शुल्क (shulk)

noun A formal word meaning 'fee' or 'charge' -- the amount you pay for a service, membership, or official process. It has one core sense but appears in many compound terms (प्रवेश शुल्क (pravesh shulk), शुल्क मुक्त (shulk mukt)).
Sense 1 : fee, charge, toll (formal/official payment for a service)
noun, masculine
Synonyms: फ़ीस (fiis), दाम (daam, price, broader), चार्ज (chaarj, colloquial, English loan), कर (kar, tax, narrower meaning)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: You'll see शुल्क (shulk) everywhere on official paperwork in India -- college prospectuses, hospital counters, toll booth signs (टोल शुल्क (tol shulk)) -- while in casual conversation people usually just say फ़ीस (fiis) instead, especially for school or course fees. It's a good word to recognize on forms even if you don't use it much yourself when speaking.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often reach for पैसा (paisaa) or दाम (daam) when talking about a formal fee (school fee, registration fee, toll), but शुल्क (shulk) is the word used in official, institutional, or written contexts -- forms, signs, receipts, government notices. 2) Don't confuse with कर (kar), which specifically means 'tax' levied by government -- शुल्क (shulk) is a service charge, not a tax, even though both are formal-register words.
Sample Sentences:
प्रवेश शुल्क कितना है? How much is the admission fee?
(pravesh shulk kitnaa hai?)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
कृपया परीक्षा शुल्क समय पर जमा करें। Please deposit the examination fee on time.
(kripyaa pariikshaa shulk samay par jamaa karen।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
टोल शुल्क हर महीने बढ़ता जा रहा है। The toll fee keeps increasing every month.
(tol shulk har mahiine badhtaa jaa rahaa hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
अस्पताल में पंजीकरण शुल्क लिया जाता है। A registration fee is charged at the hospital.
(asptaal men panjiikran shulk liyaa jaataa hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
अगर समय पर शुल्क नहीं भरा गया, तो आवेदन रद्द हो जाएगा। If the fee is not paid on time, the application will be cancelled.
(agar samay par shulk nahiin bharaa gayaa, to aavedan radd ho jaaegaa।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Passive
पिछले साल कॉलेज ने शुल्क बढ़ा दिया था। Last year the college had increased the fee.
(pichhle saal kolej ne shulk badhaa diyaa thaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
काश सरकारी दफ्तरों में शुल्क इतना ज़्यादा न होता। If only the fee in government offices weren't so high.
(kaash sarkaarii daphtron men shulk itnaa zyaadaa n hotaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
मंत्रालय ने प्रस्ताव दिया है कि सेवा शुल्क घटाया जाए। The ministry has proposed that the service fee be reduced.
(mantraalay ne prastaav diyaa hai ki sevaa shulk ghataayaa jaae।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
आवेदन-पत्र के साथ शुल्क की रसीद संलग्न करें। Attach the fee receipt along with the application form.
(aavedan-patr ke saath shulk kii rasiid sanlagn karen।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
क्या इस सेवा के लिए कोई शुल्क देना पड़ता है? Does one have to pay any fee for this service?
(kyaa is sevaa ke lie koii shulk denaa padtaa hai?)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct): शुल्क (shulk)
(sg.m.oblique): शुल्क (shulk)
(pl.m.direct): शुल्क (shulk)
(pl.m.oblique): शुल्कों (shulkon)