पुलिसवाला (pulisvaalaa)

noun A common everyday word for a policeman, formed with the agentive suffix -वाला (vaalaa) attached to the English loanword पुलिस (pulis, 'police').
Sense 1 : policeman
noun, masculine/feminine
Synonyms: सिपाही (sipaahii), पुलिस अफ़सर (pulis afsar, for officers specifically), थानेदार (thaanedaar, station-in-charge)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: This is the word every Delhi kid grows up using, whether pointing at the traffic constable at a crossing or warning a naughty sibling, 'पुलिसवाला आ जायेगा' (pulisvaalaa aa jaayegaa, 'the policeman will come'). It carries a slightly informal, everyday feel compared to the more official-sounding पुलिस अधिकारी (pulis adhikaarii).
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes assume पुलिस (pulis) alone means 'a policeman', but पुलिस (pulis) by itself refers to the police as an institution/force; पुलिसवाला (pulisvaalaa) is needed to refer to an individual officer. 2) The feminine form पुलिसवाली (pulisvaalii) is used for a female police officer -- do not default to the masculine form when the referent is a woman.
Sample Sentences:
चौराहे पर एक पुलिसवाला खड़ा है। A policeman is standing at the crossing.
(chauraahe par ek pulisvaalaa khadaa hai।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
अगर तुम शोर मचाओगे तो पुलिसवाला आ जायेगा। If you make noise, the policeman will come.
(agar tum shor machaaoge to pulisvaalaa aa jaayegaa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Active
बचपन में मुझे पुलिसवाले से बहुत डर लगता था। As a child, I used to be very afraid of policemen.
(bachpan men mujhe pulisvaale se bahut dar lagtaa thaa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
पुलिसवाले ने चोर को पकड़ लिया। The policeman caught the thief.
(pulisvaale ne chor ko pakad liyaa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
पुलिसवाले से रास्ता पूछ लो। Go ask the policeman for directions.
(pulisvaale se raastaa poochh lo।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
काश कोई पुलिसवाला उस वक्त वहाँ होता। If only a policeman had been there at that time.
(kaash koii pulisvaalaa us vakt vahaan hotaa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
गली के मोड़ पर रोज़ एक पुलिसवाला ड्यूटी देता है। A policeman is on duty every day at the turn of the lane.
(galii ke mod par roz ek pulisvaalaa dyootii detaa hai।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
चोर को पुलिसवाले द्वारा पकड़ा गया। The thief was caught by the policeman.
(chor ko pulisvaale dvaaraa pakdaa gayaa।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Passive
शायद वह पुलिसवाला हमें रास्ता दिखा सके। Maybe that policeman can show us the way.
(shaayad vah pulisvaalaa hamen raastaa dikhaa sake।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Voice: Active
पुलिसवाला मोबाइल पर बात करते हुए ट्रैफिक देख रहा है। The policeman is watching the traffic while talking on his mobile.
(pulisvaalaa mobaail par baat karte hue traiphik dekh rahaa hai।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
मम्मी ने कहा कि अगर मैं देर से घर आया तो पुलिसवाला बुला लेगी। Mom said that if I came home late, she'd call the policeman.
(mammii ne kahaa ki agar main der se ghar aayaa to pulisvaalaa bulaa legii।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m/f.direct): पुलिसवाला (pulisvaalaa)
(sg.m/f.oblique): पुलिसवाला (pulisvaalaa)
(pl.m/f.direct): पुलिसवालाएँ (pulisvaalaaen)
(pl.m/f.oblique): पुलिसवालाओं (pulisvaalaaon)