2025-11-26
Pāli language review
(See also: declension cheatsheet and Pāli lessons)
Word order in the simplest case is Subject-Object-Verb, but is flexible due to declensions.
The subject and verb must agree in number. (See Declension Cases Overview)
Saṅgho uposathaṁ karoti. Sūdo bhattaṁ pacati. Dārakā bhojanīyaṁ bhuñjanti.
Translate: The king goes to the village.
| sūda | (masc) cook; chef [√sūd + a] masc |
| bhatta 1.1 | (nt) food; boiled rice [√bhaj + ta] nt, pp of bhajati |
| pacati | (pr) cooks; bakes; boils; roasts [paca + ti] pr |
| dāraka | (masc) boy; young boy [dāra + ka] masc, dimin of dāra |
| bhojanīya | (nt) cooked food; staple food [√bhuj > bhoj + anīya] nt, ptp of bhuñjati |
| bhuñjati 1 | (pr) eats; consumes [bhuñja + ti] pr |
| rāja 1 | (masc) king; sovereign; lord; ruler [√rāj + a] masc, atta group |
| gāma 1 | (masc) village; hamlet masc |
The nominatives may form pairs, read them as equational phrases: A is the B, and C is the D, etc.
Such a sequence forms a "nominal clause". E.g.: Dārako samaṇo.
Cetanā, bhikkhave, kammaṁ. Phasso, bhikkhave, kammānaṁ nidānasambhavo.
| cetanā | (fem) intending; willing [√cit > cet + *anā] fem, abstr, act, from ceteti |
| kamma 1 | (nt) action; deed; doing [√kar + ma] nt, irreg, from karoti |
| phassa 1 | (masc) sense contact; sense impingement; [√phus > phass + a] masc, from phusati |
| nidānasambhava | (masc) primary cause (of); source of existence (of); [nidāna + sambhava] |
Verb conjugation: -ati, -āmi, -asi, -atha (See simple present and future tense)
Taṁ kiṁ maññatha bhikkhave, rūpaṁ niccaṁ vā aniccaṁ vā'ti?
Passatha bhante? Āma āvuso passāmi. Āyatiṁ bhante saṁvareyyātha. Sādhu suṭṭhu āvuso saṁvarissāmi.
Simple past: -i, -iṁsu, -uṁ (See PDF)
... cakkhuṁ udapādi, ñāṇaṁ udapādi, paññā udapādi, vijjā udapādi, āloko udapādi.
Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi: "bhikkhavo"ti
Attamanā te bhikkhū bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinanduṁ.
| cakkhu 1 | (nt) eye [√cakkh + u] nt |
| udapādi 1 | (aor) arose (for); [ud + a + √pad + i] aor of upapajjati |
| āmanteti | (pr) invites; calls; summons [ā + mante + ti] pr |
| attamana | (adj) pleased; happy; delighted; elated [atta + mana] adj, comp |
| bhāsita 1 | (nt) saying; speech; statement; [√bhās + ita] nt, pp of bhāsati |
| abhinandati 1 | (pr) delights (in); is pleased (with); [abhi + nanda + ti] pr |
Locative case: -e, -mhi, -smiṁ (See PDF)
Ekaṁ samayaṁ (buddho) bhagavā bārāṇasiyaṁ viharati isipatane migadāye.
Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā gayāyaṁ viharati gayāsīse saddhiṁ bhikkhu-sahassena.
Mettañ'ca sabba-lokasmiṁ / Mānasaṁ bhāvaye aparimāṇaṁ
Aggasmiṁ dānaṁ dadataṁ / aggaṁ puññaṁ pavaḍḍhati
| samaya 1.1 | (masc) time; occasion [saṁ + √i > ay + *a] masc, from sameti |
| miga 1 | (masc) deer masc |
| dāya 1.1 | (masc) wood; grove; park masc |
| gayā 1 | (fem) name of a village fem |
| sīsa 1 | (nt) head nt |
| saddhiṁ | (ind) together (with); with ind, prep |
| sahassa 1 | (card) one thousand (1000) card, nt sg |
| mānasa 2 | (nt) mind; heart; mentality; intention [manas + *a] nt, from manas |
| bhāvaye | (opt) should cultivate; should develop [bhāvaya + e] opt of bhāvayati |
| aparimāṇa 1 | (adj) measureless; boundless [na > a + pari + √mā + aṇa] adj |
| agga 1.1 | (adj) highest; topmost; foremost; supreme; ultimate adj |
| dāna 1.1 | (nt) giving; offering; charity; generosity [√dā + ana] nt, act, from dadāti |
| dadāti | (pr) gives; offers; donates; grants (something to) [dadā + ti] pr |
| pavaḍḍhati 1 | (pr) increases; develops; grows [pa + vaḍḍha + ti] pr |
Present participle: -ant, -māna (See PDF)
gacchati → gacchanto, gacchamāna; viharati → viharanto; vediyati → vediyamāna
Dīghaṁ vā assasanto 'dīghaṁ assasāmī'ti pajānāti, dīghaṁ vā passasanto 'dīghaṁ passasāmī'ti pajānāti.
Instrumental case: -ena, -inā, -ehi (See PDF)
Translate: The king goes to the village with a chariot.
majjhimā paṭipadā tathāgatena abhisambuddhā
Sabba-buddhānubhāvena, Sadā sotthī bhavantu te
Buddhaṁ me vandamānena...
Ādittaṁ rāgagginā dosagginā mohagginā, ādittaṁ jātiyā jarāmaraṇena
sokehi paridevehi dukkhehi domanassehi upāyāsehi ādittan'ti vadāmi.
Natthi me saraṇaṁ aññaṁ buddho me saraṇaṁ varaṁ, / Etena sacca-vajjena sotthi me hotu sabbadā
ādāyati (burning) → +ta (past participle) āditta → nt.nom. ādittaṁ
Absolutive: -tvā (See PDF)
(AN 5.106) Atha kho āyasmā ānando yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā
ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā ānando bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
"Kittāvatā nu kho, bhante, bhikkhu saṅghe viharanto phāsuṁ vihareyyā"ti?
(MN 82) Ādīnavaṁ kāmaguṇesu disvā, Tasmā ahaṁ pabbajitomhi rāja.
(SN 48.11) Katamañca, bhikkhave, samādhindriyaṁ? Idha, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako
vossaggārammaṇaṁ karitvā labhati samādhiṁ, labhati cittassa ekaggataṁ --
idaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, samādhindriyaṁ.
| yena 3 | (ind) where; wherever; in which direction; to; towards [ya + ena] ind, adv, instr sg of ya |
| upasaṅkamati | (pr) approaches; goes (to); visits [upa + saṁ + kama + ti] pr |
| abhivādetvā | (abs) having bowed down (to); having paid high respect (to) [abhi + vāde + tvā] |
| ekamantaṁ 1 | (ind) to one side; aside [ekaṁ + anta + aṁ] |
| nisīdi 1 | (aor) sat (on); sat down (in) [ni + sīda + i] aor of nisīdati |
| nisinna 1 | (pp) seated (in) [ni + sīda + na] pp of nisīdati |
| etadavoca | (aor) said this (to) [etad + avoca] aor, comp vb |
| kittāvatā | (ind) in what way?; to what extent?; in what respect? [kittāva + tā] ind, adv, comp, interr |
| nu | (ind) (adds a question mark) surely?; didn't?; wouldn't?; which? ind, interr |
| phāsuṁ | (ind) easily; comfortably [√phus > phās + *u + uṁ], [phāsu + uṁ] |
| ādīnava 2 | (masc) disadvantage (of); drawback (of); [ādīnavant + a] masc, from ādīna |
| kāmaguṇa 1 | (masc) object of sensual pleasure [kāma + guṇa] masc, comp |
| disvā | (abs) having seen; having understood; having found out [√dis + tvā] abs of √dis |
| tasmā 1 | (pron) from that [ta + smā] pron, masc & nt abl sg of ta |
| ahaṁ | (pron) I pron |
| pabbajitomhi | (sandhi) I am ordained (in); I am a monk (in) [pabbajito + amhi] sandhi, pp + pr |
| katama | (pron) what?; which (of the many)? [ka + tama] pron, interr, from ka |
| samādhindriya | (nt) power of a collected mind; faculty of mental stability [samādhi + indriya] |
| vossaggārammaṇa | (nt) foundation of complete relinquishment [vossagga + ārammaṇa] |
| labhati 1 | (pr) gets; receives; obtains (something for) [labha + ti] pr |
| ekaggatā | (fem) unification; oneness [eka + agga + tā] fem, abstr, comp, from ekagga |
| vuccati | (pr) is said to be; is called [vucca + ti] pr, pass of vacati |
Past Participle: -ta, -ita, -na (See PDF)
| bhāvita | pp. of bhāveti, √bhū + *e + ita | pamatta | pp. of pamajjati, pa + √mad + ta |
| vutta | pp. of vacati, √vac + ta | pahīna | pp. of pajahati, pa + √hā + na |
Cattāro satipaṭṭhānā bhāvitā bahulīkatā, satta-bojjhaṅge paripūrenti.
Sabbaṁ bhikkhave ādittaṁ.
Cakkhuṁ bhikkhave ādittaṁ, rūpā ādittā, cakkhuviññāṇaṁ ādittaṁ, cakkhusamphasso āditto,
| bhavati 1 | (pr) is; is being; becomes [bhava + ti] pr |
| bhāveti | (pr) cultivates; develops [bhāve + ti] pr, caus of bhavati |
| paripūreti 1 | (pr) fills up; fills out; saturates [pari + pūre + ti] pr, caus of paripūrati |
| paripūreti 3 | (pr) fulfils; completes; accomplishes [pari + pūre + ti] pr, caus of paripūrati |
Genitive case: -assa, -naṁ (See PDF)
Buddho dukkhassa ghātā ca vidhātā ca hitassa me
Evam-etassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa samudayo hoti.
Yo pana bhikkhu bhikkhussa pattaṁ vā cīvaraṁ vā ... apanidheyya...
| ghāta 2 | (masc) killer; executioner; slayer [√ghaṭ > ghāṭ + *a] |
| vidhātar | (masc) Creator masc, agent |
| hita 3 | (nt) benefit (of); blessing [√dhā > (da)h + ita] nt, pp of dahati |
| etassa 2 | (pron) of this [eta + ssa] pron, masc & nt gen sg of eta |
| kevala 1 | (adj) all; whole lot; altogether; total; entire; complete adj |
Dative case: -āya, -assa (See PDF)
... upasamāya, abhiññāya, sambodhāya, nibbānāya saṁvattati.
Āyasmato koṇḍaññassa virajaṁ vītamalaṁ dhammacakkhuṁ udapādi
Yo pana bhikkhu bhikkhussa sāmaṁ cīvaraṁ datvā...
Yo pana bhikkhu bhikkhussa duṭṭhullaṁ āpattiṁ anupasampannassa āroceyya...
| upasama 1 | (masc) calmness (of); tranquility (of); [upa + √sam + a] masc, abstr, from upasammati |
| abhiñña | (adj) with direct knowledge; with realization [abhiññā + a] adj, in comps, from abhiññā |
| sambodha | (masc) full awakening; perfect understanding [saṁ + √budh > bodh + *a] masc, from sambujjhati |
| saṁvattati | (pr) leads (to); results (in); causes [saṁ + vatta + ti] pr |
| viraja | (adj) pure; stainless; untainted [vi + √raj + a] adj, from virajati |
| vītamala | (adj) stainless; spotless; without taint; blemish free [vīta + mala] adj, comp |
Locative Absolute: noun loc. + participle loc.
vacati → vutta → vutte: Evaṁ vutte, aññataro bhikkhu bhagavantaṁ etadavoca ...
| vutta 2.1 | (pp) said; told; spoken; mentioned [√vac > vuc + ta] pp of vacati |
| aññatara 1 | (pron) a certain; a [añña + tara] pron, from añña |
| etadavoca | (aor) said this (to) [etad + avoca] aor, comp vb |
Future past participle: -tabba (See PDF)
Kammaṁ, bhikkhave, veditabbaṁ ...pe... kammanirodhagāminī paṭipadā veditabbā'ti ...
'Taṁ kho panidaṁ dukkhaṁ ariyasaccaṁ pariññeyyan'ti ... pariññātaṁ
Dukkhasamudayaṁ a.s. pahātabbaṁ ... pahīnaṁ
Dukkhanirodhaṁ a.s. sacchikātabbaṁ ... sacchikataṁ
D.n.gāminī paṭipadā a.s. bhāvetabbaṁ ... bhāvitaṁ
| pariññeyya 1 | (ptp) should be fully understood [pari + √ñā + eyya] ptp of parijānāti |
| pahātabba | (ptp) should be given up (by) [pa + √hā + tabba] ptp of pajahati |
| sacchi | (adj) personal; witnessing for oneself [sa + √akkh + i] adj, in comps, from akkhi |
| bhāvetabba | (ptp) should be cultivated; should be developed [bhāve + tabba] ptp of bhāveti |
Optative: -eyya (See PDF)
The optative generally indicates that the situation is hypothetical. It is often used to imply sense of 'it would, if'.
evaṁ bhāveyya sattavassāni
na'y'idaṁ saṅkhārā ābādhāya saṁvatteyyuṁ
Infinitive: -tuṁ (See PDF)
Kāyena vācāya va cetasā vā / Buddhe kukammaṁ pakataṁ mayā yaṁ
Buddho paṭiggaṇhātu accayantaṁ / Kālantare saṁvarituṁ va buddhe
| kāya 1.1 | (masc) body; physical body; physical process [√ci > ki > kay + *a] masc, from cināti |
| vācā 1 | (fem) speech; words; statement; talk [√vac > vāc + *ā] fem, from vacati |
| cetas | (masc) mind; thought; intention [√cit > cet + *as] masc, mano group, from ceteti |
| ku 1 | (prefix) bad; wrong prefix |
| pakata 1 | (pp) made (by); created (by); produced (by); forged (by) [pa + √kar + ta] pp of pakaroti |
| mayā 1 | (pron) by me; with me pron, 1st instr sg of ahaṁ |
| paṭiggaṇhāti 2 | (pr) (of an apology) accepts [pati + gaṇhā + ti] pr |
| accaya 3 | (masc) fault; offence; transgression [ati > aty > acc + √i > ay + *a] masc, from acceti |
| accayati 1 | (pr) goes beyond; gets past; transcends; surpasses [ati > aty > acc + aya + ti] pr |
| kālantara | (nt) interval, period nt, comp |
| saṁvarati | (pr) restrains; controls [saṁ + vara + ti] pr |