Intensive roots

Also known as: frequentative roots, yaṅanta (“ending in the affix yaṅ”)

Intensive roots show that an action was done in an intense or frequent way:

• लपति → लालप्यते
  lapati → lālapyate
  laments → repeatedly laments
  

With verbs of motion, the intensive implies crooked or difficult motion:

• जङ्गम्यते
  jaṅgamyate
  goes crookedly
  

And for certain roots, the intensive implies blameworthy or inept action:

• लोलुप्यते
  lolupyate
  cuts badly
  

Although intensive roots can be used with parasmaipada endings, such forms are very rare. Here, we will focus on the form used with ātmanepada endings.

Making the root

Generally, roots that start with vowels and roots in the cur class cannot make intensive roots. But most other roots can.

To make the intensive root, we use a special kind of doubling. First, we add the suffix -ya, which causes the same changes as the karmaṇi prayoga-ya suffifx we used for the special tense-moods:

• लुप् → लुप्य
  lup → lupya
  

Then, we double the root according to the normal rules:

• लुप्य → लु लुप्य
  lupya → lu lupya
  

Finally, we strengthen the double's vowel:

• लु लुप्य → लोलुप्य
  lu lupya → lolupya
  

Here are some other examples:

• भू → बोभूय
  bhū → bobhūya
  repeatedly be
  

• कृ → चेक्रीय
  kṛ → cekrīya
  repeatedly do
  

And a common exception if ṛ is the middle vowel:

• सृप् → सरीसृप्य
  sṛp → sarīsṛpya
  repeatedly creep; creep along
  

• वृत् → वरीवृत्य
  vṛt → varīvṛtya
  repeatedly turn
  

• नृत् → नरीनृत्य
  nṛt → narīnṛtya
  repeatedly dance
  

Using the root

The intensive roots always use ātmanepada endings:

• जङ्गम्यते
  jaṅgamyate
  goes crookedly
  

For the special tense-moods, we use these roots as if they were part of the div class:

• नरीनृत्येत
  narīnṛtyeta
  might repeatedly dance
  

And for the distant past tense, we use the suffix -ām:

• लोलुप्यां चक्रे
  lolupyāṃ cakre
  (someone) cut badly (long ago)