कर्मचारी (karmchaarii)

noun A common workplace/institutional noun meaning an employee or staff member -- someone who does कर्म (karm, work/duty) for an organization.
Sense 1 : employee, staff member
noun, masculine/feminine
Synonyms: नौकर (naukar, servant/employee, narrower and more menial), स्टाफ़ (staaf, staff, collective), कामगार (kaamgaar, laborer/worker, more manual)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: You will see this word constantly on office doors, government notices, and union banners -- सरकारी कर्मचारी (sarkaarii karmchaarii, government employee) is a fixture of Indian bureaucratic life, carrying connotations of job security and pension benefits that make such positions highly sought after. It is a respectful, formal-register word, more at home on a notice board than in casual chat about where your friend works.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes use नौकर (naukar) interchangeably, but नौकर (naukar) leans toward a domestic servant or someone in a subordinate/menial role, while कर्मचारी (karmchaarii) is the neutral, respectful term for any employee, from a peon to a government officer. 2) कर्मचारी (karmchaarii) is typically used for someone employed by an organization, office, or government body; for a business owner's own staff in casual speech, लोग (log) or आदमी (aadmii) might be used instead in less formal registers.
Sample Sentences:
सभी कर्मचारियों को समय पर दफ्तर पहुंचना चाहिए। All employees should reach the office on time.
(sabhii karmchaariyon ko samay par daphtar pahunchnaa chaahie।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
वह एक सरकारी कर्मचारी है। He is a government employee.
(vah ek sarkaarii karmchaarii hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
कंपनी हर साल अपने कर्मचारियों को बोनस देती है। The company gives its employees a bonus every year.
(kampnii har saal apne karmchaariyon ko bonas detii hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
नए कर्मचारी को प्रशिक्षण दिया जा रहा है। The new employee is being given training.
(nae karmchaarii ko prashikshan diyaa jaa rahaa hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
पिछले महीने कई कर्मचारियों ने हड़ताल की थी। Several employees went on strike last month.
(pichhle mahiine kaii karmchaariyon ne hadtaal kii thii।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
कृपया अपना कर्मचारी पहचान पत्र साथ रखें। Please keep your employee identity card with you.
(kripyaa apnaa karmchaarii pahchaan patr saath rakhen।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
अगर वह मेहनती होता, तो उसे बेहतर कर्मचारी माना जाता। If he were hardworking, he would be considered a better employee.
(agar vah mehantii hotaa, to use behtar karmchaarii maanaa jaataa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Passive
इस कारखाने में लगभग पांच सौ कर्मचारी काम करते हैं। About five hundred employees work in this factory.
(is kaarkhaane men lagbhag paanch sau karmchaarii kaam karte hain।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
यह सूचना सभी कर्मचारियों के लिए जारी की गई है। This notice has been issued for all employees.
(yah soochnaa sabhii karmchaariyon ke lie jaarii kii gaii hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
अगले साल तक कंपनी और कर्मचारियों की भर्ती करेगी। By next year, the company will recruit more employees.
(agle saal tak kampnii aur karmchaariyon kii bhartii karegii।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Active
उम्मीद है कि प्रबंधन कर्मचारियों की मांगें सुनेगा। It is hoped that the management will listen to the employees' demands.
(ummiid hai ki prabandhan karmchaariyon kii maangen sunegaa।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m/f.direct): कर्मचारी (karmchaarii)
(sg.m/f.oblique): कर्मचारी (karmchaarii)
(pl.m/f.direct): कर्मचारियाँ (karmchaariyaan)
(pl.m/f.oblique): कर्मचारियों (karmchaariyon)