Pāli Language Section

Pali Grammatical Terms

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Also available in PDF format. Notes on this webpage are found at the bottom of page.

Organised Listings

Parts of speech (padaj±ti):

  • n±ma -- noun, substantive
  • ±khy±t± -- verb
  • upasagga -- prefix
  • nip±ta -- particle

Sandhi -- liaison, euphonic junction:

  • sara-sandhi -- vowel liaison
  • vyañjana-sandhi -- vowel-consonant liaison
  • niggah²ta-sandhi -- liaison with niggah²ta

Case-endings (vibhatti):

  • paccatta-vacana -- nominative case (paµham±: first)
  • ±lapana-vacana -- vocative
  • upayoga-vacana -- accusative (dutiy±: second)
  • karaºa-vacana -- instrumental (tatiy±: third)
  • sampad±na-vacana -- dative (catutth²: fourth)
  • nissakka-vacana -- ablative of separation (pañcam²: fifth)
  • itthambh³ta-vacana -- ablative of likeness
  • s±mi-vacana -- genitive (chaµµh²: sixth)
  • bhumma-vacana -- locative case (sattam²: seventh)

Words relating to substantives:

  • liªga -- gender (liªga-vipall±sa: change of gender; t²ºi liªg±ni: 3 genders)
  • pulliªga -- masculine gender
  • itthiliªga -- feminine gender
  • napu½sakaliªga -- neuter gender
  • ekavacana -- singular
  • bahuvacana -- plural
  • n±ma-n±ma -- substantive, proper name
  • sabba-n±ma -- pronoun
  • guºa-n±ma -- adjective
  • aniyamita -- relative pronoun (e.g. ya½)
  • niyamita -- demonstrative pronoun (e.g. ta½)
  • sam±sa-n±ma -- compound noun
  • taddhita-n±ma -- derivative from noun
  • kitaka-n±ma -- derivative from verb

Verb (±khy±ta):

  • k±la -- tense
  • dh±tu -- verbal root (e.g. p±)
  • r³pa -- form of stem (e.g. piva)
  • vattam±nak±la -- present indicative tense
  • ajjatan² -- aorist
  • bhavissant² -- future indicative
  • pañcam² -- imperative (mood)
  • sattam² -- optative (mood)
  • h²yattan² -- imperfect
  • parokkh± -- perfect
  • k±l±tipatti -- conditional
  • k±rita -- causative
  • tumanta -- infinitive
  • parassapada -- active
  • attanopada -- middle (reflexive)
  • kammapada -- passive
  • k±raka -- voice
  • kattuk±raka -- active voice
  • kammak±raka -- passive voice
  • bh³v±digaºa -- first conjugation (e.g. bh³)
  • rudh±digaºa -- second conjugation (e.g. rudh)
  • div±digaºa -- third conjugation (e.g. div)
  • suv±digaºa -- fourth conjugation (e.g. su)
  • kiy±digaºa -- fifth conjugation (e.g. ki)
  • tan±digaºa -- sixth conjugation (e.g. tan)
  • cur±digaºa -- seventh conjugation (e.g. cur)
  • paµhama-purisa -- third person (N.B.)
  • majjhima-purisa -- second person
  • uttama-purisa -- first person
  • akammaka -- intransitive
  • sakammaka -- transitive
  • dvikammaka -- bitransitive

Particle (nip±ta):

  • paµisedha -- negative (na, no, m±)
  • sampiº¹ana -- conjunction (ca, pi)
  • kriy±, kiriya -- adverb, predicate
  • samuccaya -- conjunction (ca)
  • sa½yoga -- conjunction (ca)

Prefix (upasagga):

ati, adhi, anu, apa, api, abhi, ava (= o), ±, u, upa, du, ni, n², pa, pati, p±r±, pari, vi, sa½, su

Compounds (sam±sa):

  1. kammadh±raya -- adjective compound [adj. + subs.] (e.g. niluppala½: the blue waterlily)
  2. digu -- numerical determinative compound [num. + subs.]
    • sam±h±ra -- collective grammatically singular termination (e.g. tiloka½: the three worlds)
    • asam±h±ra -- individual plural termination (e.g. pañcindriy±ni: the five faculties)
  3. tappurisa -- dependent determinative compound [subs. in oblique case + subs. or adj.]
    • dutiy±-tappurisa [acc. subs. + subs. or adj.] (e.g. g±magato = g±ma½ gato: gone to the village)
    • tatiy±-tappurisa [instr. subs. + subs. or adj.] (e.g. buddhadesito = buddhena desito: taught by the Buddha)
    • catutth²-tappurisa [dat. subs. + subs. or adj.] (e.g. p±s±dadabba½ = p±s±d±ya dabba½: material for the palace)
    • pañcam²-tappurisa [abl. of sep. subs. + subs. or adj.] (e.g. rukkhapatito = rukkh± patito: fallen from the tree)
    • chaµµh²-tappurisa [gen. subs. + subs. or adj.] (e.g. jinavacana½ = jinassa vacana½: the word of the Conqueror)
    • sattam²-tappurisa [loc. subs. + subs. or adj.] (e.g. g±mav±s² = g±me v±s²: dweller in a village)
    • alutta-sam±sa [inflected subs. + subs. or adj.] (e.g. manasik±ro = manasi k±ro: keeping in mind, attention)
    • upapada-tappurisa -- verbal dependent determinative compound [subs. + verbal subs.] (e.g. kumbhak±ro = kumbha½ k±ro: pot-maker, potter)
  4. dvanda -- copulative compound [subs. + subs.]
    • sam±h±ra: with singular termination (e.g. hatthassaratha-pattika½ = hatthino ca ass± ca rath± ca pattik± ca: elephants, horses, chariots, and infantry)
    • asam±h±ra: with plural termination (e.g. candasuriy± = cando ca suriyo ca: the moon and the sun)
  5. avyay²bh±va -- adverbial compound [indecl. adv. + subs.] (e.g. upanagara½ = upa + nagara½: near the town)
  6. bahubb²hi -- relative compound [combination of subs, + subs. used as adj. to qualify another subs.] (e.g. lohitamakkhitas²so (puriso) = (purisassa) lohitena makkhita½ s²sa½ (atthi): (a man) whose head is smeared with blood)
  7. missaka-sam±sa -- complex compound (e.g. suranaramahito = (a) sur± ca nar± ca (dvanda); (b) suranarehi mahito (tappurisa): honoured by gods and men)

Secondary derivatives (taddhita) [subs. (or subs. + suffix) + suffix]:

  1. s±mañña-taddhita -- general secondary derivative
    • appaccattha -- denoting lineage (suffixes = (º)a, (º)±na, (º)era, (º)eyya)
    • anekattha -- of various meanings (suffixes = (º)ika, (º)a, ima, iya, t±, ka, maya)
    • atthyattha -- denoting endowment, possession (suffixes = ava, ala, ila, ika, ², v², ss², vantu, mantu)
    • saªkhy± -- numerical derivatives [number + suffix] (suffixes = ma, tiya, ttha, ², ka)
  2. bh±va-taddhita -- gerundial used as abstract subs. [subs. + suffix] (suffixes = t±, tta, ttana, (º)ya, (º)a)
  3. avyaya-taddhita -- indeclinable numbers and adverbs (e.g. num. + kkhattum (adv.), dh±, so, th±, tana)

Primary derivative (kitaka) [verbal root + suffix = substantive]:

  1. kicca -- for formation of passive particles (suffixes = tabba, an²ya, (º)ya, (º)iya, tayya, icca)
  2. kita -- for formation of active participles or nouns expressing an active meaning (suffixes = nta, m±na, ta, etc.)

Establishment of word-meaning (pada-siddhi, sadda-siddhi):

  1. karaºa-s±dhana -- definition by way of instrumental sense (e.g. saranti et±y± ti sati: by this they are mindful, thus it is mindfulness)
  2. kattu-s±dhana -- definition by way of agent (e.g. saya½ sarat² ti sati: this itself is mindful, thus it is mindfulness)
  3. bh±va-s±dhana -- definition by way of state (e.g. saraºamattam eva es± ti sati: this is mere being mindful, thus it is mindfulness)

Vocabulary

akammaka -- intransitive verb
akkhara -- letter (of alphabet)
accantasa½yoga -- direct governance (of acc. by transitive verb)
ajjatan² -- aorist (tense)
atidesa -- extension of meaning
at²tak±la -- past tense
attanopada -- middle (voice)
adhikaraºa -- one kind of locative (= container)
an±gatak±la -- future tense
aniyamita -- relative pronoun
aniyamuddesa -- relative clause
anun±sika -- the letter ½, the nasal
anuss±ra -- the letter ½, the nasal
anekattha -- type of suffix
ap±d±na -- function of ablative, i.e. separation
appaccattha -- type of suffix
alutta -- type of compound (see above)
avayava -- constituent of compound
avuddhika -- weak strengthening of root in vowel gradation
avyaya -- indeclinable
avyaya-taddhita -- indeclinable numerals and adverbs
avyay²bh±va -- adverbial compound
asam±h±ra -- (compound) with plural termination

±khy±ta -- verb
±dh±ra -- locative, support
±lapana -- vocative case

itaritara -- dvanda with plural ending
itthambh³ta-vacana -- ablative of likeness
itthiliªga -- feminine gender

uttama-purisa -- first person
upac±ra -- figure of speech, metaphor
upapada-tappurisa -- verbal dependent determinative compound
upayoga-vacana -- accusative case
upasa -- prefixed vowel
upasagga -- prefix, suffix, affix

ekavacana -- singular

ok±sa -- locative case

katt± -- subject of verb
kattuk±raka -- active voice
kattus±dhana -- definition of word by way of agent
kamma -- object of word
kammak±raka -- passive voice
kammadh±raya -- adjectival compound
karaºa-vacana -- instrumental case
karaºa-s±dhana -- definition of word by way of instrumental sense
k±ra -- letter or syllable (e.g. mak±ro = the letter "ma")
k±raka -- voice (of verb); syntax
k±rita -- causative
k±la -- tense
k±l±tipatti -- conditional derivative substantive
kicca -- function, kind of verbal noun suffix
kita -- verbal noun suffix
kitaka -- verbal noun suffix
kiriyavisesa -- adverb
kriy±, kiriya -- adverb, predicate of verb

gaºa -- conjugation
guºa -- strong vowel gradation
guºa-n±ma -- quality noun, adjective

catutth² -- dative case
chaµµh² -- genitive case

tatiya -- instrumental case
taddhita -- secondary derivative substantive
tappurisa -- dependent determinative compound
tumanta -- infinitive
tumicchattha -- desiderative

digu -- numerical determinative compound
dutiya -- accusative case
dvanda -- copulative compound
dvikammaka -- bitransitive verb
dh±tu -- verbal root or stem
dh±tur³pakasadda -- denominative

napu½sakaliªga -- neuter gender
n±ma -- noun, substantive
n±m±-n±m± -- noun
niggah²ta -- the final letter ½
nip±ta -- particle
nibbacana -- derivative form, derivation
niyamita -- demonstrative pronoun (e.g. ta½)
nissaka-vacana -- ablative of separation
nissita-vacana -- dependent locution (cf. Vis.20, VisA.40)

paccatta-vacana -- nominative case
paccaya -- suffix
paccuppanna (k±la) -- present (time)
pañcam² -- imperative (mood); ablative of separation (case)
paµisedha -- negative (na, no, m±)
paµham± -- nominative case
pada -- word; syllable; phrase; sentence
padaccheda -- contraction, elision of word
padalopa -- elision of word
pada-siddhi -- establishment of word-meaning
parassapada -- active (voice)
pariy±ya -- metaphor
parokkh± -- perfect tense
puthuvacana -- plural
pubbakiriya -- gerund
purisa -- person
pulliªga -- masculine gender

bahubb²hi -- relative compound
bahuvacana -- plural
bhavissant² -- future (tense)
bh±va -- state; a kind of verbal noun; abstract noun
bh±va-taddhita -- gerundial
bh±va-napu½saka -- neuter desiderative abstract noun
bh±va-s±dhana -- definition of word by way of state
bh±vena bh±valakkhaºa-bhumma½ -- locative absolute
bhumma-vacana -- locative case

majjhima-purisa -- second person
missaka-sam±sa -- mixed compound
missakiriya -- present participle

r³pa -- form of stem or root

lak±ra -- tense (of verb)
liªga -- gender; word stem

vaººa -- phonetically distinct sound
vattam±nak±la -- present tense
v±kya -- sentence
vikappa-sam±h±ra -- dvanda with either sing. or plural ending
vibhatti -- case ending
vibhatti-lopa -- elision of case ending
viyoga -- disjunction (v±)
visesana -- "distinguishing", i.e. adjective
visesana-parapada -- kammadh±raya (second member qualifying first)
visesana-pubbapada -- kammadh±raya (first member qualifying second)
vuddhi -- lengthened vowel gradation
vyañjana -- consonant
vyatireka -- negative

sa½yoga -- conjunction (e.g. ca, pi)
sakammaka -- transitive verb
saªkh± -- number (in word formation)
saªkhya-taddhita -- numerical derivative
sattam² -- optative (mood); locative (case)
sadda -- word
sadda-sattha -- grammar
sadda-siddhi -- establishment of word-meaning
sandhi -- liaison
sabba-n±ma -- pronoun
sam±sa -- compound noun
sam±h±ra -- compound with singular termination
samuccaya -- conjunction (e.g. ca, pi)
sampad±na-vacana -- dative case
sampiº¹ana -- conjunction, abbreviation
sambandha -- construction
sara -- vowel
sasambh±rakath± -- substitutional location (cf. Vis.20, VisA.40)
s±dhana-siddhi -- derivation of word
s±mañña -- general
s±mi-vacana -- genitive case

h²yattan² -- imperfect (tense)

This is a slightly revised HTML version of the section "Grammatical Terms" (pp123-134) of A Pali-English Glossary of Buddhist Technical Terms by Ven. Bhikkhu Ñānamoli (1994, ISBN 9552400864). It is reproduced with kind permission of the publisher Buddhist Publication Society (BPS) for free distribution only. The printed book is available for sale:

The page is produced with the help of PaliTrans 2.0 (freeware) by J. Andrew Shaw.

Revised: 11 January 2003 by Bhante Kumāra
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