शौचालय (shauchaalay)

noun A single-sense formal/civic word meaning 'toilet, restroom' -- built from शौच (shauch, 'defecation, cleansing') plus आलय (aalay, 'dwelling, place'), so literally 'place of ablution.'
Sense 1 : toilet, restroom, lavatory
noun, masculine
Synonyms: टॉयलेट (toylet), बाथरूम (baathroom, colloquial), संडास (sandaas, colloquial), प्रसाधन गृह (prasaadhan grih, formal)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: This is the word you'll see stenciled on public signs and painted on walls as part of the Swachh Bharat (svachchh bhaarat) sanitation campaign, e.g. शौचालय है, गर्व है (shauchaalay hai, garv hai, 'having a toilet is a matter of pride') -- so it carries a civic, almost official flavor. In everyday family conversation at home, people are far more likely to just say बाथरूम (baathroom) or टॉयलेट (toylet).
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often reach for बाथरूम (baathroom) or टॉयलेट (toylet) in speech since शौचालय (shauchaalay) sounds noticeably formal/written -- it is the word you see on signboards and in government schemes, not usually the word you'd use casually asking a friend where the toilet is. 2) Note the compound is masculine despite ending in य (y) -- it takes forms like शौचालय जाना है (shauchaalay jaanaa hai, 'need to go to the toilet'), not feminine agreement.
Sample Sentences:
गाँव में हर घर में शौचालय होना चाहिए। Every house in the village should have a toilet.
(gaanv men har ghar men shauchaalay honaa chaahie।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
सरकार ने हर घर में शौचालय बनवाया है। The government has had a toilet built in every house.
(sarkaar ne har ghar men shauchaalay banvaayaa hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
दीवार पर लिखा है, शौचालय है, गर्व है। It's written on the wall, 'having a toilet is a matter of pride.'
(diivaar par likhaa hai, shauchaalay hai, garv hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
इस स्कूल में शौचालय की हालत बहुत खराब है। The condition of the toilet in this school is very bad.
(is skool men shauchaalay kii haalat bahut kharaab hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
स्वच्छ भारत अभियान के तहत लाखों शौचालय बनाए गए। Under the Swachh Bharat campaign, millions of toilets were built.
(svachchh bhaarat abhiyaan ke tahat laakhon shauchaalay banaae gae।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Passive
कृपया सार्वजनिक शौचालय का उपयोग करें और उसे साफ रखें। Please use the public toilet and keep it clean.
(kripyaa saarvajnik shauchaalay kaa upyog karen aur use saaph rakhen।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
अगर हर घर में शौचालय होता तो बीमारियाँ कम होतीं। If every house had a toilet, there would be fewer diseases.
(agar har ghar men shauchaalay hotaa to biimaariyaan kam hotiin।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
अधिकारी जाँच करेंगे कि सभी शौचालय ठीक से काम कर रहे हैं या नहीं। The officials will inspect whether all the toilets are functioning properly or not.
(adhikaarii jaanch karenge ki sabhii shauchaalay thiik se kaam kar rahe hain yaa nahiin।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Active
पंचायत ने प्रस्ताव पास किया कि स्कूल में नया शौचालय बनाया जाए। The village council passed a proposal that a new toilet be built at the school.
(panchaayat ne prastaav paas kiyaa ki skool men nayaa shauchaalay banaayaa jaae।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Passive
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct): शौचालय (shauchaalay)
(sg.m.oblique): शौचालय (shauchaalay)
(pl.m.direct): शौचालय (shauchaalay)
(pl.m.oblique): शौचालयों (shauchaalyon)