अधिकारी (adhikaarii)

noun/adjective Mainly a noun for an official/officer, with a linked adjective sense meaning 'entitled to' something. Both senses share the root अधिकार (adhikaar, 'right/authority').
Sense 1 : official, officer
noun, masculine/feminine
Synonyms: अफ़सर (afsar), कर्मचारी (karmchaarii, often lower-ranking staff rather than an officer)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: This is the word you will see on office doors and government forms -- पुलिस अधिकारी (pulis adhikaarii, 'police officer'), बैंक अधिकारी (baink adhikaarii, 'bank officer'). It carries a sense of respect and rank, so calling someone अधिकारी (adhikaarii) rather than कर्मचारी (karmchaarii) subtly acknowledges their authority.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes use अधिकारी (adhikaarii) for any employee; it specifically implies someone with official authority or rank, unlike कर्मचारी (karmchaarii) which covers ordinary staff/workers. 2) The word is used for both government and private-sector officials -- it is not limited to sarकारी (sarkaarii) contexts, contrary to what some learners assume.
Sample Sentences:
यह फ़ाइल संबंधित अधिकारी के पास भेज दीजिए। Please send this file to the concerned officer.
(yah faail sambandhit adhikaarii ke paas bhej diijie।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
मेरे पिताजी एक सरकारी बैंक में अधिकारी हैं। My father is an officer at a government bank.
(mere pitaajii ek sarkaarii baink men adhikaarii hain।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
थाने में एक पुलिस अधिकारी हमारी शिकायत सुन रहा था। A police officer at the station was listening to our complaint.
(thaane men ek pulis adhikaarii hamaarii shikaayat sun rahaa thaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
अगर तुम मेहनत करो तो एक दिन बड़े अधिकारी बन सकते हो। If you work hard, you could become a senior officer someday.
(agar tum mehnat karo to ek din bade adhikaarii ban sakte ho।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
उस दुर्घटना की जाँच एक वरिष्ठ अधिकारी द्वारा की जाएगी। The investigation into that accident will be conducted by a senior officer.
(us durghatnaa kii jaanch ek varishth adhikaarii dvaaraa kii jaaegii।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Passive
काश मैं भी एक आईएएस अधिकारी होता। I wish I were an IAS officer too.
(kaash main bhii ek aaiiees adhikaarii hotaa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
सीमा शुल्क अधिकारी ने हमारे सामान की जाँच की। The customs officer checked our luggage.
(siimaa shulk adhikaarii ne hamaare saamaan kii jaanch kii।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
उन्हें विभाग का सबसे ईमानदार अधिकारी माना जाता है। He is considered the most honest officer in the department.
(unhen vibhaag kaa sabse iimaandaar adhikaarii maanaa jaataa hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
कृपया सभी अधिकारी समय पर बैठक में उपस्थित हों। Please, all officers should be present at the meeting on time.
(kripyaa sabhii adhikaarii samay par baithak men upasthit hon।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Voice: Active
वह अधिकारी रिटायर होने के बाद भी गाँव के विकास में मदद करता है। That officer helps with the village's development even after retiring.
(vah adhikaarii ritaayar hone ke baad bhii gaanv ke vikaas men madad kartaa hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
क्या आप इस मामले के लिए ज़िम्मेदार अधिकारी हैं? Are you the officer responsible for this matter?
(kyaa aap is maamle ke lie zimmedaar adhikaarii hain?)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
Sense 2 : entitled, deserving (of)
adjective Takes the thing one is entitled to marked with का/की/के (kaa/kii/ke), e.g. सम्मान का अधिकारी (sammaan kaa adhikaarii, 'deserving of respect').
Synonyms: योग्य (yogy, deserving, more general), हक़दार (haqdaar)
Frequency: literary
Cultural Note: You will meet this sense in formal writing and speeches -- वह प्रशंसा का अधिकारी है (vah prashansaa kaa adhikaarii hai, 'he is deserving of praise') -- rather than in everyday chat, where people lean on more colloquial options.
Common Mistakes: 1) This adjectival sense is largely confined to formal or literary registers -- in casual speech, learners are better off reaching for हक़दार (haqdaar) or लायक़ (laayaq) to say someone 'deserves' something.
Sample Sentences:
वह प्रशंसा का अधिकारी है। He is deserving of praise.
(vah prashansaa kaa adhikaarii hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
जो व्यक्ति निःस्वार्थ भाव से समाज की सेवा करता है, वह सम्मान का अधिकारी है। The person who serves society selflessly is deserving of respect.
(jo vyakti nihsvaarth bhaav se samaaj kii sevaa kartaa hai, vah sammaan kaa adhikaarii hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
उसके अथक परिश्रम को देखते हुए, वह इस पुरस्कार का अधिकारी था। Given his tireless effort, he was deserving of this award.
(uske athak parishram ko dekhte hue, vah is puraskaar kaa adhikaarii thaa।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
यदि तुम सच में मेहनत करोगे, तो तुम इस पद के अधिकारी बनोगे। If you truly work hard, you will become deserving of this position.
(yadi tum sach men mehnat karoge, to tum is pad ke adhikaarii banoge।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Active
काश मैं भी उस सम्मान का अधिकारी होता। I wish I too were deserving of that honor.
(kaash main bhii us sammaan kaa adhikaarii hotaa।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
यह आवश्यक नहीं कि हर सफल व्यक्ति प्रशंसा का अधिकारी हो। It is not necessary that every successful person be deserving of praise.
(yah aavashyak nahiin ki har saphal vyakti prashansaa kaa adhikaarii ho।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Voice: Active
जिसने सत्य का मार्ग अपनाया, वही मोक्ष का अधिकारी माना जाता है। Only the one who has adopted the path of truth is considered deserving of salvation.
(jisne saty kaa maarg apnaayaa, vahii moksh kaa adhikaarii maanaa jaataa hai।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
न्यायाधीश ने कहा कि आरोपी दया का अधिकारी नहीं है। The judge said that the accused is not deserving of mercy.
(nyaayaadhiish ne kahaa ki aaropii dayaa kaa adhikaarii nahiin hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
क्या सचमुच हर नागरिक समान अधिकारों का अधिकारी है? Is every citizen truly deserving of equal rights?
(kyaa sachmuch har naagrik samaan adhikaaron kaa adhikaarii hai?)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m/f.direct): अधिकारी (adhikaarii)
(sg.m/f.oblique): अधिकारी (adhikaarii)
(pl.m/f.direct): अधिकारियाँ (adhikaariyaan)
(pl.m/f.oblique): अधिकारियों (adhikaariyon)
Adjective (variable)
(sg.m): अधिकारी (adhikaarii)
(pl.m): अधिकारीे ([[अधिकारीे]])
(sg.f): अधिकारीी ([[अधिकारीी]])
(pl.f): अधिकारीी ([[अधिकारीी]])