Indeclinables (Avyay) — Patwari Notes
This page gives the definition of Avyay (uninflected words), its five types, the sub-types of adverb and conjunction, and the most commonly confused distinction between an adverb and a postposition, with examples.
- Class 1–8 level
- 7 min read
What is Avyay (an indeclinable)?
Avyay are words whose form never changes because of gender, number, person, case, or tense; they are also called avikari (uninflected) words. 'अव्यय' literally means 'that which does not vyaya (decay/change)'. For example — 'लड़का धीरे चलता है' ('the boy walks slowly'), 'लड़की धीरे चलती है', 'लड़के धीरे चलते हैं' — the verb changed, but 'धीरे' stayed exactly the same.
Five types of avyay are taught: (1) kriyavisheshan (adverb), (2) sambandhbodhak (postposition), (3) samuchchayabodhak (conjunction), (4) vismayadibodhak (interjection), and (5) nipat (particle). Some books count only the first four as avyay and treat nipat separately. Choose your answer based on whichever options the question actually offers.
A three-step method for identifying an underlined word's type: (1) see what it is attached to — if it attaches to a verb (telling when, where, how, or how much), it's an adverb; (2) if it comes after a noun/pronoun with 'के, की, से' and connects it to the rest of the sentence, it's a postposition; (3) if it forms a bridge between two words or clauses, it's a conjunction. If it stands apart from the sentence, expressing only a feeling, and usually comes with an exclamation mark (!), it's an interjection; and if it emphasises a particular word, it's a particle (nipat). Remembering this sequence solves almost every underlined-word question.
Types of Kriyavisheshan (adverb), by meaning
| Type | What it tells you | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| कालवाचक — Adverb of time | The time of the action (when?) | आज, कल, अभी, तुरंत, प्रतिदिन, सदा, कभी-कभी |
| स्थानवाचक — Adverb of place | The place or direction of the action (where?) | यहाँ, वहाँ, भीतर, बाहर, ऊपर, नीचे, इधर, दूर, पास |
| परिमाणवाचक — Adverb of quantity | The extent of the action (how much?) | बहुत, थोड़ा, कम, अधिक, ख़ूब, बिल्कुल, इतना |
| रीतिवाचक — Adverb of manner | The manner of the action (how?) | धीरे-धीरे, ध्यानपूर्वक, गतिपूर्वक, अचानक, सचमुच, ठीक, शायद, नहीं |
Words formed with '-पूर्वक' — ध्यानपूर्वक, सावधानीपूर्वक, गतिपूर्वक — describe the manner of an action, so they are adverbs of manner.
Kriyavisheshan (adverb) versus Sambandhbodhak (postposition)
The same word — भीतर, बाहर, ऊपर, पास, आगे, पीछे — can appear in both roles. The rule: when it stands alone and describes the verb, it's an adverb ('भीतर जाओ' — go inside; 'बच्चे बाहर खेल रहे हैं' — the children are playing outside); when it comes after a noun/pronoun with 'के', 'की', 'से' and connects it to another word in the sentence, it's a postposition ('घर के भीतर' — inside the house; 'मेज़ के ऊपर' — on top of the table).
For example, in the sentence 'घर के भीतर जाओ' ('go inside the house'), the word 'भीतर' stands alone and describes the direction of the verb, so it is an adverb of place — not a postposition, which would only be the case if, in the sentence, 'के भीतर' attached to a noun. In the exam, pay attention to exactly what the question is asking — the main type (postposition/adverb) or the sub-type (place/time/manner).
Samuchchayabodhak (conjunction/joining) Avyay
| Type | Sub-type | Words | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| समानाधिकरण — Coordinating (joins equal-level words/clauses) | संयोजक — Cumulative | और, तथा, एवं, व | राम और श्याम आए। |
| विभाजक / विकल्पसूचक — Alternative | या, अथवा, वा, कि, चाहे…चाहे, न…न | चाय लोगे या दूध? | |
| विरोधदर्शक — Adversative | पर, परंतु, किंतु, लेकिन, बल्कि | मैं आता परंतु तुमने बुलाया नहीं। | |
| परिणामदर्शक — Resultant | इसलिए, अतः, अतएव, सो | वर्षा हुई, इसलिए मेला रद्द हुआ। | |
| व्यधिकरण — Subordinating (joins a main clause to a dependent clause) | कारणवाचक / हेतुवाचक — Causal | क्योंकि, चूँकि, इसलिए कि | वह नहीं आया क्योंकि बीमार था। |
| उद्देश्यवाचक — Purposive | ताकि, जिससे कि, कि | मेहनत करो ताकि सफल हो सको। | |
| संकेतवाचक — Conditional | यदि…तो, जो…तो, यद्यपि…तथापि, चाहे…पर | यदि वर्षा हुई तो फ़सल अच्छी होगी। | |
| स्वरूपवाचक — Explanatory | कि, अर्थात्, यानी, मानो | उसने कहा कि वह आएगा। |
'इसलिए' is a coordinating (samanadhikaran) conjunction showing result, while 'इसलिए कि' is a subordinating (vyadhikaran) conjunction showing cause.
Sambandhbodhak, Vismayadibodhak and Nipat
| Type | How to identify it | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| संबंधबोधक — Postposition | Comes after a noun/pronoun and relates it to another word in the sentence | के साथ, के बिना, के कारण, के लिए, की ओर, के समान, की अपेक्षा, के भीतर |
| विस्मयादिबोधक — Interjection | Expresses joy, sorrow, surprise, disgust, approval, etc.; has no grammatical connection to the sentence | वाह!, शाबाश! (joy), हाय!, उफ़! (sorrow), अरे!, ओह! (surprise), छि!, धिक्! (disgust), हाँ!, अच्छा! (approval) |
| निपात — Particle | Used to emphasise a word or add a nuance to its meaning | ही, भी, तो, तक, मात्र, भर, सिर्फ़ — 'मैं भी चलूँगा', 'राम ही आया' |
Meaning-based sub-types of the postposition are also asked about: sadrishyavachak (of comparison: के समान, की तरह), hetuvachak (of cause: के कारण, के मारे), virodhvachak (of opposition: के विरुद्ध, के खिलाफ़), dishavachak (of direction: की ओर, की तरफ़).
Memory trick / exam tip
'Separate them — does each half survive on its own? — that's coordinating (samanadhikaran)': remove the conjunction and see if both halves form independent, complete sentences on their own — if so, it's coordinating (और, परंतु, या, इसलिए); if one half depends on the other, it's subordinating (क्योंकि, ताकि, यदि…तो). And a word built with '-पूर्वक', when it comes with a verb, is usually an adverb of manner.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many types of Avyay are there?+
Five — adverb, postposition, conjunction, interjection, and particle. Some books treat the particle separately and list only four types.
What is the difference between coordinating and subordinating conjunctions?+
A coordinating (samanadhikaran) conjunction joins equal-level words/independent clauses (और, परंतु, या). A subordinating (vyadhikaran) conjunction joins a main clause to a dependent clause (क्योंकि, ताकि, यदि…तो).
What type of avyay is 'परंतु'?+
'परंतु' is a coordinating conjunction, under the adversative (virodhdarshak) sub-type.
What are Nipat (particles)?+
Words like ही, भी, तो, तक, मात्र, भर, which emphasise a particular word, are called nipat (particles) — as in 'मैं ही जाऊँगा' ('I alone will go').