Past Tense | Lang lakar | लङ्लकार | - Learn Sanskrit

 Past Tense in Sanskrit for beginners :

You will learn about past tense (lang laakaar/लङ्लकार)  with examples and tips of how to construct sentences in the past tense.

 


 

परस्मैपदी endings of Past Tense

Singular	Dual	Plural	Person
अम्	व	म	1st
स् (ः)	तम्	त	2nd
त्	ताम्	अन्	3rd

 अ + Verbal root + विकरणप्रत्यय + ending of person = Verb

• अ is added before the verbal root
• Unless अ is added to any verbal root, it will not be considered as a past form
• So, this अ is very important
• Because this अ indicates that it is the past form of any verbal root

 

पठ् (1 PP) – to speak

अ + पठ् + अ + त् = अपठत्

• Note – the हलन्त त् (half त्) is indication of PP ending
• In the similar way we can make other past forms of the verbal root पठ्

 
 पठ् (1 PP) – to speak

Singular	Dual	Plural	Person
अपठम्	अपठाव	अपठाम	1st
अपठः	अपठतम्	अपठत	2nd
अपठत्	अपठताम्	अपठन्	3rd

Similarly, रम् (to enjoy), धाव् (to run), हस् (laugh/smile) etc. will be declined

नश् (1 PP) – to perish

Singular	Dual	Plural	Person
अनश्यम्	अनश्याव	अनश्याम	1st
अनश्यः	अनश्यतम्	अनश्यत	2nd
अनश्यत्	अनश्यताम्	अनश्यन्	3rd

Similarly, सिध् (to originate/be successful), नृत् (to dance), etc. will be declined

लिख् (6 PP) – to write

Singular	Dual	Plural	Person
अलिखम्	अलिखाव	अलिखाम	1st
अलिखः	अलिखतम्	अलिखत	2nd
अलिखत्	अलिखताम्	अलिखन्	3rd

Similarly, प्रच्छ - पृच्छ् (to ask), इष् - इच्छ् (to wish/desire), etc. will be declined

कथ् (10 PP) – to tell

Singular	Dual	Plural	Person
अकथयम्	अकथयाव	अकथयाम	1st
अकथयः	अकथयतम्	अकथयत	2nd
अकथयत्	अकथयताम्	अकथयन्	3rd

Similarly, पूज् (to worship), चिन्त् (to think), रच् (to arrange) etc. will be declined

आत्मनेपदी endings of Present Tense

Singular	Dual	Plural	Person
इ	वहि	महि	1st
थास् (थाः)	आथाम्	ध्वम्	2nd
त	आताम्	अन्त	3rd

• Endings आथाम्      इथाम् and आताम्      इताम् in the case of 1^st, 4^th, 6^th, and 10^th groups only
• In other remaining groups i.e. 2^nd, 3^rd, 5^th, 7^th, 8^th and 9^th this change will not take place