दुकानदार (dukaandaar)

noun A straightforward agent-noun meaning 'shopkeeper', built from दुकान (dukaan, 'shop') plus the Persian agentive suffix -दार (daar).
Sense 1 : shopkeeper, shop owner
noun, masculine/feminine
Synonyms: व्यापारी (vyaapaarii, trader/businessman, broader sense), दुकान वाला (dukaan vaalaa, colloquial)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: The दुकानदार (dukaandaar) is a fixture of everyday Indian life -- the person at the corner दुकान (dukaan) who knows your family, extends credit (उधार, udhaar) during a tight month, and remembers exactly how much sugar you usually buy. The suffix -दार (daar) shows up all over Hindi-Urdu vocabulary (जिम्मेदार jimmedaar 'responsible', ज़मीनदार zamiindaar 'landowner') and always signals 'the one who holds/possesses X'.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes use दुकानदार (dukaandaar) for any businessperson, but it specifically means someone who runs a physical shop -- for a bigger trader or business owner, व्यापारी (vyaapaarii) fits better. 2) The word is grammatically masculine by default even when referring to a woman shopkeeper in casual speech, though महिला दुकानदार (mahilaa dukaandaar, 'female shopkeeper') is used to specify.
Sample Sentences:
दुकानदार बहुत ईमानदार आदमी है। The shopkeeper is a very honest man.
(dukaandaar bahut iimaandaar aadmii hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
मोहल्ले का दुकानदार हमें हर महीने उधार दे देता है। The neighborhood shopkeeper gives us credit every month.
(mohalle kaa dukaandaar hamen har mahiine udhaar de detaa hai।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
दुकानदार दुकान बंद कर रहा था जब हम पहुँचे। The shopkeeper was closing the shop when we arrived.
(dukaandaar dukaan band kar rahaa thaa jab ham pahunche।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
दुकानदार से पूछो कि यह सामान कब आएगा। Ask the shopkeeper when this stock will arrive.
(dukaandaar se poochho ki yah saamaan kab aaegaa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
अगर दुकानदार ईमानदार होता, तो वह ज्यादा दाम नहीं वसूलता। If the shopkeeper were honest, he would not have charged such a high price.
(agar dukaandaar iimaandaar hotaa, to vah jyaadaa daam nahiin vasooltaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
दुकानदार ने पुरानी उधारी का हिसाब मुझे याद दिलाया। The shopkeeper reminded me of the old credit account.
(dukaandaar ne puraanii udhaarii kaa hisaab mujhe yaad dilaayaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
शायद दुकानदार को हमारी शिकायत के बारे में पता हो। Perhaps the shopkeeper knows about our complaint.
(shaayad dukaandaar ko hamaarii shikaayat ke baare men pataa ho।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Voice: Active
दुकानदार द्वारा दिया गया बिल गलत निकला। The bill given by the shopkeeper turned out to be wrong.
(dukaandaar dvaaraa diyaa gayaa bil galat niklaa।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Passive
उस गली का दुकानदार अपने ग्राहकों को नाम से पुकारता है। The shopkeeper of that lane calls his customers by name.
(us galii kaa dukaandaar apne graahkon ko naam se pukaartaa hai।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
स्थानीय दुकानदारों के हितों की रक्षा के लिए नई नीति बनाई गई है। A new policy has been made to protect the interests of local shopkeepers.
(sthaaniiy dukaandaaron ke hiton kii rakshaa ke lie naii niiti banaaii gaii hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
काश दुकानदार थोड़ा और सामान उधार दे देता! I wish the shopkeeper had given a little more stock on credit!
(kaash dukaandaar thodaa aur saamaan udhaar de detaa!)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Perfective -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m/f.direct): दुकानदार (dukaandaar)
(sg.m/f.oblique): दुकानदार (dukaandaar)
(pl.m/f.direct): दुकानदारें (dukaandaaren)
(pl.m/f.oblique): दुकानदारों (dukaandaaron)