The upasarga

Verb prefixes are small groups of sounds that we add to the beginning of a verb root. Prefixes are a quick and convenient way to change a verb's basic meaning.

The most common kind of verb prefix is called an upasarga. There are twenty standard upasargas, and you can see them all below:

What can an upasarga do?

An upasarga usually does one of three things. First, it might change the root's meaning in a straightforward way:

• गच्छन्ति → संगच्छन्ति
  gacchanti → saṃgacchanti
  they go → they meet (“go together”)

• नयन्ति → संनयन्ति
  nayanti → saṃnayanti
  they lead → They unite (“lead (others) together”)

Second, it might create a totally new meaning. This new meaning usually depends on cultural context:

• गच्छन्ति → अवगच्छन्ति
  gacchanti → avagacchanti
  they go → they understand

Third, it might intensify the root's basic meaning or leave it unchanged:

• जयति → विजयति
  jayati → vijayati
  they conquer → they (intensely or fully) conquer

We can also use multiple upasargas at a time:

• गच्छन्ति → समागच्छन्ति
  gacchanti → samāgacchanti
  they go → they come together; they convene (“go together here”)

• नयन्ति → समानयन्ति
  nayanti → samānayanti
  they lead → they gather (“lead together here”)

Verbs with a-

Many Sanskrit verbs use the prefix a-. Usually, this prefix shows that an event occurred in the past:

• अगच्छन्
  agacchan
  They went.

When we use an upasarga, we place it before this a-:

• आगच्छन्
  āgacchan
  They came.

• पर्यगच्छन्
  paryagacchan
  They went around.

In older Sanskrit, the upasarga is a more independent word and can appear almost anywhere in the sentence. But in later Sanskrit, the upasarga usually combines with the verb and creates a single word.