Pratyay: Krit and Taddhit Suffixes, Types, Examples — Patwari Notes
This page covers the definition of pratyay, the types of krit and taddhit suffixes, examples of Sanskrit-Hindi-Urdu suffixes, and the rules for the vowel changes that occur when a suffix is added. In exams, most options on this topic try to confuse with an incorrect breakdown, so having the rules solid matters.
- Class 1–8 level
- 7 min read
What is Pratyay (a suffix)?
Pratyay are word-fragments that attach to the end of a word or verb root and form a new word, changing its meaning or word class. 'प्रत्यय' = प्रति + अय, meaning 'that which travels along'. For example — मीठा + आस = मिठास (adjective to abstract noun), समाज + इक = सामाजिक (noun to adjective), पढ़ + आई = पढ़ाई (verb root to noun).
Like a prefix, a suffix is never used on its own. Attaching a suffix usually changes the root word in some way — strengthening of the first vowel (vriddhi: दिन → दैनिक), dropping of the final vowel (भारत + ईय = भारतीय, where the 'अ' of 'त' drops), or shortening of a vowel (मीठा → मिठास, बूढ़ा → बुढ़ापा).
There are two main types of pratyay: krit pratyay, which attach to the end of a verb's root form (dhatu), and taddhit pratyay, which attach to the end of a noun, pronoun, adjective, or indeclinable. Words formed with krit pratyay are called 'kridant', and those formed with taddhit pratyay are called 'taddhitant'. Some books also treat case markers (ने, को, से) as suffixes, but exam questions are usually about the word-forming suffixes covered here.
Krit Pratyay (verb root + suffix)
| Type | Suffix | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| कर्तृवाचक — the doer (Kartrivachak) | अक, वाला, हार, ऐया | पाठक, लेखक, गायक, पढ़नेवाला, राखनहार, गवैया |
| कर्मवाचक — the object acted upon (Karmavachak) | औना, नी | खिलौना, बिछौना, सुँघनी |
| करणवाचक — the instrument (Karanvachak) | न, नी, ई | बेलन, झाड़न, कतरनी, कटनी, रेती |
| भाववाचक — the abstract sense of the action (Bhavvachak) | आई, आवट, आहट, आव, अन, ती | पढ़ाई, लिखावट, घबराहट, बहाव, चलन, बढ़ती |
| क्रियाद्योतक — indicating the action (Kriyadyotak) | ता, आ, कर | बहता पानी, लिखा पत्र, पढ़कर |
Sanskrit krit suffixes are also widely used in Hindi: अक (नायक), तव्य (कर्तव्य), अनीय (पूजनीय, दर्शनीय), क्त/त (ज्ञात, गत), ति (कृति, गति).
Taddhit Pratyay (noun/adjective etc. + suffix)
| Type | Suffix | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| कर्तृवाचक — the doer (Kartrivachak) | कार, एरा, ची, ई, दार | स्वर्णकार, सपेरा, तबलची, तेली, दुकानदार |
| भाववाचक — abstract quality (Bhavvachak) | ता, त्व, पन, पा, आस, आहट, इमा | मानवता, बंधुत्व, बचपन, बुढ़ापा, मिठास, कड़वाहट, लालिमा |
| संबंधवाचक — relation (Sambandhvachak) | इक, ईय, ई, इम, एरा | सामाजिक, भारतीय, पंजाबी, पश्चिम, चचेरा |
| गुणवाचक / स्वामित्व — quality/possession (Gunvachak) | वान, मान, वती, आलु, ईला | धनवान, बुद्धिमान, गुणवती, दयालु, रंगीला |
| ऊनवाचक — diminutive (Oonvachak) | इया, ई, ड़ी | डिबिया, खटिया, टोकरी, पगड़ी |
| गणनावाचक — numeral/ordinal (Gananavachak) | ला, रा, था, ठा, गुना | पहला, तीसरा, चौथा, छठा, दुगुना |
| सादृश्यवाचक — resemblance (Sadrishyavachak) | सा, सरीखा, हरा | नीला-सा, चाँद सरीखा, सुनहरा |
| अपत्यवाचक — offspring/lineage (Apatyavachak) | अ, एय, इ | मानव (मनु), वासुदेव (वसुदेव), कौंतेय (कुंती), दाशरथि (दशरथ) |
Urdu-Persian taddhit suffixes: गार (मददगार), दान (कलमदान), खाना (दवाखाना), बाज़ (दग़ाबाज़), मंद (अक़्लमंद).
The suffixes -ik, -iya, -a, and the rules of vowel-strengthening (vriddhi)
When the Sanskrit taddhit suffixes इक, अ, एय are added, the root word's first vowel usually undergoes vriddhi (strengthening): अ → आ, इ/ई/ए → ऐ, उ/ऊ/ओ → औ. Examples: समाज + इक = सामाजिक, धर्म + इक = धार्मिक, वर्ष + इक = वार्षिक, दिन + इक = दैनिक, इतिहास + इक = ऐतिहासिक, वेद + इक = वैदिक, भूगोल + इक = भौगोलिक, मनु + अ = मानव, शिव + अ = शैव.
That's why the suffix in 'सामाजिक' is 'इक', not 'अक' or 'क' — the 'आ' in 'सा' comes from vriddhi, not from the suffix. The suffix 'ईय' involves no vriddhi — only the final 'अ' drops: भारत + ईय = भारतीय, राष्ट्र + ईय = राष्ट्रीय, स्वर्ग + ईय = स्वर्गीय. The suffix 'इम': पश्च + इम = पश्चिम, अग्र + इम = अग्रिम, अंत + इम = अंतिम.
Caution: not every word ending in '-इक' or '-ईक' actually carries a suffix. In 'सटीक' (स + टीका), the final 'ईक' is not a suffix; 'ठीक' and 'नज़दीक' are similar examples. The test is whether what's left after removing the suffix is a meaningful root word — रस (रसिक), वर्ण (वर्णिक), धर्म (धार्मिक).
Prefix + root + suffix: full breakdown
| Word | Prefix (upsarg) | Root word | Suffix (pratyay) |
|---|---|---|---|
| वैज्ञानिक | वि | ज्ञान | इक |
| अस्वाभाविक | अ | स्वभाव | इक |
| सुगंधित | सु | गंध | इत |
| परिश्रमी | परि | श्रम | ई |
| अपमानित | अप | मान | इत |
| निर्दयता | निर् | दया | ता |
A word can carry both a prefix and a suffix. Separate the prefix first, then the suffix — what remains in the middle is the root word.
Memory trick / exam tip
'Name the root word first, and the suffix follows on its own': before looking at the options, write out the root word — भारत, मनु, पश्च, समाज. Whatever remains is the suffix; and an आ/ऐ/औ appearing at the start of the word is usually vriddhi, not part of the suffix. Attached to a verb root = Krit; attached to a noun/adjective = Taddhit.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between Krit and Taddhit suffixes?+
Krit suffixes attach to a dhatu (a verb's root form), as in पढ़ + आई = पढ़ाई. Taddhit suffixes attach to a noun, pronoun, adjective, or indeclinable, as in मानव + ता = मानवता.
Which suffix is in the word 'मानव'?+
मानव = मनु + अ. When the taddhit suffix 'अ' is added, 'म' strengthens (vriddhi) to 'मा' and 'उ' becomes 'व'.
In 'सामाजिक', is the suffix just 'इक', or is something else involved too?+
Just 'इक'. समाज + इक = सामाजिक; 'स' becoming 'सा' is the vriddhi (strengthening) of the first vowel.