सरकार (sarkaar)

noun Primarily means 'government', but carries a secondary, warmly respectful sense as a term of address/reference for a person of authority or high status.
Sense 1 : government, state authority
noun, feminine
Synonyms: शासन (shaasan, rule/administration), राज्य (raajy, state, broader scope)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: In everyday conversation, सरकार (sarkaar) is used constantly to talk about anything from national policy to the local municipal office fixing a pothole -- Indians have a running, half-affectionate, half-exasperated relationship with the word, as in सरकार कुछ नहीं करती (sarkaar kuchh nahiin kartii, 'the government does nothing').
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes treat सरकार (sarkaar) as always singular-referring like English 'the government,' but it takes feminine agreement regardless of the number of people actually in power -- सरकार ने फैसला लिया (sarkaar ne phaislaa liyaa, 'the government made a decision') always agrees as feminine singular.
Sample Sentences:
सरकार कुछ नहीं करती। The government does nothing.
(sarkaar kuchh nahiin kartii।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
सरकार ने पेट्रोल की कीमतें बढ़ा दीं। The government raised petrol prices.
(sarkaar ne petrol kii kiimten badhaa diin।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
अगली सरकार इस मुद्दे पर क्या करेगी, यह देखना होगा। We will have to see what the next government does about this issue.
(aglii sarkaar is mudde par kyaa karegii, yah dekhnaa hogaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Active
सड़क की मरम्मत सरकार द्वारा कराई जा रही है। The road repair is being carried out by the government.
(sadak kii marammat sarkaar dvaaraa karaaii jaa rahii hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
काश सरकार गरीबों के लिए कुछ ठोस करती। If only the government did something substantial for the poor.
(kaash sarkaar gariibon ke lie kuchh thos kartii।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
यदि सरकार समय पर फैसला लेती तो इतना नुकसान न होता। If the government had made the decision on time, there wouldn't have been so much damage.
(yadi sarkaar samay par phaislaa letii to itnaa nuksaan n hotaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
सरकार को जल्द से जल्द इस पर कानून बनाना चाहिए। The government should make a law on this as soon as possible.
(sarkaar ko jald se jald is par kaanoon banaanaa chaahie।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
नई योजना के तहत किसानों को सरकार से सीधे पैसा मिलेगा। Under the new scheme, farmers will get money directly from the government.
(naii yojnaa ke tahat kisaanon ko sarkaar se siidhe paisaa milegaa।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Active
अरे यार, सरकार बदल जाए तो भी हालात नहीं बदलते। Yaar, even if the government changes, the situation doesn't change.
(are yaar, sarkaar badal jaae to bhii haalaat nahiin badalte।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
राज्य सरकार और केंद्र सरकार के बीच इस मुद्दे पर टकराव है। There is a conflict between the state government and the central government on this issue.
(raajy sarkaar aur kendr sarkaar ke biich is mudde par takraav hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
यह प्रस्ताव सरकार को भेज दिया गया है। This proposal has been sent to the government.
(yah prastaav sarkaar ko bhej diyaa gayaa hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Passive
Sense 2 : respectful term of address for a person of authority (lord, master, 'my lord')
noun, feminine Used vocatively or in third person to address/refer to someone with deference -- a landlord, a powerful official, or even affectionately to a spouse or elder in some households.
Synonyms: हुज़ूर (huzoor, formal/archaic address), मालिक (maalik, owner/master, broader use)
Frequency: low
Cultural Note: This usage echoes the old zamindari and royal-court style of address, where servants or subjects called their lord सरकार (sarkaar) instead of using his name -- you still hear it in period dramas and, half-jokingly, when someone teases a bossy friend or spouse by calling them सरकार (sarkaar).
Common Mistakes: 1) This sense is not interchangeable with the government sense just because both are grammatically feminine -- calling a person सरकार (sarkaar) is a deliberate flourish of deference or affection, not a casual synonym for 'sir.' 2) Learners may not realize this usage can sound playful or theatrical in modern urban speech, often used half-jokingly among friends or in TV dramas set in feudal households.
Sample Sentences:
जो हुक्म सरकार का। As my lord commands.
(jo hukm sarkaar kaa।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Voice: Active
सरकार, खाना तैयार है। Sir, the food is ready.
(sarkaar, khaanaa taiyaar hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
सरकार ने आज बहुत जल्दी उठने का हुक्म दिया। My lord ordered that we wake up very early today.
(sarkaar ne aaj bahut jaldii uthne kaa hukm diyaa।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
सरकार, इधर आइए, आपके लिए एक खत आया है। My lord, come this way, a letter has arrived for you.
(sarkaar, idhar aaie, aapke lie ek khat aayaa hai।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Imperative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
अरे सरकार, आज फिर मेरा फोन घर पर छूट गया। Oh boss, I've left my phone at home again today.
(are sarkaar, aaj phir meraa phon ghar par chhoot gayaa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
सरकार जब तक न बुलाएँ, कोई भीतर नहीं जाएगा। Until my lord summons someone, no one shall go inside.
(sarkaar jab tak n bulaaen, koii bhiitar nahiin jaaegaa।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Active
अगर सरकार खुश होते, तो सारे गाँव को इनाम मिलता। If my lord had been pleased, the whole village would have received a reward.
(agar sarkaar khush hote, to saare gaanv ko inaam miltaa।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
सरकार की सेवा में हाज़िर हूँ, हुक्म करें। I stand here at my lord's service, please command.
(sarkaar kii sevaa men haazir hoon, hukm karen।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
देखो सरकार का मूड आज कैसा है, फिर बात करना। See what mood the boss is in today, then talk to her.
(dekho sarkaar kaa mood aaj kaisaa hai, phir baat karnaa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Noun
(sg.f.direct): सरकार (sarkaar)
(sg.f.oblique): सरकार (sarkaar)
(pl.f.direct): सरकारें (sarkaaren)
(pl.f.oblique): सरकारों (sarkaaron)