Introductory Sanskrit
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  • Tables
    • 11 -अ Pres. System
    • -V / Pron. Paradigms
    • External Sandhi
    • Internal Sandhi
  • Lessons 1-10
    • 1 Sound / Script >
      • Vowels & Semivowels
      • Sparśa & Spirants
      • Exercises
    • 1 Script >
      • Exercise 1
      • Exercise 2
      • Exercise 3
      • Exercise 4
      • Exercise 5
    • 2 The Sentence >
      • Flashcards (V/P)
      • 2 Predication
      • 2 Conjugation
      • Exercises
    • 3 Cases 1-2, S >
      • Flashcards (V/S)
      • 3 Case
      • 3 Nom./Acc.
      • 3 Apposition
      • 3 Sandhi
      • Exercises
    • 4 Gaṇas 4, 6, 10 >
      • Flashcards (V)
      • 4 4, 6, 10
      • Exercises
    • 5 Cases 3+ >
      • Flashcards (V/P)
      • 5 Cases 3-7, Voc.
      • Handouts
      • Exercises
    • 6 P Impf/v Opt >
      • Flashcards (V/P)
      • Present System
      • Imperfect
      • Optative
      • Imperative
      • Handout
      • Exercises
    • 7 123 Pron. >
      • Flashcards (V/P)
      • 123 Pronouns
      • Handout
      • Exercises
    • 8 यत्, -आ/ई/ऊ >
      • Flashcards (V/P)
      • Relative Clauses
      • Handout
      • Exercises
    • 9 MF -इ/-उ, S >
      • Flashcards (V/P)
      • Sandhi
      • Exercises
    • 10 Ā. Pres., S >
      • Flashcards (V/P/S)
      • Ātmanepada Present
      • Vowel Sandhi
      • Exercises
  • 11-20
    • 11 Ā Imf/v/Opt >
      • Flashcards (V/P)
      • Impf., Opt., Impv.
      • Exercises
    • 12 Gerund, Inf. >
      • Flashcards (V)
      • Gerund
      • Exercises
    • 13 -ऋ, Cons. S >
      • Flashcards (V/P/S)
      • -ऋ Stems
      • Exercises
    • 14 N -इ / -उ / ऋ >
      • Flashcards (V/P)
      • N -इ / -उ / ऋ
      • Exercises
    • 15 उपसर्गाः >
      • Flashcards (V)
      • उपसर्गाः
      • Exercises
    • 16 Passive >
      • 16 Overview (The Passive)
      • 16 English
      • 16 Sanskrit
      • 16 Exercises
    • 17 -स्य Future >
      • 17 Overview (General Future)
      • 17 -i / sandhi
      • 17 Exercises
    • 19 -C Nouns >
      • Flashcards (V/P)
      • 19 Overview (Cons-final Stems)
      • 19 Exercises
    • 20 P. pres. ptc. >
      • 20 Video
      • 20 English
      • 20 Formation (P pres. ptc.)
      • 20 Usage
      • 20 Exercises
  • 21-34
    • 21 Ā. pres. ptc. >
      • 21 Supplement (Ā. pres. ptc.)
      • 21 Exercises
    • 22 Past ptc. >
      • 22 Usage
      • 22 Formation (past ptc.)
      • 22 Exercises
    • 23 P/-मत्/-अत् >
      • 23 Overview (इदम्/-मत्/-अत्)
      • 23 Exercises
    • 24 2 & 3-Stems >
      • 24 Overview (2 & 3-Stems)
      • 24 Exercises
    • 25-31 Ath. >
      • 25-26 Class 2 >
        • 25 Exercises
        • 26 Exercises
      • 27 Class 3 >
        • 27 Exercises
      • 28 Class 5 >
        • 28 Exercises
      • 30 Class 8 >
        • 30 Exercises
      • 29 Class 7 >
        • 29 Exercises
      • 31 Class 9 >
        • 31 Exercises
    • 32 Compounds >
      • 32 Compounds (Example)
      • 32 Compounds (Overview)
      • 32 Exercises
    • 33 Absolutes >
      • 33 Video (restricted)
      • 33 Exercises
    • 34 Numerals >
      • 34 Video (restricted)
      • 34 Exercises
  • 35-44
    • 35 Gv/-आन/PF >
      • 35 Video (restricted)
      • 35 Exercises
    • 36 Perfect >
      • 36 Video (restricted)
      • 36 Exercises
    • 37 Aorist >
      • 37 Exercises
    • 38 Cond. / Ben. >
      • 38 Exercises
    • 40 Desid. >
      • 40 Exercises
    • 42 Freq. >
      • 42 Exercises
    • 43 Denom. >
      • 43 Exercises
  • कथाः
    • १ - बुद्धकथा
    • २ - शकुन्तलाकथा
    • ४ - रामकथा
    • ५ - श्रावणकथा
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Lesson 17: Internal Sandhi
and the Root-suffix -इ

If you have not done so already, go back and master the information in this lesson’s Overview, especially the rules of formation. This page is provided to help you identify the forms in this Lesson which cannot be derived from those basic rules of formation alone. It is necessary to understand two less important—but unavoidable—elements of future-formation as well: the presence or absence of the root suffix -इ and a few rules of internal sandhi.
  • Root-suffix -इ
  • RUKI / -V
  • Deaspiration
  • Palatals → Velar
  • Handout
<
>
As we saw with gerunds and infinitives, it is not easy to predict which root will take the -इ suffix and which won’t (as that suffix originally represented a vocalized PIE laryngeal which is still not fully understood). Of the root-types that tend to take the -इ suffix fairly regularly are roots ending in:
  • -ऋ: कृ करिष्यति, मृ मरिष्यति, सृ सरिष्यति, हृ हरिष्यति, etc.
  • a semi-vowel: चल् चलिष्यति, चर् चरिष्यति, जीव् जीविष्यति, etc.
  • various conjuncts: ईक्ष् ईक्षिष्यते, निन्द् निन्दिष्यति, रक्ष् रक्षिष्यति, etc.
  • all 10th class/secondary roots: चुर् चोरयिष्यति, चिन्त् चिन्तयिष्यति, etc.
In general, the general future will have the suffix if the infinitive does. For example,
  • क्षिप् क्षेप्-तुम् क्षेप्स्यति, जि जेतुम् जेष्यति, दा दातुम् दास्यति, स्था स्थातुम् स्थास्यति
  • इष् एषितुम् एषिष्यति, कुप् कोपितुम् कोपिष्यति, खाद् खादितुम् खादिष्यति
One regular exception is the first bullet point above: final -ऋ roots do take the -इ suffix in the future even where they don’t in the infinitive: e.g., 
  • मृ मर्-तुम् but मरिष्यति, स्मृ स्मर्-तुम् but स्मरिष्यति, हृ हर्-तुम् but हरिष्यति
And one irregular exception is the root, गम्, which should not take the -इ suffix both on the basis of its infinitive, गन्-तुम्, and its Ā. future passive, गंस्यते. But it nevertheless does take the suffix in the P.: गमिष्यति.
Internal Sandhi
The second difficulty in forming the general future is the internal sandhi that often characterizes roots without the -इ suffix. There are two sorts of sandhi to take note of: that of aspirates and palatals. Before taking them up, we should recall two other rules which apply everywhere in internal sandhi—voicing assimilation and s-retroflexion (s is retroflexed after र् क् or a non-velar vowel):
  • +V → -V // -V || e.g., नुद् → नुत् // त्वा = नुत्त्वा
  • RUKI // स् → ष् || e.g., मुनि // सु → षु = मुनिषु
1. Aspirates deaspirate before non-nasal sparśas and spirants: 
   +A → -A // क् - भ्, श्, ष्, स्, ह्
  • लभ् → लब् (-A // स्) → लप् (-V // -V) // स्य = लप्स्यते
  • वर्ध् → वर्द् (-A // स्) → वर्त् (-V // -V) // स्य = वर्त्स्यति
  • वह् → वग् (-A // स्) → वक् (-V // -V) // स्य  → ष्य = वक्ष्यति
  • Backward Aspiration: but if the aspiration can be retained, it will be. Root-final +A (in घ् ध् भ् ह्) shifts back to root-initial ग् द् ब् // ध्व् भ् or स् :

-A ← +A

(aspiration retained)

root-initial

root-final

before

affix-initial

ग्

द्

ब्

घ्

ध्

भ्

ह्

//

ध्व्

भ्

स्

  • दह् → धग् (-A ← +A) → धक् (-V // -V) // स्य → ष्य = धक्ष्यति
  • गाह् → घाग् (-A ← +A) → घाक् (-V // -V) // स्य → ष्य = घाक्ष्यते
2. Palatal C (except य्) and ष् (i.e., च् ज् श् ष्) → क् // conjugational स् → ष् = क्ष्

(पच्)

पच्

→ पक्

// स्य → ष्य =

पक्ष्यति

(मुच्)

मोच्

→ मोक्

// स्य → ष्य =

मोक्ष्यति

(त्यज्)

त्यज्

→ त्यक्

// स्य → ष्य =

त्यक्ष्यति

(यज्)

यज्

→ यक्

// स्य → ष्य =

यक्ष्यति

(दंश्)

दंश्

→ दंक्

// स्य → ष्य =

दंक्ष्यति

(दिश्)

देश्

→ देक्

// स्य → ष्य =

देक्ष्यति

(दृश्)

द्रश्

→ द्रक्

// स्य → ष्य =

द्रक्ष्यति

(नश्)

नंश्

→ नंक्

// स्य → ष्य =

नंक्ष्यति

(प्रच्छ्)

प्रच्

→ प्रक्

// स्य → ष्य =

प्रक्ष्यति

(विश्)

वेश्

→ वेक्

// स्य → ष्य =

वेक्ष्यति

(स्पृश्)

स्प्रश्

→ स्प्रक्

// स्य → ष्य =

स्प्रक्ष्यति

(कृष्)

कर्ष्

→ कर्क्

// स्य → ष्य =

कर्क्ष्यति

(तुष्)

तोष्

→ तोक्

// स्य → ष्य =

तोक्ष्यति

(पुष्)

पोष्

→ पोक्

// स्य → ष्य =

पोक्ष्यति

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The header image for this site (a manuscript of Kālidāsa’s Raghuvaṃśa, 14.2-4) is provided by the University of Pennsylvania Libraries (Ms. Coll. 390, Item 1547) under a CC Attribution 4.0 license
  • Course
    • Contents
    • Fonts
    • Syllabus
    • Subhāṣitāni
    • Flashcards
    • Audio
    • Quizzes
    • Exams
    • Contact
  • Tables
    • 11 -अ Pres. System
    • -V / Pron. Paradigms
    • External Sandhi
    • Internal Sandhi
  • Lessons 1-10
    • 1 Sound / Script >
      • Vowels & Semivowels
      • Sparśa & Spirants
      • Exercises
    • 1 Script >
      • Exercise 1
      • Exercise 2
      • Exercise 3
      • Exercise 4
      • Exercise 5
    • 2 The Sentence >
      • Flashcards (V/P)
      • 2 Predication
      • 2 Conjugation
      • Exercises
    • 3 Cases 1-2, S >
      • Flashcards (V/S)
      • 3 Case
      • 3 Nom./Acc.
      • 3 Apposition
      • 3 Sandhi
      • Exercises
    • 4 Gaṇas 4, 6, 10 >
      • Flashcards (V)
      • 4 4, 6, 10
      • Exercises
    • 5 Cases 3+ >
      • Flashcards (V/P)
      • 5 Cases 3-7, Voc.
      • Handouts
      • Exercises
    • 6 P Impf/v Opt >
      • Flashcards (V/P)
      • Present System
      • Imperfect
      • Optative
      • Imperative
      • Handout
      • Exercises
    • 7 123 Pron. >
      • Flashcards (V/P)
      • 123 Pronouns
      • Handout
      • Exercises
    • 8 यत्, -आ/ई/ऊ >
      • Flashcards (V/P)
      • Relative Clauses
      • Handout
      • Exercises
    • 9 MF -इ/-उ, S >
      • Flashcards (V/P)
      • Sandhi
      • Exercises
    • 10 Ā. Pres., S >
      • Flashcards (V/P/S)
      • Ātmanepada Present
      • Vowel Sandhi
      • Exercises
  • 11-20
    • 11 Ā Imf/v/Opt >
      • Flashcards (V/P)
      • Impf., Opt., Impv.
      • Exercises
    • 12 Gerund, Inf. >
      • Flashcards (V)
      • Gerund
      • Exercises
    • 13 -ऋ, Cons. S >
      • Flashcards (V/P/S)
      • -ऋ Stems
      • Exercises
    • 14 N -इ / -उ / ऋ >
      • Flashcards (V/P)
      • N -इ / -उ / ऋ
      • Exercises
    • 15 उपसर्गाः >
      • Flashcards (V)
      • उपसर्गाः
      • Exercises
    • 16 Passive >
      • 16 Overview (The Passive)
      • 16 English
      • 16 Sanskrit
      • 16 Exercises
    • 17 -स्य Future >
      • 17 Overview (General Future)
      • 17 -i / sandhi
      • 17 Exercises
    • 19 -C Nouns >
      • Flashcards (V/P)
      • 19 Overview (Cons-final Stems)
      • 19 Exercises
    • 20 P. pres. ptc. >
      • 20 Video
      • 20 English
      • 20 Formation (P pres. ptc.)
      • 20 Usage
      • 20 Exercises
  • 21-34
    • 21 Ā. pres. ptc. >
      • 21 Supplement (Ā. pres. ptc.)
      • 21 Exercises
    • 22 Past ptc. >
      • 22 Usage
      • 22 Formation (past ptc.)
      • 22 Exercises
    • 23 P/-मत्/-अत् >
      • 23 Overview (इदम्/-मत्/-अत्)
      • 23 Exercises
    • 24 2 & 3-Stems >
      • 24 Overview (2 & 3-Stems)
      • 24 Exercises
    • 25-31 Ath. >
      • 25-26 Class 2 >
        • 25 Exercises
        • 26 Exercises
      • 27 Class 3 >
        • 27 Exercises
      • 28 Class 5 >
        • 28 Exercises
      • 30 Class 8 >
        • 30 Exercises
      • 29 Class 7 >
        • 29 Exercises
      • 31 Class 9 >
        • 31 Exercises
    • 32 Compounds >
      • 32 Compounds (Example)
      • 32 Compounds (Overview)
      • 32 Exercises
    • 33 Absolutes >
      • 33 Video (restricted)
      • 33 Exercises
    • 34 Numerals >
      • 34 Video (restricted)
      • 34 Exercises
  • 35-44
    • 35 Gv/-आन/PF >
      • 35 Video (restricted)
      • 35 Exercises
    • 36 Perfect >
      • 36 Video (restricted)
      • 36 Exercises
    • 37 Aorist >
      • 37 Exercises
    • 38 Cond. / Ben. >
      • 38 Exercises
    • 40 Desid. >
      • 40 Exercises
    • 42 Freq. >
      • 42 Exercises
    • 43 Denom. >
      • 43 Exercises
  • कथाः
    • १ - बुद्धकथा
    • २ - शकुन्तलाकथा
    • ४ - रामकथा
    • ५ - श्रावणकथा
    • १० - सुभाषितानि
  • Reading
    • Verse
    • Dictionaries
    • Grammars, Primers, etc.
    • Commentary
    • मेघदूतम्
    • Of Interest