डाकख़ाना (daakkhaanaa)

noun A compound noun meaning 'post office' -- डाक (daak, 'mail/post') + ख़ाना (khaanaa, 'house/place', a Persian-origin suffix seen in words like कारख़ाना (kaarkhaanaa, 'factory')).
Sense 1 : post office
noun, masculine
Synonyms: पोस्ट ऑफ़िस (post ofis, common everyday alternative), डाकघर (daakghar, formal/written variant)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: Older folks in Delhi-NCR, especially those who grew up sending money orders and registered letters, still say डाकख़ाना (daakkhaanaa) naturally, whereas younger speakers lean on पोस्ट ऑफ़िस (post ofis). Note the nuqta on ख़ (kh) -- it comes from the Persian loan ख़ाना (khaanaa, 'house'), the same element you find in डाकख़ाना's cousins like कारख़ाना (kaarkhaanaa, 'factory') and बेकरख़ाना-style compounds.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often default to the English loanword पोस्ट ऑफ़िस (post ofis) since it is extremely common in speech; डाकख़ाना (daakkhaanaa) is still understood everywhere and sounds a bit more old-fashioned or rustic, while डाकघर (daakghar) is the word you will see written on signboards and in government usage.
Sample Sentences:
डाकख़ाना यहाँ से बस दस मिनट की दूरी पर है। The post office is just ten minutes from here.
(daakkhaanaa yahaan se bas das minat kii doorii par hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
मेरे दादाजी हर महीने डाकख़ाने से मनीऑर्डर भेजते थे। My grandfather used to send money orders from the post office every month.
(mere daadaajii har mahiine daakkhaane se maniiordar bhejte the।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
क्या तुम मेरे लिए डाकख़ाने से यह पार्सल भिजवा दोगे? Will you get this parcel sent from the post office for me?
(kyaa tum mere lie daakkhaane se yah paarsal bhijvaa doge?)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Active
डाकख़ाना जाओ और यह रजिस्टर्ड चिट्ठी भेज आओ। Go to the post office and send this registered letter.
(daakkhaanaa jaao aur yah rajistard chitthii bhej aao।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
अगर डाकख़ाना समय पर खुला होता तो हम आज ही चिट्ठी भेज देते। If the post office had been open on time, we would have sent the letter today itself.
(agar daakkhaanaa samay par khulaa hotaa to ham aaj hii chitthii bhej dete।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Perfective -- Voice: Active
पुराने डाकख़ाने में अभी भी वही टिकट खिड़की लगी हुई है। The same stamp window is still fitted in the old post office.
(puraane daakkhaane men abhii bhii vahii tikat khidkii lagii huii hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
यह चिट्ठी डाकख़ाने से कल भेजी गई थी। This letter was sent from the post office yesterday.
(yah chitthii daakkhaane se kal bhejii gaii thii।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Passive
श्रीमान, कृपया डाकख़ाने का पता बता दीजिए। Sir, please tell me the address of the post office.
(shriimaan, kripyaa daakkhaane kaa pataa bataa diijie।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
हो सकता है कि डाकख़ाना आज बंद हो। It's possible the post office is closed today.
(ho saktaa hai ki daakkhaanaa aaj band ho।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Voice: Active
बचपन में मैं अपनी माँ के साथ डाकख़ाने जाकर बचत खाता खुलवाने की लाइन में खड़ा रहता था। As a child, I used to go with my mother to the post office and stand in line to open a savings account.
(bachpan men main apnii maan ke saath daakkhaane jaakar bachat khaataa khulvaane kii laain men khadaa rahtaa thaa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct): डाकख़ाना (daakkhaanaa)
(sg.m.oblique): डाकख़ाने (daakkhaane)
(pl.m.direct): डाकख़ाने (daakkhaane)
(pl.m.oblique): डाकख़ानों (daakkhaanon)