What are the basics of Sanskrit I should learn?
Hello! First of all, I am glad that you want to learn the most significant and beautiful language – Devbhasha aka Sanskrit! Sanskrit is called a mother’s of all languages and if you observe carefully, it is indeed the case! So yeah, you should definitely try to learn Sanskrit. Once you start, you will be fascinated by the language, Period!
Nor I am a Sanskrit Pandit neither I know Sanskrit very well, I only know few basics, even I am on my journey of learning Sanskrit so I can surely tell you some good resources.
Well, we all know that the backbone of every language, hands down, is GRAMMAR! So go ahead, pick up our 8th standard Sanskrit book (Yeah, don’t underestimate it, it has really good basic grammar to get started with all the Vibhakti pratyayas tables, Parts of speech, Sentence structures etc ). I highly recommend going through 8,9 and 10th standard Sanskrit books. It covers the basic Vyakarana (grammar) and gives you a rough idea of how to frame small sentences, questions in Sanskrit. Those books also have small stories, poems and my personal favourite – Subhashitmalas !! The point is after you are done with reading and remembering all the grammar tables given in the book, you can start reading the chapters one by one and try to understand them. Trust me, you surely will understand those and it’s fun!
सर्वत्र everywhere
अत्र here
तत्र there
कुत्र where
अन्यत्र elsewhere
एकत्र in one place, in the same place
कः who
स्वागतम् welcome!
भवत्याः your (feminine)
भवतः your (masculine)
उत्तमम् most, in the highest degree
उत्तिष्ठतु stand up!
उपविशतु sit down!
पृच्छतु ask!
आगच्छतु come!
पुस्तकम book (n.)
एष: this (male)
एषा this (female)
एतत् this
पुष्पम् flower (n.)
उपनेत्र eyeglasses
कङ्कत comb
करदीप flashlight
चषक cup
घटी clock
युतक shirt
मुखम् face (n.)
धनम money (n.)
लेखनी pen
फल fruit
अस्ति there is
नास्ति there is not
जलम् water (n.)
धनस्यूत wallet, purse
बुद्धि knowledge, intelligence
कृष्णफलक blackboard
प्रकाश light
महिला woman
पुरुषः man (m.)
Next learn some basic phrases
समये आगच्छतु Come on time.
अत्र आगच्छतु Come here.
एषः मम मित्रम् This is my friend. (masculine)
एषा मम सखी This is my friend. (feminine)
त्वम् मम मित्रम् You are my friend.
भवत्याः गृहं कश्चिद् आगत इव It seems someone has come to your house.
Learn Nominative pronouns
सः singular (masculine) – he
तौ dual (masculine) – they two
ते plural (masculine) – they (plural)
त्वम् you
युवाम् you two
यूयम् you (plural)
अहम् I
आवाम् we two
वयम् we (plural)
ताः plural (feminine) – they (plural)
सा singular (feminine) – she
Also while doing this, keep a small Sanskrit dictionary handy if possible. (I know google is there to rescue but the dictionary is more fun! ).
Also, while doing grammar, try to converse with someone, or maybe with yourself in Sanskrit if grammar seems a little heavy. It will also help you in learning the language naturally.
Also, you can join Multibhashi for language learning. Join today click here.
