Pratyaya: krit, taddhita and feminine suffixes
A pratyaya is a small part added after a root or a word to make a new word.
Krit suffixes (added to a verb root)
- ktvā: "having done": gam → gatvā (having gone), paṭh → paṭhitvā (having read).
- lyap: the same meaning when the root has a prefix: ā + gam → āgatya (having come).
- tumun: "to do": kṛ → kartum, gam → gantum.
- kta / ktavatu: past: gataḥ (gone), gatavān (one who went).
- tavyat / anīyar: "should be done": kartavyam, karaṇīyam.
- lyuṭ: the action as a noun: gamanam (going).
Taddhita suffixes (added to a noun)
- tva / tā: state or quality: gurutvam, laghutā.
- matup / vatup / ini: "having": śrīmān, dhanavān, dhanī.
- ika: "related to": dharma → dhārmika.
- tara / tama: more / most: laghutara, laghutama.
Feminine suffixes
- ā: bāla → bālā, aja → ajā.
- ī: deva → devī, nada → nadī, putra → putrī.
Avyaya: words that never change
An avyaya has the same form for every gender, number and case. Learn the common ones:
- ca (and), api (also), eva (only, just), na (not), iti (thus, end of speech), tathā (so).
- Place: atra (here), tatra (there), yatra (where), kutra (where?).
- Time: sadā (always), kadā (when?), adya (today), śvaḥ (tomorrow).
Example: bālakaḥ ca bālikā ca paṭhataḥ: "ca" is the same for both. The krit words ktvā, tumun and lyap also end up as avyayas, because gatvā and kartum never change.
Vibhakti: the seven cases and their use
A noun changes its ending to show its job. For Rāma (masculine, a-ending):
- Prathamā: the doer: rāmaḥ gacchati (Rama goes).
- Dvitīyā: the object: rāmam paśyati (sees Rama).
- Tṛtīyā: by or with: rāmeṇa (by Rama).
- Caturthī: to or for: rāmāya (for Rama).
- Pañcamī: from: rāmāt (from Rama).
- Ṣaṣṭhī: of: rāmasya (of Rama).
- Saptamī: in or on: rāme (in Rama).
Words that need a fixed case
- namaḥ takes the 4th: gurave namaḥ.
- saha takes the 3rd: mitreṇa saha (with a friend).
- abhitaḥ, paritaḥ take the 2nd: grāmam abhitaḥ vanam asti (a forest is around the village).
Samasa and vigraha: splitting compounds
A samasa joins words into one. Vigraha is the sentence that splits it back and explains it.
- Tatpurusha: the second word is main; the first is linked by a case. rājapuruṣaḥ = rājñaḥ puruṣaḥ (king's man).
- Karmadhāraya: adjective + noun. nīlakamalam = nīlaṃ ca tat kamalam (blue lotus).
- Dvigu: a number + noun. trilokī = trayāṇāṃ lokānāṃ samāhāraḥ (three worlds together).
- Dvandva: both words are main. rāmalakṣmaṇau = rāmaḥ ca lakṣmaṇaḥ ca.
- Bahuvrīhi: it names someone else. pītāmbaraḥ = pītam ambaraṃ yasya saḥ (one whose cloth is yellow).
- Avyayībhāva: it starts with an avyaya and acts as one. upakṛṣṇam = kṛṣṇasya samīpam (near Krishna).
To split a compound: find the words, decide which kind it is, then write the vigraha.
Try it: in the 3D and at home
In the last 3D step tap the 10 buttons and look at the parts (blue, orange) and the result (green). At home: pick five Hindi words such as rajkumar, pitambar, mahadev, dasanan and nilkamal. Split each one and say which samasa it is.
Key formulas and definitions
- Root + krit suffix = new word: gam + ktvā = gatvā.
- Noun + taddhita suffix: manuṣya + tva = manuṣyatvam.
- Feminine: deva + ī = devī; bāla + ā = bālā.
- Avyaya: same form always (ca, api, eva, na, atra, sadā).
- Cases 1-7: doer, object, by/with, to/for, from, of, in/on.
- Samasa kinds: tatpurusha, karmadharaya, dvigu, dvandva, bahuvrihi, avyayibhava.
Worked examples
1. Make the word "having read" from the root paṭh using the right suffix.
For "having done" use ktvā: paṭh + ktvā = paṭhitvā.
2. Split the compound "rājapuruṣaḥ" and name its kind.
Vigraha: rājñaḥ puruṣaḥ (the man of the king). The first word is linked by the 6th case, so it is a tatpurusha.
3. Fill the blank with the right form: "gurave ____" (salutation to the teacher).
Namaḥ takes the 4th case, and gurave is already 4th. So the sentence is "gurave namaḥ".
Common mistakes
- Using ktvā when the root has a prefix. After a prefix use lyap: ā + gam = āgatya, not āgatvā.
- Thinking avyayas take case endings. They never change: "ca" is "ca" everywhere.
- Mixing karmadharaya and bahuvrihi. In karmadharaya both words describe the same thing (blue lotus); in bahuvrihi the compound names someone else (pītāmbaraḥ is Vishnu, not a cloth).
- Forgetting that namaḥ needs the 4th case, saha the 3rd.