Nominal roots

Also known as: denominative verbs, nāmadhātu (“nominal roots”)

There are various suffixes that turn a nominal stem into a verb root. Here, we will share the most common of these suffixes.

First is the suffix -i. This suffix is the most common, and we use it in the same way as the causal suffix -i:

  • मिश्र → मिश्रयति
    miśra → miśrayati
    mixed → mixes

  • मूत्र → मूत्रयति
    mūtra → mūtrayati
    urine, pee → urinates, pees

  • व्रत → व्रतयति
    vrata → vratayati
    vow → observes a vow

Next is the suffix -ya, which generally changes the stem's final a to ī. -ya also usually lengthens the stem's final vowel:

  • पुत्र → पुत्रीयति
    putra → putrīyati
    son → wants a son

  • कवि → कवीयति
    kavi → kavīyati
    poet → wants a poet

We might also consider the suffix -kāmya:

  • पुत्र → पुत्रकाम्यति
    putra → putrakāmyati
    son → wants a son

  • यशस् → यशस्काम्यति
    yaśas → yaśaskāmyati
    fame → wants fame