-वाला

Etymology

From Ashokan Prakrit [Term?].

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʋɑː.lɑː/

Suffix

-वाला • (-vālā)

1. (highly productive) one who does.

   चाय (cāy, “tea”) + ‎-वाला (-vālā) → ‎चायवाला (cāyavālā, “tea seller”)

   डब्बा (ḍabbā, “box”) + ‎-वाला (-vālā) → ‎डब्बावाला (ḍabbāvālā, “lunch deliverer, dabbawallah”)

Suffix

-वाला • (-vālā)

1. denotes agentive verb forms

   लिखना (likhnā, “to write”) + ‎-वाला (-vālā) → ‎लिखनेवाला (likhnevālā, “one who writes”)

   छींकना (chīṅknā, “to sneeze”) + ‎-वाला (-vālā) → ‎छींकनेवाला (chīṅknevālā, “one who sneezes”)

2. denotes prospective verb forms; just about to

   मैं वहाँ जानेवाला था।

   ma͠i vahā̃ jānevālā thā.

   I was just about to go there.