फलवाला (phalvaalaa)
noun
A compound noun meaning 'fruit-seller/fruit-vendor', built from फल (phal, 'fruit') plus the agentive suffix -वाला (vaalaa) that turns a noun into 'the one who deals in X'.
Sense
1
:
fruit seller/vendor
noun, masculine
Synonyms: फल बेचनेवाला (phal bechnevaalaa, descriptive phrase, less common than the compound)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: Every Delhi neighborhood has its own फलवाला (phalvaalaa), often pushing a wooden cart (ठेला, thelaa) piled with seasonal fruit and calling out prices as he moves down the street. The -वाला (vaalaa) suffix is one of Hindi's most productive patterns -- सब्ज़ीवाला (sabziivaalaa, 'vegetable seller'), दूधवाला (doodhvaalaa, 'milkman'), and रिक्शावाला (rikshaavaalaa, 'rickshaw driver') all follow the same template, so learning फलवाला (phalvaalaa) well unlocks a whole family of everyday words.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes write it as two words, फल वाला (phal vaalaa); it is more commonly written and thought of as one compound word, फलवाला (phalvaalaa), though both are seen. 2) The feminine form फलवाली (phalvaalii) is used for a woman selling fruit -- don't default to the masculine form when referring to a female vendor.
Sample Sentences:
फलवाला हर सुबह हमारी गली में आता है।
The fruit seller comes to our lane every morning.
(phalvaalaa har subah hamaarii galii men aataa hai।)
फलवाला अपना ठेला धकेलते हुए आवाज़ लगा रहा था।
The fruit seller was pushing his cart and calling out.
(phalvaalaa apnaa thelaa dhakelte hue aavaaz lagaa rahaa thaa।)
क्या फलवाला आज भी इस तरफ आएगा?
Will the fruit seller come this way today too?
(kyaa phalvaalaa aaj bhii is taraph aaegaa?)
फलवाले से आम ले लो, बहुत मीठे हैं।
Buy mangoes from the fruit seller, they're very sweet.
(phalvaale se aam le lo, bahut miithe hain।)
अगर फलवाला ईमानदार होता तो वह सही तौल देता।
If the fruit seller were honest, he would give the correct weight.
(agar phalvaalaa iimaandaar hotaa to vah sahii taul detaa।)
मुझे उम्मीद है कि फलवाला आज ताज़े केले लाया हो।
I hope the fruit seller has brought fresh bananas today.
(mujhe ummiid hai ki phalvaalaa aaj taaze kele laayaa ho।)
फलवाले द्वारा बेचे गए फल अक्सर बिना धोए होते हैं।
The fruit sold by the fruit seller is often unwashed.
(phalvaale dvaaraa beche gae phal aksar binaa dhoe hote hain।)
फलवाला ठेला खड़ा किए चौराहे पर खड़ा था।
The fruit seller was standing at the crossing with his cart parked.
(phalvaalaa thelaa khadaa kie chauraahe par khadaa thaa।)
मैंने फलवाले से भाव पूछा तो उसने दाम बता दिया।
I asked the fruit seller the rate, and he told me the price.
(mainne phalvaale se bhaav poochhaa to usne daam bataa diyaa।)
बचपन में फलवाले की आवाज़ सुनकर हम दौड़ते हुए घर से बाहर आ जाते थे।
In childhood, hearing the fruit seller's call, we would run out of the house.
(bachpan men phalvaale kii aavaaz sunkar ham daudte hue ghar se baahar aa jaate the।)
इलाके का फलवाला अब बूढ़ा हो चुका है, फिर भी रोज़ ठेला लेकर निकलता है।
The neighborhood's fruit seller has grown old now, yet he still sets out with his cart every day.
(ilaake kaa phalvaalaa ab boodhaa ho chukaa hai, phir bhii roz thelaa lekar nikaltaa hai।)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct):
फलवाला
(phalvaalaa)
(sg.m.oblique):
फलवाले
(phalvaale)
(pl.m.direct):
फलवाले
(phalvaale)
(pl.m.oblique):
फलवालों
(phalvaalon)