Prefixes, Suffixes and Samas
Prefixes, Suffixes and Samas
This is the highest-scoring part of the grammar block and can supply as many as three questions. With prefixes and suffixes the task is to spot the piece attached at the front or the back, and with samas the task is to decide which of the two words in the compound is the dominant one.
Prefixes
A piece attached at the beginning of a word that changes its meaning is an upsarg. The twenty-two Sanskrit prefixes are treated as standard.
| Prefix | Sense | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| प्र | forward, more | प्रबल, प्रगति |
| परा | reversed, back | पराजय, पराक्रम |
| अनु | after, alike | अनुसरण, अनुवाद |
| अभि | towards, facing | अभिमुख, अभियान |
| वि | special, apart | विदेश, विज्ञान |
| अधि | above, chief | अध्यक्ष, अधिकार |
Hindi has prefixes of its own and these are asked too — अन as in अनपढ़, कु as in कुपुत्र, भर as in भरपूर, and अध as in अधपका. Keep these examples separate from the Sanskrit list.
Suffixes
A piece attached at the end of a word is a pratyay. There are two kinds — krit, which attaches to a verb, and taddhit, which attaches to a noun, pronoun or adjective.
- Krit — लिख + आवट = लिखावट, पढ़ + आई = पढ़ाई, चल + अन = चलन.
- Taddhit — मानव + ता = मानवता, बच्चा + पन = बचपन, धन + ई = धनी.
✗ लिखावट contains a taddhit suffix | ✓ It is a krit suffix, because आवट is attached to the verb लिखना
The Six Kinds of Samas
| Samas | Dominant word | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Tatpurush | the second | राजपुत्र, देशभक्ति |
| Karmadharay | the second, with an adjective relation | नीलकमल, महात्मा |
| Dvigu | the second, with a number first | नवरात्र, त्रिभुज |
| Dvandva | both | राम-लक्ष्मण, माता-पिता |
| Bahuvrihi | neither; a third thing | दशानन, चक्रधर |
| Avyayibhav | the first | यथाशक्ति, प्रतिदिन |
Ask one question only — which word is dominant. If both are, it is dvandva; if neither is and the sense points to something outside the compound, it is bahuvrihi; if the first word is dominant, it is avyayibhav.
Bahuvrihi is where candidates go wrong most often. दशानन does not mean ten faces but Ravana, and चक्रधर does not mean one who holds a discus but Vishnu. The sense travels outside, which is precisely why it is called bahuvrihi.
द्विगु और कर्मधारय में अंतर सरल है — यदि पहला पद संख्या हो तो द्विगु, और यदि पहला पद विशेषण हो तो कर्मधारय। नवरात्र द्विगु है, नीलकमल कर्मधारय।
TRE pointer: In samas ask only one question — which word is dominant. Bahuvrihi is recognised by the sense travelling outside both words — दशानन means Ravana, पीतांबर means Krishna. Keep the Sanskrit and Hindi prefix lists separate, because the paper draws from both.
60-Second Recap
- A prefix attaches at the front and a suffix at the end.
- प्र, परा, अनु, अभि, वि and अधि are major Sanskrit prefixes.
- Krit suffixes attach to verbs and taddhit to nouns or adjectives.
- There are six kinds of samas.
- A number as the first word means dvigu; an adjective means karmadharay.
- In bahuvrihi the sense points to a third thing, as दशानन means Ravana.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is a bahuvrihi compound recognised?
When the meaning of the whole compound points to something outside both its parts. दशानन does not mean ten faces but Ravana, and पीतांबर does not mean yellow cloth but Krishna. That outward reference is the surest test, and it is the one candidates miss most often.
What is the difference between dvigu and karmadharay?
In both the second word is dominant, but in dvigu the first word is a number, as in नवरात्र and त्रिभुज. In karmadharay the first word is an adjective and the two stand in an adjective-noun relation, as in नीलकमल and महात्मा.
What separates krit and taddhit suffixes?
A krit suffix attaches to a verb or a root, and the words formed from it are called kridant, as with लिखावट and पढ़ाई. A taddhit suffix attaches to a noun, pronoun or adjective, as with मानवता, बचपन and धनी. Look at what the suffix is attached to, not at the suffix alone.
How is an avyayibhav compound identified?
The first word is dominant and the whole compound behaves like an indeclinable, so its form does not change. यथाशक्ति, प्रतिदिन, आजीवन and भरपेट are examples. The first element is usually an indeclinable such as यथा, प्रति, आ or भर.