Welcome to the complete journey into Sanskrit - the mother of many Indian languages, the language of ancient wisdom, and one of the most systematic languages ever created! This guide will take you from absolute beginner to professional mastery using both English and Tamil for clear understanding.
Understanding Sanskrit - சமஸ்கிருத அறிமுகம்
What Makes Sanskrit Unique
1. Perfect Grammar System: Sanskrit grammar was systematized by Panini (पाणिनि) around 500 BCE in his Ashtadhyayi (अष्टाध्यायी - Eight Chapters). His 3,959 sutras describe the entire language with mathematical precision!
2. Sandhi Rules (संधि): Sanskrit has systematic rules for combining words, making it flow like music. Every combination follows perfect logic.
3. Case System (विभक्ति): 8 cases show relationships between words - no need for separate prepositions!
4. Verb Richness: 10 tenses/moods, 3 persons, 3 numbers, 2 voices = incredible expressiveness
5. Compound Words (समास): Can create unlimited complex concepts by combining words systematically
Level 1: Foundation - அடிப்படை நிலை
Essential Greetings & Daily Phrases
| English | Sanskrit | Tamil Equivalent | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hello / Greetings | नमस्ते (namaste) | வணக்கம் (vanakkam) | na-mas-te |
| Good morning | सुप्रभातम् (suprabhaatam) | காலை வணக்கம் | su-pra-bhaa-tam |
| How are you? | भवान् कथम् अस्ति? (bhavaan katham asti?) | நீங்கள் எப்படி இருக்கிறீர்கள்? | bha-vaan ka-tham as-ti |
| I am fine | अहं कुशली अस्मि (aham kushalī asmi) | நான் நலமாக இருக்கிறேன் | a-ham ku-sha-lee as-mi |
| Thank you | धन्यवादः (dhanyavaadaḥ) | நன்றி | dhan-ya-vaa-dah |
| Please | कृपया (kripayaa) | தயவு செய்து | kri-pa-yaa |
| Excuse me | क्षम्यताम् (kshamyataam) | மன்னிக்கவும் | ksha-mya-taam |
| Yes | आम् (aam) | ஆம் | aam |
| No | न (na) | இல்லை | na |
| What is your name? | भवतः नाम किम्? (bhavataḥ naama kim?) | உங்கள் பெயர் என்ன? | bha-va-tah naa-ma kim |
| My name is… | मम नाम…अस्ति (mama naama…asti) | என் பெயர்… | ma-ma naa-ma…as-ti |
| Welcome | स्वागतम् (swaagatam) | வரவேற்பு | swaa-ga-tam |
| Goodbye | पुनः मिलामः (punaḥ milaamaḥ) | மீண்டும் சந்திப்போம் | pu-nah mi-laa-mah |
| Good | उत्तमम् (uttamam) | நல்லது | ut-ta-mam |
| Very good | अतीव उत्तमम् (ateeva uttamam) | மிக நல்லது | a-tee-va ut-ta-mam |
Personal Pronouns - सर्वनाम
Sanskrit pronouns change based on case, gender, and number. Let’s start with nominative (subject) case:
First Person (I, We):
| English | Sanskrit (Singular) | Sanskrit (Plural) | Tamil Comparison |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | अहम् (aham) | वयम् (vayam - we) | நான், நாங்கள் |
| Pronunciation | a-ham | va-yam | - |
Second Person (You):
| English | Sanskrit (Singular) | Sanskrit (Dual) | Sanskrit (Plural) |
|---|---|---|---|
| You | त्वम् (tvam) | युवाम् (yuvaam) | यूयम् (yooyam) |
| Pronunciation | tvam | yu-vaam | yoo-yam |
| Tamil | நீ | நீங்கள் (இருவர்) | நீங்கள் |
Third Person (He/She/It/They):
| Gender | Singular | Dual | Plural | Tamil |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Masculine (M) | सः (saḥ - he) | तौ (tau - they two) | ते (te - they) | அவன், அவர்கள் |
| Feminine (F) | सा (saa - she) | ते (te - they two) | ताः (taaḥ - they) | அவள், அவர்கள் |
| Neuter (N) | तत् (tat - it) | ते (te - those two) | तानि (taani - they) | அது, அவை |
The Verb “To Be” - अस्ति धातुः
AS (अस्) - To be (Present Tense):
| Person | Singular | Dual | Plural | Tamil Equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st (I/We) | अस्मि (asmi) | स्वः (svaḥ) | स्मः (smaḥ) | இருக்கிறேன், இருக்கிறோம் |
| 2nd (You) | असि (asi) | स्थः (sthaḥ) | स्थ (stha) | இருக்கிறாய், இருக்கிறீர்கள் |
| 3rd (He/She/It) | अस्ति (asti) | स्तः (staḥ) | सन्ति (santi) | இருக்கிறான், இருக்கிறார்கள் |
Examples with meaning:
| Sanskrit | Word-by-word | Tamil | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| अहम् छात्रः अस्मि | aham chhatraḥ asmi | நான் மாணவன் இருக்கிறேன் | I am a student |
| त्वम् शिक्षकः असि | tvam shikṣakaḥ asi | நீ ஆசிரியர் இருக்கிறாய் | You are a teacher |
| सः बालकः अस्ति | saḥ baalakaḥ asti | அவன் சிறுவன் இருக்கிறான் | He is a boy |
| सा बालिका अस्ति | saa baalikaa asti | அவள் சிறுமி இருக்கிறாள் | She is a girl |
| वयम् भारतीयाः स्मः | vayam bhaaratiyaaḥ smaḥ | நாங்கள் இந்தியர்கள் | We are Indians |
| ते छात्राः सन्ति | te chhaatrahaa santi | அவர்கள் மாணவர்கள் | They are students |
Numbers - संख्या
Cardinal Numbers (1-20):
| Number | Sanskrit | Tamil | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | एक (eka) | ஒன்று | e-ka |
| 2 | द्वि / द्वे (dvi/dve) | இரண்டு | dvi / dve |
| 3 | त्रि / त्रीणि (tri/treeni) | மூன்று | tri / tree-ni |
| 4 | चतुर् (chatur) | நான்கு | cha-tur |
| 5 | पञ्च (pancha) | ஐந்து | pan-cha |
| 6 | षट् (ṣaṭ) | ஆறு | shat |
| 7 | सप्त (sapta) | ஏழு | sap-ta |
| 8 | अष्ट (aṣṭa) | எட்டு | ash-ta |
| 9 | नव (nava) | ஒன்பது | na-va |
| 10 | दश (dasha) | பத்து | da-sha |
| 11 | एकादश (ekaadasha) | பதினொன்று | e-kaa-da-sha |
| 12 | द्वादश (dvaadasha) | பன்னிரண்டு | dvaa-da-sha |
| 13 | त्रयोदश (trayodasha) | பதிமூன்று | tra-yo-da-sha |
| 14 | चतुर्दश (chaturdasha) | பதினான்கு | cha-tur-da-sha |
| 15 | पञ्चदश (panchadasha) | பதினைந்து | pan-cha-da-sha |
| 16 | षोडश (ṣoḍasha) | பதினாறு | sho-da-sha |
| 17 | सप्तदश (saptadasha) | பதினேழு | sap-ta-da-sha |
| 18 | अष्टादश (aṣṭaadasha) | பதினெட்டு | ash-taa-da-sha |
| 19 | नवदश / एकोनविंशतिः (navadasha) | பத்தொன்பது | na-va-da-sha |
| 20 | विंशतिः (vimshatiḥ) | இருபது | vim-sha-tih |
Key Numbers:
| Number | Sanskrit | Tamil |
|---|---|---|
| 30 | त्रिंशत् (trimshat) | முப்பது |
| 40 | चत्वारिंशत् (chatvaarimṣhat) | நாற்பது |
| 50 | पञ्चाशत् (panchaashat) | ஐம்பது |
| 60 | षष्टिः (ṣaṣṭiḥ) | அறுபது |
| 70 | सप्ततिः (saptatiḥ) | எழுபது |
| 80 | अशीतिः (ashetiḥ) | எண்பது |
| 90 | नवतिः (navatiḥ) | தொண்ணூறு |
| 100 | शतम् (shatam) | நூறு |
| 1000 | सहस्रम् (sahasram) | ஆயிரம் |
Level 2: Grammar Foundation - व्याकरण आधारः
The 8 Cases (अष्टविभक्तिः) - The Heart of Sanskrit
Unlike English which uses word order and prepositions, Sanskrit uses case endings to show relationships. This is THE most important concept!
The Eight Vibhaktis (विभक्तिः):
| Vibhakti | Name | Function | English | Tamil Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| प्रथमा (1st) | Nominative | Subject | He/She/It | அவன் (subject marker) |
| द्वितीया (2nd) | Accusative | Direct object | Him/Her/It | அவனை (object marker) |
| तृतीया (3rd) | Instrumental | By/With/Through | By him/With it | அவனால், அவனுடன் |
| चतुर्थी (4th) | Dative | To/For | To him/For her | அவனுக்கு (for/to) |
| पञ्चमी (5th) | Ablative | From | From him | அவனிடமிருந்து |
| षष्ठी (6th) | Genitive | Of/Possession | His/Hers | அவனுடைய |
| सप्तमी (7th) | Locative | In/On/At | In him/On it | அவனிடம், அவனில் |
| सम्बोधन (8th) | Vocative | Addressing | O friend! | ஓ நண்பனே! |
Noun Declension - रामशब्दः (Masculine)
Let’s learn with राम (Raama) - masculine a-ending noun:
| Vibhakti | Singular | Dual | Plural | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Nominative | रामः (raamaḥ) | रामौ (raamau) | रामाः (raamaaḥ) | Rama/Ramas (subject) |
| 2. Accusative | रामम् (raamam) | रामौ (raamau) | रामान् (raamaan) | Rama/Ramas (object) |
| 3. Instrumental | रामेण (raameṇa) | रामाभ्याम् (raamaabhyaam) | रामैः (raamaiḥ) | by/with Rama(s) |
| 4. Dative | रामाय (raamaaya) | रामाभ्याम् (raamaabhyaam) | रामेभ्यः (raamebhyaḥ) | to/for Rama(s) |
| 5. Ablative | रामात् (raamaat) | रामाभ्याम् (raamaabhyaam) | रामेभ्यः (raamebhyaḥ) | from Rama(s) |
| 6. Genitive | रामस्य (raamasya) | रामयोः (raamayoḥ) | रामाणाम् (raamaaṇaam) | of Rama(s) / Rama’s |
| 7. Locative | रामे (raame) | रामयोः (raamayoḥ) | रामेषु (raameṣu) | in/on/at Rama(s) |
| 8. Vocative | राम / हे राम (raama / he raama) | रामौ (raamau) | रामाः (raamaaḥ) | O Rama! |
Example Sentences:
| Sanskrit | Case Used | Tamil | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| रामः गच्छति (raamaḥ gachchhati) | Nominative | ராமன் செல்கிறான் | Rama goes |
| अहं रामम् पश्यामि (aham raamam pashyaami) | Accusative | நான் ராமனைப் பார்க்கிறேன் | I see Rama |
| रामेण सह गच्छामि (raameṇa saha gachchhaami) | Instrumental | ராமனுடன் செல்கிறேன் | I go with Rama |
| रामाय पुस्तकं ददामि (raamaaya pustakam dadaami) | Dative | ராமனுக்கு புத்தகம் கொடுக்கிறேன் | I give (a) book to Rama |
| रामात् पुस्तकं गृह्णामि (raamaat pustakam gṛihṇaami) | Ablative | ராமனிடமிருந்து புத்தகம் எடுக்கிறேன் | I take (a) book from Rama |
| रामस्य गृहम् (raamasya gṛiham) | Genitive | ராமனுடைய வீடு | Rama’s house |
| रामे विश्वासः (raame vishvaasaḥ) | Locative | ராமனிடம் நம்பிக்கை | Trust in Rama |
| हे राम आगच्छ (he raama aagachchha) | Vocative | ஓ ராமா, வா | O Rama, come! |
Feminine Nouns - सीताशब्दः
सीता (Sita) - feminine aa-ending noun:
| Vibhakti | Singular | Dual | Plural |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Nominative | सीता (seetaa) | सीते (seete) | सीताः (seetaaḥ) |
| 2. Accusative | सीताम् (seetaam) | सीते (seete) | सीताः (seetaaḥ) |
| 3. Instrumental | सीतया (seetayaa) | सीताभ्याम् (seetaabhyaam) | सीताभिः (seetaabhiḥ) |
| 4. Dative | सीतायै (seetaayai) | सीताभ्याम् (seetaabhyaam) | सीताभ्यः (seetaabhyaḥ) |
| 5. Ablative | सीतायाः (seetaayaaḥ) | सीताभ्याम् (seetaabhyaam) | सीताभ्यः (seetaabhyaḥ) |
| 6. Genitive | सीतायाः (seetaayaaḥ) | सीतयोः (seetayoḥ) | सीतानाम् (seetaanaam) |
| 7. Locative | सीतायाम् (seetaayaam) | सीतयोः (seetayoḥ) | सीतासु (seetaasu) |
| 8. Vocative | सीते (seete) | सीते (seete) | सीताः (seetaaḥ) |
Neuter Nouns - फलशब्दः
फल (phala - fruit) - neuter a-ending noun:
| Vibhakti | Singular | Dual | Plural |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Nominative | फलम् (phalam) | फले (phale) | फलानि (phalaani) |
| 2. Accusative | फलम् (phalam) | फले (phale) | फलानि (phalaani) |
| 3. Instrumental | फलेन (phalena) | फलाभ्याम् (phalaabhyaam) | फलैः (phalaiḥ) |
| 4. Dative | फलाय (phalaaya) | फलाभ्याम् (phalaabhyaam) | फलेभ्यः (phalebhyaḥ) |
| 5. Ablative | फलात् (phalaat) | फलाभ्याम् (phalaabhyaam) | फलेभ्यः (phalebhyaḥ) |
| 6. Genitive | फलस्य (phalasya) | फलयोः (phalayoḥ) | फलानाम् (phalaanaam) |
| 7. Locative | फले (phale) | फलयोः (phalayoḥ) | फलेषु (phaleṣu) |
| 8. Vocative | फल (phala) | फले (phale) | फलानि (phalaani) |
Level 3: Verb Conjugation - धातुरूपाणि
Present Tense (लट् लकारः) - First Conjugation
भू (bhoo - to be/become) - Bhvaadi Class:
| Person | Singular | Dual | Plural | Tamil Pattern |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st (I/We) | भवामि (bhavaami) | भवावः (bhavaavaḥ) | भवामः (bhavaamaḥ) | ஆகிறேன், ஆகிறோம் |
| 2nd (You) | भवसि (bhavasi) | भवथः (bhavathaḥ) | भवथ (bhavatha) | ஆகிறாய், ஆகிறீர்கள் |
| 3rd (He/She/It) | भवति (bhavati) | भवतः (bhavataḥ) | भवन्ति (bhavanti) | ஆகிறான், ஆகிறார்கள் |
गम् (gam - to go) - Bhvaadi Class:
| Person | Singular | Dual | Plural |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | गच्छामि (gachchhaami) | गच्छावः (gachchhaavaḥ) | गच्छामः (gachchhaamaḥ) |
| 2nd | गच्छसि (gachchhasi) | गच्छथः (gachchhathaḥ) | गच्छथ (gachchhatha) |
| 3rd | गच्छति (gachchhati) | गच्छतः (gachchhataḥ) | गच्छन्ति (gachchhanti) |
Common First Conjugation Verbs:
| Root | Meaning | 3rd Person Singular | Tamil |
|---|---|---|---|
| पठ् (paṭh) | to read | पठति (paṭhati) | படிக்கிறான் |
| लिख् (likh) | to write | लिखति (likhati) | எழுதுகிறான் |
| खाद् (khaad) | to eat | खादति (khaadati) | சாப்பிடுகிறான் |
| पा (paa) | to drink | पिबति (pibati) | குடிக்கிறான் |
| दा (daa) | to give | ददाति (dadaati) | கொடுக்கிறான் |
| स्था (sthaa) | to stand | तिष्ठति (tiṣṭhati) | நிற்கிறான் |
| वद् (vad) | to speak | वदति (vadati) | பேசுகிறான் |
| पश् (pash) | to see | पश्यति (pashyati) | பார்க்கிறான் |
Building Complete Sentences - वाक्यरचना
Basic Sentence Pattern: Subject (Nominative) + Object (Accusative) + Verb
| Sanskrit | Word-by-word | Tamil | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| बालकः पुस्तकं पठति | baalak-aḥ pustak-am paṭh-ati | சிறுவன் புத்தகம் படிக்கிறான் | The boy reads a book |
| बालिका फलं खादति | baalik-aa phal-am khaad-ati | சிறுமி பழம் சாப்பிடுகிறாள் | The girl eats a/the fruit |
| अहं जलं पिबामि | aham jal-am pib-aami | நான் தண்ணீர் குடிக்கிறேன் | I drink water |
| त्वं गृहं गच्छसि | tvam gṛih-am gachchh-asi | நீ வீட்டுக்கு செல்கிறாய் | You go home |
| वयं विद्यालयं गच्छामः | vayam vidyaalay-am gachchh-aamaḥ | நாங்கள் பள்ளிக்கு செல்கிறோம் | We go to school |
| सः सीतां पश्यति | saḥ seet-aam pashy-ati | அவன் சீதையைப் பார்க்கிறான் | He sees Sita |
| ते रामं वदन्ति | te raam-am vad-anti | அவர்கள் ராமனிடம் பேசுகிறார்கள் | They speak to Rama |
Sandhi Rules - संधिः (Sound Combinations)
Sandhi makes Sanskrit flow musically. When words combine, sounds change systematically.
Basic Vowel Sandhi (स्वरसंधिः):
1. Similar Vowels (सवर्ण दीर्घ संधिः):
- अ + अ = आ
- Example: रामः + अत्र = रामआत्र (Rama is here)
2. Guna Sandhi (गुण संधिः):
- अ/आ + इ/ई = ए
- Example: महा + इन्द्रः = महएन्द्रः (great Indra)
3. Vriddhi Sandhi (वृद्धि संधिः):
- अ/आ + ए/ऐ = ऐ
- Example: सदा + एव = सदऐव (always indeed)
Common Consonant Sandhi:
| Before Sandhi | After Sandhi | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| तत् + शिवः | तच्छिवः (tachchhivaḥ) | त् + श = च्छ |
| रामात् + गच्छति | रामाद्गच्छति (raamaadgachchhati) | त् + ग = द्ग |
| वाक् + ईशः | वागीशः (vaageeshaḥ) | क् + ई = गी |
Level 4: Intermediate Mastery - मध्यमस्तरः
Past Tense - भूतकालः
लङ् लकारः (Simple Past - laṅ lakaaraḥ):
Using पठ् (paṭh - to read):
| Person | Singular | Dual | Plural | Tamil |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | अपठम् (apaṭham) | अपठाव (apaṭhaava) | अपठाम (apaṭhaama) | படித்தேன், படித்தோம் |
| 2nd | अपठः (apaṭhaḥ) | अपठतम् (apaṭhatam) | अपठत (apaṭhata) | படித்தாய், படித்தீர்கள் |
| 3rd | अपठत् (apaṭhat) | अपठताम् (apaṭhataam) | अपठन् (apaṭhan) | படித்தான், படித்தார்கள் |
लिट् लकारः (Perfect Past - perfect tense):
Used for recent past or witnessed past:
| Root | Meaning | 3rd Singular | Tamil Equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|
| पठ् | to read | पपाठ (papaatha) | படித்திருக்கிறான் |
| गम् | to go | जगाम (jagaama) | சென்றிருக்கிறான் |
| दा | to give | ददौ (dadau) | கொடுத்திருக்கிறான் |
| कृ | to do | चकार (chakaara) | செய்திருக்கிறான் |
Future Tense - भविष्यत्कालः
लृट् लकारः (Simple Future):
Using पठ् (paṭh):
| Person | Singular | Dual | Plural |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | पठिष्यामि (paṭhiṣyaami) | पठिष्यावः (paṭhiṣyaavaḥ) | पठिष्यामः (paṭhiṣyaamaḥ) |
| 2nd | पठिष्यसि (paṭhiṣyasi) | पठिष्यथः (paṭhiṣyathaḥ) | पठिष्यथ (paṭhiṣyatha) |
| 3rd | पठिष्यति (paṭhiṣyati) | पठिष्यतः (paṭhiṣyataḥ) | पठिष्यन्ति (paṭhiṣyanti) |
Examples:
| Sanskrit | Tamil | English |
|---|---|---|
| अहं गमिष्यामि (aham gamiṣyaami) | நான் செல்வேன் | I will go |
| त्वं पठिष्यसि (tvam paṭhiṣyasi) | நீ படிப்பாய் | You will read |
| सः खादिष्यति (saḥ khaadiṣyati) | அவன் சாப்பிடுவான் | He will eat |
| वयं लेखिष्यामः (vayam lekhiṣyaamaḥ) | நாங்கள் எழுதுவோம் | We will write |
Imperative & Potential Moods
लोट् लकारः (Imperative - Commands):
| Person | Singular | Dual | Plural | Tamil |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd | पठ (paṭha - read!) | पठतम् (paṭhatam) | पठत (paṭhata) | படி, படியுங்கள் |
| 3rd | पठतु (paṭhatu - let him read) | पठताम् (paṭhataam) | पठन्तु (paṭhantu) | படிக்கட்டும் |
Common Commands:
| Sanskrit | Tamil | English |
|---|---|---|
| गच्छ (gachchha) | செல் | Go! |
| आगच्छ (aagachchha) | வா | Come! |
| तिष्ठ (tiṣṭha) | நில் | Stop! / Stand! |
| पश्य (pashya) | பார் | Look! / See! |
| शृणु (shriṇu) | கேள் | Listen! |
| वद (vada) | பேசு | Speak! |
Essential Vocabulary by Categories
Family (कुटुम्बम्):
| Sanskrit | Tamil | English |
|---|---|---|
| पिता (pitaa) | தந்தை | father |
| माता (maataa) | தாய் | mother |
| भ्राता (bhraataa) | சகோதரன் | brother |
| भगिनी (bhaginee) | சகோதரி | sister |
| पुत्रः (putraḥ) | மகன் | son |
| पुत्री (putree) | மகள் | daughter |
| पितामहः (pitaamahaḥ) | தாத்தா | grandfather |
| पितामही (pitaamahee) | பாட்டி | grandmother |
| मातुलः (maatulaḥ) | மாமா | maternal uncle |
| पितृव्यः (pitṛivyaḥ) | பெரியப்பா/சித்தப்பா | paternal uncle |
Body Parts (शरीराङ्गानि):
| Sanskrit | Tamil | English |
|---|---|---|
| शिरः (shiraḥ) | தலை | head |
| नेत्रम् (netram) | கண் | eye |
| कर्णः (karṇaḥ) | காது | ear |
| नासिका (naasikaa) | மூக்கு | nose |
| मुखम् (mukham) | வாய் | mouth |
| हस्तः (hastaḥ) | கை | hand |
| पादः (paadaḥ) | கால் | foot |
| हृदयम् (hṛidayam) | இதயம் | heart |
Nature (प्रकृतिः):
| Sanskrit | Tamil | English |
|---|---|---|
| सूर्यः (sooryaḥ) | சூரியன் | sun |
| चन्द्रः (chandraḥ) | சந்திரன் | moon |
| तारा (taaraa) | நட்சத்திரம் | star |
| वृक्षः (vṛikṣaḥ) | மரம் | tree |
| पुष्पम् (puṣpam) | பூ | flower |
| नदी (nadee) | ஆறு | river |
| पर्वतः (parvataḥ) | மலை | mountain |
| वायुः (vaayuḥ) | காற்று | wind |
| अग்निः (agniḥ) | நெருப்பு | fire |
| जलम् (jalam) | நீர் | water |
Animals (पशवः):
| Sanskrit | Tamil | English |
|---|---|---|
| गौः (gauḥ) | பசு | cow |
| अश्वः (ashvaḥ) | குதிரை | horse |
| गजः (gajaḥ) | யானை | elephant |
| सिंहः (simhaḥ) | சிங்கம் | lion |
| व्याघ्रः (vyaaghraḥ) | புலி | tiger |
| मार्जारः (maarjaaraḥ) | பூனை | cat |
| कुक्कुरः (kukkuraḥ) | நாய் | dog |
| पक्षी (pakṣee) | பறவை | bird |
Colors (वर्णाः):
| Sanskrit | Tamil | English |
|---|---|---|
| श्वेतः (shvetaḥ) | வெள்ளை | white |
| कृष्णः (kṛiṣṇaḥ) | கருப்பு | black |
| रक्तः (raktaḥ) | சிவப்பு | red |
| नीलः (neelaḥ) | நீலம் | blue |
| पीतः (peetaḥ) | மஞ்சள் | yellow |
| हरितः (haritaḥ) | பச்சை | green |
| धूम्रः (dhoomraḥ) | சாம்பல் | grey |
| नारङ्गः (naarangaḥ) | ஆரஞ்சு | orange |
Days of the Week (वासराः):
| Sanskrit | Tamil | English | Deity |
|---|---|---|---|
| रविवासरः (ravivāsaraḥ) | ஞாயிறு | Sunday | Sun (रवि) |
| सोमवासरः (somavāsaraḥ) | திங்கள் | Monday | Moon (सोम/चन्द्र) |
| मङ्गलवासरः (maṅgalavāsaraḥ) | செவ்வாய் | Tuesday | Mars (मङ्गल) |
| बुधवासरः (budhavāsaraḥ) | புதன் | Wednesday | Mercury (बुध) |
| गुरुवासरः (guruvāsaraḥ) | வியாழன் | Thursday | Jupiter (गुरु/बृहस्पति) |
| शुक्रवासरः (shukravāsaraḥ) | வெள்ளி | Friday | Venus (शुक्र) |
| शनिवासरः (shanivāsaraḥ) | சனி | Saturday | Saturn (शनि) |
Months (मासाः):
| Sanskrit (Lunar) | Tamil Month | Approx. English |
|---|---|---|
| चैत्रः (chaitraḥ) | சித்திரை | March-April |
| वैशाखः (vaishākhaḥ) | வைகாசி | April-May |
| ज्येष्ठः (jyeṣṭhaḥ) | ஆனி | May-June |
| आषाढः (āṣāḍhaḥ) | ஆடி | June-July |
| श्रावणः (shrāvaṇaḥ) | ஆவணி | July-August |
| भाद्रपदः (bhādrapadaḥ) | புரட்டாசி | August-September |
| आश्विनः (āshvinaḥ) | ஐப்பசி | September-October |
| कार्तिकः (kārtikaḥ) | கார்த்திகை | October-November |
| मार्गशीर्षः (mārgasheerṣaḥ) | மார்கழி | November-December |
| पौषः (pauṣaḥ) | தை | December-January |
| माघः (māghaḥ) | மாசி | January-February |
| फाल्गुनः (phālgunaḥ) | பங்குனி | February-March |
Food & Eating (आहारः):
| Sanskrit | Tamil | English |
|---|---|---|
| अन्नम् (annam) | சோறு | cooked rice |
| रोटिका (roṭikaa) | ரொட்டி | bread/roti |
| दुग्धम् (dugdham) | பால் | milk |
| दधि (dadhi) | தயிர் | curd/yogurt |
| घृतम् (ghṛitam) | நெய் | ghee |
| मधु (madhu) | தேன் | honey |
| शाकम् (shaakam) | காய்கறி | vegetables |
| फलम् (phalam) | பழம் | fruit |
| नवनीतम् (navaneetam) | வெண்ணெய் | butter |
| लवणम् (lavaṇam) | உப்பு | salt |
| शर्करा (sharkaraa) | சர்க்கரை | sugar |
| मांसम् (maamsam) | இறைச்சி | meat |
Common Adjectives (विशेषणानि):
| Sanskrit | Tamil | English |
|---|---|---|
| उत्तमः (uttamaḥ) | சிறந்த | good/excellent |
| अधमः (adhamaḥ) | மோசமான | bad |
| महत् (mahat) | பெரிய | big/great |
| लघु (laghu) | சிறிய | small/light |
| दीर्घः (dīrghaḥ) | நீண்ட | long |
| ह्रस्वः (hrasvaḥ) | குறுகிய | short |
| नूतनः (nootanaḥ) | புதிய | new |
| पुरातनः (puraatanaḥ) | பழைய | old/ancient |
| शुभः (shubhaḥ) | நல்ல | auspicious/good |
| अशुभः (ashubhaḥ) | கெட்ட | inauspicious/bad |
| सुन्दरः (sundaraḥ) | அழகான | beautiful |
| कुरूपः (kuroopaḥ) | அசிங்கமான | ugly |
| शीतलः (sheetalaḥ) | குளிர்ந்த | cold |
| उष्णः (uṣhṇaḥ) | சூடான | hot |
| मृदुः (mṛiduḥ) | மென்மையான | soft |
| कठिनः (kaṭhinaḥ) | கடினமான | hard/difficult |
Directions & Places (दिशः):
| Sanskrit | Tamil | English |
|---|---|---|
| उत्तरः (uttaraḥ) | வடக்கு | north |
| दक्षिणः (dakṣhiṇaḥ) | தெற்கு | south |
| पूर्वः (poorvaḥ) | கிழக்கு | east |
| पश्चिमः (pashchimaḥ) | மேற்கு | west |
| गृहम् (gṛiham) | வீடு | house |
| विद्यालयः (vidyaalayaḥ) | பள்ளி | school |
| मन्दिरम् (mandiram) | கோவில் | temple |
| उद्यानम् (udyaanam) | பூங்கா | garden/park |
| नगरम् (nagaram) | நகரம் | city |
| ग्रामः (graamaḥ) | கிராமம் | village |
Time Expressions (कालः):
| Sanskrit | Tamil | English |
|---|---|---|
| अद्य (adya) | இன்று | today |
| श्वः (shvaḥ) | நாளை | tomorrow |
| ह्यः (hyaḥ) | நேற்று | yesterday |
| इदानीम् (idaaneem) | இப்போது | now |
| सायम् (saayam) | மாலை | evening |
| प्रातः (praataḥ) | காலை | morning |
| मध्याह्नः (madhyaahnaḥ) | மதியம் | noon |
| रात्रिः (raatriḥ) | இரவு | night |
| वर्षः (varṣhaḥ) | வருடம் | year |
| मासः (maasaḥ) | மாதம் | month |
| सप्ताहः (saptaahaḥ) | வாரம் | week |
| दिवसः (divasaḥ) | நாள் | day |
Common Verbs Summary (क्रियापदानि):
| Root | Meaning | Present (3rd Sg) | Tamil |
|---|---|---|---|
| कृ (kṛi) | to do | करोति (karoti) | செய்கிறான் |
| भू (bhoo) | to be/become | भवति (bhavati) | ஆகிறான் |
| गम् (gam) | to go | गच्छति (gachchhati) | செல்கிறான் |
| आ-गम् (aa-gam) | to come | आगच्छति (aagachchhati) | வருகிறான் |
| पठ् (paṭh) | to read/study | पठति (paṭhati) | படிக்கிறான் |
| लिख् (likh) | to write | लिखति (likhati) | எழுதுகிறான் |
| खाद् (khaad) | to eat | खादति (khaadati) | சாப்பிடுகிறான் |
| पा (paa) | to drink | पिबति (pibati) | குடிக்கிறான் |
| दा (daa) | to give | ददाति (dadaati) | கொடுக்கிறான் |
| गृह् (gṛih) | to take | गृह्णाति (gṛihṇaati) | எடுக்கிறான் |
| स्था (sthaa) | to stand | तिष्ठति (tiṣhṭhati) | நிற்கிறான் |
| वद् (vad) | to speak | वदति (vadati) | பேசுகிறான் |
| पश् (pash) | to see | पश्यति (pashyati) | பார்க்கிறான் |
| श्रु (shru) | to hear | शृणोति (shṛiṇoti) | கேட்கிறான் |
| हस् (has) | to laugh | हसति (hasati) | சிரிக்கிறான் |
| रुद् (rud) | to cry | रोदिति (roditi) | அழுகிறான் |
| जीव् (jeev) | to live | जीवति (jeevati) | வாழ்கிறான் |
| मृ (mṛi) | to die | म्रियते (mriyate) | இறக்கிறான் |
Part 1 Summary & Next Steps
What You’ve Learned
✅ Completed in Part 1:
- Basic Communication: Greetings, daily phrases, introducing yourself
- Grammar Foundation: 8-case system (all three genders)
- Pronouns: Personal pronouns with dual number
- Verbs: Present, past, future tenses + imperative mood
- Numbers: 1-1000 counting system
- Essential Vocabulary: 150+ words across 12 categories
- Sentence Building: Word order flexibility with case markers
- Sandhi Basics: Understanding sound combinations
📊 Your Progress:
- Vocabulary: ~150-200 words ✓
- Grammar Concepts: 15+ rules ✓
- Verb Forms: 40+ conjugations ✓
- Ready for: Intermediate conversations and simple text reading
Practice Exercises
Before moving to Part 2, practice these:
- Translation Practice: Translate 10 simple Tamil/English sentences to Sanskrit daily
- Declension Drill: Practice declining 5 new nouns (masculine, feminine, neuter)
- Verb Conjugation: Conjugate 3 verbs in all tenses learned
- Sentence Creation: Write 5 sentences daily using different cases
- Vocabulary Review: Revise all category vocabulary weekly
Sample Sentences to Translate:
| Tamil | Hint |
|---|---|
| நான் புத்தகம் படிக்கிறேன் | Use अहम् + पुस्तकम् + पठामि |
| சீதை பூங்காவில் இருக்கிறாள் | Use सीता + उद्याने (locative) + अस्ति |
| ராமன் நாளை வருவான் | Use रामः + श्वः + आगमिष्यति |
| ஆசிரியர் மாணவனுக்கு புத்தகம் கொடுக்கிறார் | Use शिक्षकः + छात्राय (dative) + पुस्तकम् + ददाति |
To be continued in Part 2…
Coming in Part 2 - Advanced Grammar & Mastery
Part 2 will cover:
- 10 Verb Classes (गण): Complete classification system
- All 10 Tenses/Moods (लकाराः): Including optative, conditional, benedictive
- Compound Words (समास): 6 types of word formation
- Passive & Causative: Advanced verb constructions
- Participles (कृदन्त): Present, past, future participles
- Advanced Sandhi: All consonant sandhi rules, visarga sandhi
- Indeclinable Words: Prepositions, particles, conjunctions
- Classical Text Reading: Simple verses from Bhagavad Gita, Hitopadesha
- Advanced Vocabulary: 300+ philosophical, literary, technical terms
