डाक-घर (daak-ghar)

noun A compound noun meaning 'post office' -- literally 'mail house,' combining डाक (daak, mail/post) with घर (ghar, house).
Sense 1 : post office
noun, masculine
Synonyms: पोस्ट ऑफ़िस (post ofis, common spoken alternative), डाकघर (daakghar, variant spelling without hyphen)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: In everyday Delhi-NCR conversation, most people just say पोस्ट ऑफ़िस (post ofis) -- डाक-घर (daak-ghar) is the word you will see written on the building itself and in schoolbooks, giving it a slightly formal, official flavor. It is a nice example of a transparent Hindi compound: डाक (daak) is the mail/post itself (also seen in डाकिया (daakiyaa, postman)), and घर (ghar) just means house, so the whole word literally builds 'the house for the mail.'
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often default to the English loanword पोस्ट ऑफ़िस (post ofis) in speech, which is completely natural and common -- डाक-घर (daak-ghar) tends to sound slightly more formal or bookish, showing up on signage and official forms. 2) The hyphenated spelling डाक-घर (daak-ghar) and the unhyphenated डाकघर (daakghar) are both seen; there is no meaning difference.
Sample Sentences:
डाक-घर सुबह दस बजे खुलता है। The post office opens at ten in the morning.
(daak-ghar subah das baje khultaa hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
हमारे मोहल्ले का डाक-घर बहुत पुराना है। Our neighborhood's post office is very old.
(hamaare mohalle kaa daak-ghar bahut puraanaa hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
कृपया इस पत्र को डाक-घर से भेज दीजिए। Please send this letter from the post office.
(kripyaa is patr ko daak-ghar se bhej diijie।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
मैं कल डाक-घर गया था पार्सल लेने के लिए। I went to the post office yesterday to collect a parcel.
(main kal daak-ghar gayaa thaa paarsal lene ke lie।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
यह चिट्ठी डाक-घर से भेजी जाएगी। This letter will be sent from the post office.
(yah chitthii daak-ghar se bhejii jaaegii।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Passive
अगर पास में डाक-घर होता, तो हमें इतनी दूर नहीं जाना पड़ता। If there were a post office nearby, we wouldn't have to go so far.
(agar paas men daak-ghar hotaa, to hamen itnii door nahiin jaanaa padtaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
स्कूल की किताब में लिखा है कि डाक-घर हर शहर में होना चाहिए। It is written in the school textbook that there should be a post office in every city.
(skool kii kitaab men likhaa hai ki daak-ghar har shahar men honaa chaahie।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
डाकिया रोज़ इसी डाक-घर से पत्र लेकर निकलता है। The postman sets out with letters from this very post office every day.
(daakiyaa roz isii daak-ghar se patr lekar nikaltaa hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
नए भवन पर बड़े अक्षरों में 'डाक-घर' लिखा हुआ है। 'Post office' is written in large letters on the new building.
(nae bhavan par bade akshron men 'daak-ghar' likhaa huaa hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
क्या तुम्हें पता है कि पास का डाक-घर कहाँ है? Do you know where the nearest post office is?
(kyaa tumhen pataa hai ki paas kaa daak-ghar kahaan hai?)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct): डाक-घर ([[डाक-घर]])
(sg.m.oblique): डाक-घर ([[डाक-घर]])
(pl.m.direct): डाक-घर ([[डाक-घर]])
(pl.m.oblique): डाक-घरों ([[डाक-घरों]])