दख़ल (dakhal)

noun A borrowed noun meaning 'interference' or 'intrusion' into someone else's matter or space; also used for 'access/control/hold' over something. Almost always paired with the verb देना (denaa) or करना (karnaa).
Sense 1 : interference, meddling in someone else's affairs
noun, masculine
Synonyms: हस्तक्षेप (hastakshep, formal), दख़लअंदाज़ी (dakhlaandaazii)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: You will hear this constantly in family and office contexts -- मत दो दख़ल (mat do dakhal, 'don't interfere') or यह मेरा मामला है, इसमें दख़ल मत दो (yah meraa maamlaa hai, ismen dakhal mat do, 'this is my matter, don't interfere in it') -- said sharply when someone oversteps a boundary, especially between in-laws, siblings, or coworkers.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often say दख़ल करना (dakhal karnaa) when they mean 'to interfere,' but the far more natural everyday phrasing is दख़ल देना (dakhal denaa, to butt in) -- देना (denaa) is the default light verb here, not करना (karnaa). 2) The thing being interfered in takes में (men): किसी के काम में दख़ल देना (kisii ke kaam men dakhal denaa, 'to interfere in someone's work'), not पर (par) or को (ko).
Sample Sentences:
यह मेरा मामला है, इसमें दख़ल मत दो। This is my matter, don't interfere in it.
(yah meraa maamlaa hai, ismen dakhal mat do।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
मुझे दूसरों के काम में दख़ल देना पसंद नहीं है। I don't like interfering in other people's business.
(mujhe doosron ke kaam men dakhal denaa pasand nahiin hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
सास हमेशा हमारी ज़िंदगी में दख़ल देती रहती है। My mother-in-law is always interfering in our life.
(saas hameshaa hamaarii zindgii men dakhal detii rahtii hai।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
भाई ने मेरी शादी की बातचीत में बेवजह दख़ल दे दिया। My brother unnecessarily interfered in my marriage negotiations.
(bhaaii ne merii shaadii kii baatchiit men bevjah dakhal de diyaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
बॉस हर छोटी बात में दख़ल दे रहा है, काम करना मुश्किल हो गया है। The boss is interfering in every little thing, it's become hard to work.
(bos har chhotii baat men dakhal de rahaa hai, kaam karnaa mushkil ho gayaa hai।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
क्या आप कृपया मेरे विभाग के फ़ैसलों में दख़ल न दें? Could you please not interfere in my department's decisions?
(kyaa aap kripyaa mere vibhaag ke faislon men dakhal n den?)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
अगर वह बीच में दख़ल न देता, तो झगड़ा इतना नहीं बढ़ता। If he hadn't interfered, the fight wouldn't have escalated so much.
(agar vah biich men dakhal n detaa, to jhagdaa itnaa nahiin badhtaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
पड़ोसियों का हर बात में दख़ल देना अब बर्दाश्त नहीं होता। It has become unbearable, the neighbors interfering in everything.
(padosiyon kaa har baat men dakhal denaa ab bardaasht nahiin hotaa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
सरकार को निजी कंपनियों के आंतरिक मामलों में दख़ल नहीं देना चाहिए। The government should not interfere in the internal matters of private companies.
(sarkaar ko nijii kampniyon ke aantrik maamlon men dakhal nahiin denaa chaahie।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
उसके बेवजह के दख़ल से पूरा प्लान बिगड़ गया। His pointless interference ruined the whole plan.
(uske bevjah ke dakhal se pooraa plaan bigad gayaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
इस मसले में बाहरी लोगों का दख़ल बर्दाश्त नहीं किया जाएगा। Outside interference in this matter will not be tolerated.
(is masle men baahrii logon kaa dakhal bardaasht nahiin kiyaa jaaegaa।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Passive
Sense 2 : access, hold, or control over a matter or domain
noun, masculine Used with होना (honaa) or रखना (rakhnaa) rather than देना (denaa) in this sense: उसका इस काम में दख़ल है (uskaa is kaam men dakhal hai, 'he has a hold/say in this work').
Synonyms: पहुँच (pahunch), नियंत्रण (niyantran, formal)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: This sense shows up in slightly more formal or administrative talk, like discussing who has influence or a say in a business or bureaucratic matter -- उसका सरकारी दफ़्तरों में अच्छा दख़ल है (uskaa sarkaarii daftron men achchhaa dakhal hai, 'he has good access/pull in government offices').
Common Mistakes: 1) This sense is easy to confuse with the 'interference' sense since the noun is identical; context (होना (honaa) vs. देना (denaa)) is the main clue that it means 'access/say' rather than 'meddling.'
Sample Sentences:
उसका सरकारी दफ़्तरों में अच्छा दख़ल है। He has good access/pull in government offices.
(uskaa sarkaarii daftron men achchhaa dakhal hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
इस कारोबार में उसका काफ़ी दख़ल है। He has considerable hold over this business.
(is kaarobaar men uskaa kaafii dakhal hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
स्थानीय राजनीति में उनका दख़ल पहले जैसा नहीं रहा। His influence in local politics is not what it used to be.
(sthaaniiy raajniiti men unkaa dakhal pahle jaisaa nahiin rahaa।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
मंत्रालय के फ़ैसलों में उसका दख़ल बढ़ता जा रहा है। His hold over the ministry's decisions is steadily growing.
(mantraalay ke faislon men uskaa dakhal badhtaa jaa rahaa hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
अगर उसका इस विभाग में दख़ल होता, तो काम इतना नहीं अटकता। If he had a hold over this department, the work wouldn't be stuck so much.
(agar uskaa is vibhaag men dakhal hotaa, to kaam itnaa nahiin ataktaa।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
शायद उसका बैंकिंग हलकों में भी दख़ल हो। He might have some pull in banking circles too.
(shaayad uskaa bainking halkon men bhii dakhal ho।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
उसका दख़ल बढ़े, इसके लिए वह हर बड़े अफ़सर से मिलता रहा। So that his hold would grow, he kept meeting every senior officer.
(uskaa dakhal badhe, iske lie vah har bade afsar se miltaa rahaa।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
उस क्षेत्र में कंपनी का दख़ल सरकार की मदद से क़ायम किया गया। The company's hold in that sector was established with the government's help.
(us kshetr men kampnii kaa dakhal sarkaar kii madad se qaayam kiyaa gayaa।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Passive
नौकरशाही में जिसका जितना दख़ल, उसका काम उतना जल्दी होता है। In the bureaucracy, the more hold you have, the faster your work gets done.
(naukarshaahii men jiskaa jitnaa dakhal, uskaa kaam utnaa jaldii hotaa hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct): दख़ल (dakhal)
(sg.m.oblique): दख़ल (dakhal)
(pl.m.direct): दख़ल (dakhal)
(pl.m.oblique): दख़लों (dakhlon)