Common Sanskrit Verbs — Vocabulary
सामान्य धातु — शब्दावली
30 Essential Verbs Every Sanskrit Student Must Know · Class 6-8
Key Points to Remember
- ▸√gam → gacchati (go), āgam → āgacchati (come) — prefix ā reverses direction
- ▸√śru → śṛṇoti (hear) gives "śruti" (heard scripture: Vedas)
- ▸√smṛ → smarati (remember) gives "smṛti" (remembered tradition: Manusmṛti, etc.)
- ▸√vand → vandate (worship) gives "vandana" (prayer/salutation song)
Vocabulary List
These 30 verb roots (dhātus) appear most frequently in NCERT Ruchira and in classical Sanskrit literature. Knowing their meaning helps you decode any Sanskrit sentence.
| Sanskrit | Transliteration | Meaning | Root / Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| √गम् → गच्छति | √gam → gacchati | to go | |
| √आगम् → आगच्छति | √āgam → āgacchati | to come (ā + gam) | |
| √पठ् → पठति | √paṭh → paṭhati | to read, recite | |
| √लिख् → लिखति | √likh → likhati | to write | |
| √खाद् → खादति | √khād → khādati | to eat, chew | |
| √पा → पिबति | √pā → pibati | to drink (class 1, irregular: piba-) | |
| √वद् → वदति | √vad → vadati | to say, speak | |
| √श्रु → शृणोति | √śru → śṛṇoti | to hear (class 5) | |
| √दृश् → पश्यति | √dṛś → paśyati | to see (suppletive) | |
| √कृ → करोति | √kṛ → karoti | to do, make | |
| √दा → ददाति | √dā → dadāti | to give (class 3) | |
| √भू → भवति | √bhū → bhavati | to be, become | |
| √अस् → अस्ति | √as → asti | to be, exist | |
| √स्था → तिष्ठति | √sthā → tiṣṭhati | to stand, remain | |
| √नी → नयति | √nī → nayati | to lead | |
| √जीव् → जीवति | √jīv → jīvati | to live | |
| √मर् → म्रियते | √mar → mriyate | to die (ātmanepada) | |
| √वस् → वसति | √vas → vasati | to dwell, live | |
| √खेल् → खेलति | √khel → khelati | to play | |
| √हस् → हसति | √has → hasati | to laugh | |
| √रुद् → रोदिति | √rud → roditi | to cry, weep | |
| √चल् → चलति | √cal → calati | to move, walk | |
| √उत्तर् → उत्तरति | √uttar → uttarati | to answer, to cross over | |
| √स्मृ → स्मरति | √smṛ → smarati | to remember | |
| √ज्ञा → जानाति | √jñā → jānāti | to know | |
| √इच्छ् → इच्छति | √icch → icchati | to wish, desire | |
| √पच् → पचति | √pac → pacati | to cook | |
| √प्रच्छ् → पृच्छति | √pracch → pṛcchati | to ask (a question) | |
| √क्रीड् → क्रीडति | √krīḍ → krīḍati | to play, sport | |
| √वन्द् → वन्दते | √vand → vandate | to salute, worship (ātmanepada) |
Exercises (2)
Exercise 1: Match the Column
Match verb to meaning
1. √gam (गम्)
Show answer
to go
2. √śru (श्रु)
Show answer
to hear
3. √jñā (ज्ञा)
Show answer
to know
4. √smṛ (स्मृ)
Show answer
to remember
5. √vand (वन्द्)
Show answer
to salute/worship
Exercise 2: Fill in the Blanks
Identify the verb root in these words
1. "Vandana" (वन्दना — salutation/prayer song) comes from which dhātu?
Show answer
√vand (to salute) → vandana = the act of saluting
2. "Smṛti" (स्मृति — remembered text/tradition) comes from which dhātu?
Show answer
√smṛ (to remember) → smṛti = remembered tradition (as opposed to śruti = heard)
3. "Karma" (कर्म — action) comes from which dhātu?
Show answer
√kṛ (to do/make) → karma = action, deed
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