मालिक (maalik)

noun Primarily 'owner/proprietor' or 'boss/master' in everyday use; also carries a devotional sense addressing God as 'Lord/Master'.
Sense 1 : owner, proprietor
noun, masculine
Synonyms: स्वामी (svaamii, formal), मालकिन (maalkin, female owner)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: Very common in compounds like मकान मालिक (makaan maalik, 'landlord/house owner') and दुकान मालिक (dukaan maalik, 'shopkeeper/shop owner') -- you will hear these constantly when renting a flat or dealing with local shops in Delhi.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often use मालिक (maalik) only for shopkeepers, but it applies broadly -- house owner (makaan maalik), dog owner, company owner all use मालिक (maalik). 2) The feminine form मालकिन (maalkin) is a separate word, not just an inflection -- don't expect मालिक (maalik) to change endings for gender.
Sample Sentences:
यह दुकान किसकी है? दुकान मालिक कौन है? Whose shop is this? Who is the shop owner?
(yah dukaan kiskii hai? dukaan maalik kaun hai?)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
मकान मालिक ने इस महीने किराया बढ़ा दिया है। The landlord has increased the rent this month.
(makaan maalik ne is mahiine kiraayaa badhaa diyaa hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
इस गाड़ी का मालिक कोई और है, यह मेरी नहीं है। The owner of this car is someone else, it's not mine.
(is gaadii kaa maalik koii aur hai, yah merii nahiin hai।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
अगर मैं इस दुकान का मालिक होता, तो सब कुछ बदल देता। If I were the owner of this shop, I would change everything.
(agar main is dukaan kaa maalik hotaa, to sab kuchh badal detaa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
पुराने मालिक ने यह ज़मीन बेच दी थी। The former owner had sold this land.
(puraane maalik ne yah zamiin bech dii thii।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
इस फ्लैट का मालिक कौन है, यह पता कर लो। Find out who the owner of this flat is.
(is phlait kaa maalik kaun hai, yah pataa kar lo।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
संपत्ति का असली मालिक अदालत में साबित होगा। The true owner of the property will be established in court.
(sampatti kaa aslii maalik adaalat men saabit hogaa।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Active
हो सकता है कि इस होटल का मालिक कोई विदेशी हो। It's possible that the owner of this hotel is a foreigner.
(ho saktaa hai ki is hotal kaa maalik koii videshii ho।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Voice: Active
मकान मालिकों को अक्सर किरायेदारों से शिकायत रहती है। Landlords often have complaints about tenants.
(makaan maalikon ko aksar kiraayedaaron se shikaayat rahtii hai।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
इस कंपनी का मालिक कौन है, यह सार्वजनिक रूप से घोषित किया गया। It was publicly announced who the owner of this company is.
(is kampnii kaa maalik kaun hai, yah saarvajnik roop se ghoshit kiyaa gayaa।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Passive
जब से नया मालिक आया है, दुकान का रंग-रूप ही बदल गया है। Ever since the new owner came, the whole look of the shop has changed.
(jab se nayaa maalik aayaa hai, dukaan kaa rang-roop hii badal gayaa hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
Sense 2 : boss, employer, master
noun, masculine
Synonyms: बॉस (bos, colloquial), साहब (saahab, respectful address)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: Domestic help and drivers in India often refer to their employer as मालिक (maalik), reflecting an older master-servant framing that still lingers in household vocabulary even as workplace culture modernizes elsewhere.
Common Mistakes: 1) In workplace contexts मालिक (maalik) can sound old-fashioned or feudal compared to बॉस (bos); office workers usually say बॉस (bos) for a modern manager and reserve मालिक (maalik) for a business owner or someone with real authority over one's livelihood, like a domestic employer.
Sample Sentences:
मेरा मालिक बहुत सख्त है। My boss is very strict.
(meraa maalik bahut sakht hai।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
ड्राइवर ने कहा कि मालिक ने उसे छुट्टी दे दी। The driver said that his boss gave him a day off.
(draaivar ne kahaa ki maalik ne use chhuttii de dii।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
मालिक हर सुबह दफ्तर जल्दी पहुँचता है। The boss arrives at the office early every morning.
(maalik har subah daphtar jaldii pahunchtaa hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
काम खत्म होने तक मालिक ऑफिस में बैठा रहेगा। The boss will stay sitting in the office until the work is done.
(kaam khatm hone tak maalik ophis men baithaa rahegaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Active
मालिक साहब, आज थोड़ी जल्दी छुट्टी मिल सकती है क्या? Sir (boss), could I get off a little early today?
(maalik saahab, aaj thodii jaldii chhuttii mil saktii hai kyaa?)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
नौकरानी अपने मालिक की बहुत इज्जत करती है। The maid respects her employer a lot.
(naukraanii apne maalik kii bahut ijjat kartii hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
अगर मालिक थोड़ा नरम होता तो काम करना आसान होता। If the boss were a bit gentler, working would be easier.
(agar maalik thodaa naram hotaa to kaam karnaa aasaan hotaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
मालिक ने उसे बिना वजह डाँट दिया। The boss scolded him for no reason.
(maalik ne use binaa vajah daant diyaa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
मालिक द्वारा दिए गए निर्देशों का पालन किया गया। The instructions given by the boss were followed.
(maalik dvaaraa die gae nirdeshon kaa paalan kiyaa gayaa।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Passive
मालिक, ज़रा यह फाइल देख लीजिए। Boss, please take a look at this file.
(maalik, zaraa yah phaail dekh liijie।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
Sense 3 : God, the Lord (as master of all)
noun, masculine Used as a vocative or reference in prayer and everyday exclamations of faith, addressing God as the ultimate master/owner of one's fate.
Synonyms: ईश्वर (iishvar, devotional), प्रभु (prabhu, devotional)
Frequency: devotional
Cultural Note: You'll hear ऐ मालिक (ai maalik, 'oh Lord') in devotional songs and also as a spontaneous exclamation of relief or plea, similar to saying 'oh God' -- it treats God as the one who 'owns' or watches over your life and affairs.
Sample Sentences:
ऐ मालिक, मुझे माफ़ कर दे। Oh Lord, forgive me.
(ai maalik, mujhe maaf kar de।)
Register: Devotional -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
मालिक की मरज़ी के बिना कुछ नहीं होता। Without the Lord's will, nothing happens.
(maalik kii marzii ke binaa kuchh nahiin hotaa।)
Register: Devotional -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
मालिक सबकी सुनता है, बस भरोसा रखो। The Lord listens to everyone, just keep your faith.
(maalik sabkii suntaa hai, bas bharosaa rakho।)
Register: Devotional -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
मालिक ने ही मुझे इस मुसीबत से बचाया। It was the Lord who saved me from this trouble.
(maalik ne hii mujhe is musiibat se bachaayaa।)
Register: Devotional -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
मालिक करे तो सब ठीक हो जाएगा। If the Lord wills it, everything will be fine.
(maalik kare to sab thiik ho jaaegaa।)
Register: Devotional -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Voice: Active
काश मालिक हमारी फ़रियाद सुन लेता। If only the Lord would hear our plea.
(kaash maalik hamaarii fariyaad sun letaa।)
Register: Devotional -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Perfective -- Voice: Active
जब सब उम्मीद टूट जाती है, तो बस मालिक ही याद आता है। When all hope breaks, it is only the Lord who comes to mind.
(jab sab ummiid toot jaatii hai, to bas maalik hii yaad aataa hai।)
Register: Devotional -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
मालिक, तेरी रहमत के सिवा कोई सहारा नहीं। Lord, there is no refuge except your mercy.
(maalik, terii rahmat ke sivaa koii sahaaraa nahiin।)
Register: Devotional -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
ऐ मालिक तेरे बंदे हम, ऐसे हो हमारे करम। Oh Lord, we are your servants, may our deeds be such (a line from the famous devotional song).
(ai maalik tere bande ham, aise ho hamaare karam।)
Register: Devotional -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct): मालिक (maalik)
(sg.m.oblique): मालिक (maalik)
(pl.m.direct): मालिक (maalik)
(pl.m.oblique): मालिकों (maalikon)