-वाला / -वाली

Sellers and Doers with -वाला

Level 2Sounds Like vālā / -vālī

Use -वाली for a woman, as in भाजीवाली.

How It Works

WordManWoman
भाजीभाजीवालाभाजीवाली
दूधदूधवालादूधवाली
चहाचहावालाचहावाली
रिक्षारिक्षावालारिक्षावाली

-वाला works like an adjective that changes: -वाला for a man, -वाली for a woman, -वाले for several men, and -वाल्या for several women. Before an ending, the masculine -वाला becomes -वाल्या-: रिक्षावाल्याला पत्ता सांगा. The plural takes -वाल्यां-: रिक्षावाल्यांना.

-वाला also names someone who has something: चष्मावाला मुलगा is the boy with glasses.

In daily life you call these people by a family word: भाजीवाली मावशी, चहावाला दादा.

The plural of -वाला is -वाले: भाजीवाले means vegetable sellers.

The same ending works for many jobs and trades: पेपरवाला (newspaper seller), फळवाला (fruit seller), गाडीवाला (the one with the vehicle).

The seller is the doer, so the verb agrees: भाजीवाला येतो, but भाजीवाली येते. A respected seller can take the plural verb: भाजीवाली मावशी आल्या.

Examples (5)

  1. भाजीवाला रोज येतो.

    The vegetable seller comes every day.

    भाजीवाला is भाजी plus -वाला.

  2. भाजीवाली मावशी आंबे आणते.

    The vegetable seller brings mangoes.

    भाजीवाली is the feminine form.

  3. रिक्षावाल्याला पत्ता सांगा.

    Tell the rickshaw driver the address.

    रिक्षावाल्याला is the form before the ending -ला.

  4. दूधवाला सकाळी सहा वाजता येतो.

    The milkman comes at six in the morning.

    दूधवाला is दूध plus -वाला.

  5. चहावाला दादा खूप छान चहा करतो.

    The tea seller makes very nice tea.

    चहावाला is चहा plus -वाला.

Common Mistakes

  • Writing -वाला as a separate word.

    भाजी वाला रोज येतो.
    भाजीवाला रोज येतो.

    -वाला joins the word.

  • Using the masculine form for a woman.

    भाजीवाला मावशी आंबे आणते.
    भाजीवाली मावशी आंबे आणते.

    A woman takes -वाली.

How It Connects

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-वाला / -वालीLevel 2Sellers and Doers with -वाला

Learn This First

-वाला makes a person from a thing.