Verbs  ·  present tense · laṭ

Present-system verbs

The Sanskrit present tense (laṭ) across four representative classes: I (bhvādi), II (adādi), IV (divādi), VI (tudādi). Each tab shows the full parasmaipada — and ātmanepada where the root takes it.


Class I (bhvādi) — the default verb class. Present stem: root + guṇa + thematic -a-. √bhū "to be, become" → bhava-. Whitney §626, MacDonell §127.

Class I · bhū Parasmaipada
SingularDualPlural
1st
bhavāmi
bhavāvaḥ
bhavāmaḥ
2nd
bhavasi
bhavathaḥ
bhavatha
3rd
bhavati
bhavataḥ
bhavanti

Rule

Most Sanskrit verbs belong to class I. Form the present stem by strengthening the root vowel to guṇa and adding the thematic vowel -a-: √bhūbhava-, √naya-, √jīvjīva-. Endings are the standard parasmaipada set.

Exercise

Fill in the conjugation — 9 forms per pada.

Class I · bhū Parasmaipada
SingularDualPlural
1st
2nd
3rd
0 / 9 correct

Class II (adādi) — athematic, endings attach directly to the root. √as "to be" (copula). Strong stem as-, weak stem s-. Whitney §636, MacDonell §132.

Class II · as Parasmaipada
SingularDualPlural
1st
asmi
svaḥ
smaḥ
2nd
asi
sthaḥ
stha
3rd
asti
staḥ
santi

Rule

Class II verbs have no thematic vowel — endings attach directly to the root. This creates a strong/weak stem alternation like consonant nouns: strong stem (1st/2nd/3rd sg. + 3rd pl.) vs. weak stem (rest). √as is the Sanskrit copula — the most frequent verb in the language. Note santi (3rd pl.) with the nasal.

Exercise

Fill in the conjugation — 9 forms per pada.

Class II · as Parasmaipada
SingularDualPlural
1st
2nd
3rd
0 / 9 correct

Class IV (divādi) — present stem = root + -ya-. √div/dīv "to play, shine" → dīvya-. Also: √naśnaśya-, √madmadya-. Whitney §661, MacDonell §135.

Class IV · div Parasmaipada
SingularDualPlural
1st
dīvyāmi
dīvyāvaḥ
dīvyāmaḥ
2nd
dīvyasi
dīvyathaḥ
dīvyatha
3rd
dīvyati
dīvyataḥ
dīvyanti

Rule

Class IV adds the suffix -ya- to the (often unstrengthened) root: √divdīvya- (with lengthening), √naśnaśya-. The -ya- is then followed by the thematic vowel and standard endings. Don't confuse with the passive -ya- — class IV -ya- is accented on the root, passive -ya- on the suffix.

Exercise

Fill in the conjugation — 9 forms per pada.

Class IV · div Parasmaipada
SingularDualPlural
1st
2nd
3rd
0 / 9 correct

Class VI (tudādi) — thematic like class I, but with accent on the ending and no guṇa of the root. √tud "to strike" → tuda-. Also: √viśviśa-, √mucmuñca-. Whitney §669, MacDonell §137.

Class VI · tud Parasmaipada
SingularDualPlural
1st
tudāmi
tudāvaḥ
tudāmaḥ
2nd
tudasi
tudathaḥ
tudatha
3rd
tudati
tudataḥ
tudanti
Class VI · tud Ātmanepada
SingularDualPlural
1st
tude
tudāvahe
tudāmahe
2nd
tudase
tudāthe
duddhve
3rd
tudate
tudāte
tudante

Rule

Class VI looks identical to class I in the paradigm table — same endings, same thematic -a-. The difference is phonological: (1) the root does not take guṇa (√tud stays tud-, not †tod-), and (2) the accent falls on the ending, not the root. In practice: if a root appears in class VI, just decline it like class I but skip guṇa.

Exercise

Fill in the conjugation — 9 forms per pada.

Class VI · tud Parasmaipada
SingularDualPlural
1st
2nd
3rd
Class VI · tud Ātmanepada
SingularDualPlural
1st
2nd
3rd
0 / 9 correct
Whitney §599–699 · MacDonell §122–142
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