.
(agar main afsar hotaa, to sabkii shikaayten fauran suntaa।)
अफ़सर साहब, मेरी फ़ाइल कल तक निकाल दीजिए।
Sir, please have my file processed by tomorrow.
(afsar saahab, merii faail kal tak nikaal diijie।)
वह मेहनत करके एक दिन बड़ा अफ़सर बन जाएगा।
He'll work hard and become a senior officer one day.
(vah mehnat karke ek din badaa afsar ban jaaegaa।)
शायद वह अफ़सर रिश्वत लेता हो, पर मुझे यकीन नहीं।
Maybe that officer takes bribes, but I'm not sure.
(shaayad vah afsar rishvat letaa ho, par mujhe yakiin nahiin।)
उस अफ़सर के भ्रष्टाचार के मामले की जाँच की जा रही है।
That officer's corruption case is being investigated.
(us afsar ke bhrashtaachaar ke maamle kii jaanch kii jaa rahii hai।)
गाँव के लोग अफ़सरों से डरते हैं और उनके सामने ज़बान नहीं खोलते।
The village people are scared of officers and don't open their mouths in front of them.
(gaanv ke log afasron se darte hain aur unke saamne zabaan nahiin kholte।)
नियुक्ति-पत्र प्राप्त होते ही उन्हें अफ़सर नियुक्त कर दिया गया।
As soon as the appointment letter was received, he was appointed as an officer.
(niyukti-patr praapt hote hii unhen afsar niyukt kar diyaa gayaa।)
बड़े अफ़सरों की मीटिंग में आम आदमी की समस्याएँ कभी सुनी नहीं जातीं।
In the meetings of senior officers, an ordinary person's problems are never heard.
(bade afasron kii miiting men aam aadmii kii samasyaaen kabhii sunii nahiin jaatiin।)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct):
अफ़सर
(afsar)
(sg.m.oblique):
अफ़सर
(afsar)
(pl.m.direct):
अफ़सर
(afsar)
(pl.m.oblique):
अफ़सरों
(afasron)