ग़ोताख़ोर (ghotaakhor)

noun A noun meaning 'diver' -- someone who dives, whether as a profession (pearl divers, rescue divers) or a sport. Built from ग़ोता (ghotaa, 'a dive/plunge') plus ख़ोर (khor, 'one who takes/eats'), a Persian-style agentive compound common in Hindi-Urdu.
Sense 1 : diver (person)
noun, masculine/feminine
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: You'll hear this word in news reports about rescue operations -- ग़ोताख़ोरों ने तालाब में खोज शुरू की (ghotaakhoron ne taalaab men khoj shuroo kii, 'the divers began the search in the pond') is a classic sentence structure in Hindi news broadcasts. It's a good example of the Persian-influenced ख़ोर (khor) agentive suffix, seen also in words like जुर्माना-ख़ोर or रिश्वतख़ोर (rishvatkhor, 'bribe-taker').
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes write it without the nuqtas as गोताखोर (gotaakhor); this is commonly seen too, but the fuller pronunciation with ग़ (gh) and ख़ (kh) is closer to careful/formal speech. 2) Do not confuse with तैराक (tairaak, 'swimmer') -- a ग़ोताख़ोर (ghotaakhor) specifically dives/plunges under water, not just swims on the surface.
Sample Sentences:
ग़ोताख़ोरों ने तालाब में खोज शुरू की। The divers began the search in the pond.
(ghotaakhoron ne taalaab men khoj shuroo kii।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
नदी में डूबे बच्चे को खोजने के लिए ग़ोताख़ोरों को बुलाया गया। Divers were called in to search for the child who had drowned in the river.
(nadii men doobe bachche ko khojne ke lie ghotaakhoron ko bulaayaa gayaa।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Passive
ग़ोताख़ोर हर रोज़ सुबह समुद्र में उतरता है। The diver goes into the sea every morning.
(ghotaakhor har roz subah samudr men utartaa hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
ग़ोताख़ोर अभी झील की तलहटी में खोज कर रहे हैं। The divers are currently searching the bottom of the lake.
(ghotaakhor abhii jhiil kii talahtii men khoj kar rahe hain।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
अगर वक़्त पर ग़ोताख़ोर पहुँच जाते तो शायद उसे बचाया जा सकता था। If the divers had arrived on time, he could perhaps have been saved.
(agar vaqt par ghotaakhor pahunch jaate to shaayad use bachaayaa jaa saktaa thaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Perfective -- Voice: Passive
कल शाम तक और ग़ोताख़ोर बुलाए जाएँगे। More divers will be called in by tomorrow evening.
(kal shaam tak aur ghotaakhor bulaae jaaenge।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Passive
ग़ोताख़ोर बनने के लिए कड़ी ट्रेनिंग लेनी पड़ती है। One has to undergo rigorous training to become a diver.
(ghotaakhor banne ke lie kadii trening lenii padtii hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
ग़ोताख़ोर तालाब के किनारे बैठा है, थोड़ी देर आराम कर रहा है। The diver is sitting by the edge of the pond, resting for a while.
(ghotaakhor taalaab ke kinaare baithaa hai, thodii der aaraam kar rahaa hai।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
कृपया ग़ोताख़ोरों को तुरंत घटनास्थल पर भेजिए। Please send the divers to the site immediately.
(kripyaa ghotaakhoron ko turant ghatnaasthal par bhejie।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
शायद कोई ग़ोताख़ोर उस डूबी हुई नाव तक पहुँच सके। Perhaps some diver might be able to reach that sunken boat.
(shaayad koii ghotaakhor us doobii huii naav tak pahunch sake।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m/f.direct): ग़ोताख़ोर (ghotaakhor)
(sg.m/f.oblique): ग़ोताख़ोर (ghotaakhor)
(pl.m/f.direct): ग़ोताख़ोरें (ghotaakhoren)
(pl.m/f.oblique): ग़ोताख़ोरों (ghotaakhoron)