दरवान (darvaan)

noun A single-sense noun meaning 'doorman/gatekeeper/watchman' -- the person stationed at the entrance of a building, colony, or office.
Sense 1 : doorman, gatekeeper, watchman
noun, masculine
Synonyms: चौकीदार (chaukiidaar), गेटकीपर (getkiipar, colloquial), पहरेदार (pahredaar)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: Almost every apartment block, office building, and gated colony in Delhi-NCR has a दरवान (darvaan) sitting at the gate, often in a small booth, greeting residents, checking visitors, and holding parcels for the household. The word itself comes from Persian 'dar' (door) plus 'ban' (keeper/guard), the same root you see in दरवाज़ा (darvaazaa, 'door').
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes confuse दरवान (darvaan) with चौकीदार (chaukiidaar) as if they were totally distinct roles -- in everyday Delhi-NCR usage they overlap heavily, with दरवान (darvaan) leaning toward someone stationed right at a door/gate (a building lobby, an office entrance) and चौकीदार (chaukiidaar) leaning toward a broader night-watchman/security-guard sense, but native speakers use them almost interchangeably for a residential society guard.
Sample Sentences:
हमारी सोसाइटी का दरवान बहुत ईमानदार है। Our society's doorman is very honest.
(hamaarii sosaaitii kaa darvaan bahut iimaandaar hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
दरवान गेट पर खड़ा है। The doorman is standing at the gate.
(darvaan get par khadaa hai।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
दरवान हर आने-जाने वाले का रजिस्टर में नाम लिखता है। The doorman writes down the name of everyone who comes and goes in the register.
(darvaan har aane-jaane vaale kaa rajistar men naam likhtaa hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
कल रात दरवान ने चोर को पकड़ लिया। Last night the doorman caught the thief.
(kal raat darvaan ne chor ko pakad liyaa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
दरवान से पूछो, वह पार्सल रखे हुए होगा। Ask the doorman, he'll have kept the parcel.
(darvaan se poochho, vah paarsal rakhe hue hogaa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Active
अगर दरवान समय पर होता, तो मेहमान बाहर न रुकते। If the doorman had been on time, the guests wouldn't have waited outside.
(agar darvaan samay par hotaa, to mehmaan baahar n rukte।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
बिल्डिंग में एक नया दरवान रखा गया है। A new doorman has been appointed in the building.
(bilding men ek nayaa darvaan rakhaa gayaa hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
काश हमारी कॉलोनी में भी एक अच्छा दरवान होता। I wish our colony also had a good doorman.
(kaash hamaarii kolonii men bhii ek achchhaa darvaan hotaa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
क्या आप कृपया दरवान को यह पैकेट दे देंगे? Could you please give this packet to the doorman?
(kyaa aap kripyaa darvaan ko yah paiket de denge?)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Active
दरवान साहब, ज़रा गेट खोल दीजिए। Doorman sir, please open the gate.
(darvaan saahab, zaraa get khol diijie।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
रात में दरवान अक्सर अपनी कुर्सी पर सो जाता है। At night the doorman often falls asleep in his chair.
(raat men darvaan aksar apnii kursii par so jaataa hai।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct): दरवान (darvaan)
(sg.m.oblique): दरवान (darvaan)
(pl.m.direct): दरवान (darvaan)
(pl.m.oblique): दरवानों (darvaanon)