Shabd Bhed (by Origin): Tatsam, Tadbhav, Deshaj, Videshaj — Patwari Notes
This page covers the four classes of words by origin — tatsam, tadbhav, deshaj and videshaj — with identification rules and the examples that repeatedly come up in exams. It also covers facts on Rajasthani dialects and words, since this section is often asked alongside questions on the Rajasthani language.
- Class 6–10 grammar level
- 7 min read
Word classification by origin: four categories
Hindi's vocabulary has been built from many sources, so words are classified into four groups by their origin (source/history). (1) Tatsam — from 'tat + sam', meaning 'the same as that (Sanskrit)'; Sanskrit words used in Hindi completely unchanged, such as अग्नि, सूर्य, चन्द्र, आचार, अश्वत्थ. (2) Tadbhav — from 'tat + bhav', meaning 'born from that (Sanskrit)'; Sanskrit words that reached Hindi in a changed form after passing through Pali, Prakrit and Apabhramsha, such as आग, सूरज, चाँद.
(3) Deshaj — 'born in the land'; words whose source is neither Sanskrit nor any foreign language, but everyday usage and local dialects, such as लोटा, पगड़ी, खिड़की, झाड़ू, डिबिया, ठेठ, तेंदुआ. (4) Videshaj (foreign/borrowed) — words that came in from the languages of other countries, such as आदमी, किताब, स्कूल, चाय. A word formed by combining two different sources is called a sankar (hybrid) word, such as रेलगाड़ी (English 'rail' + Hindi गाड़ी) and टिकटघर.
Keep in mind that words are also classified on other bases — by formation into rudh (root), yaugik (compound) and yogrudh (conventionalised compound); by usage/inflection into vikari (inflected) and avikari (uninflected); and by meaning into ekarthi (single-meaning), anekarthi (multi-meaning), paryayvachi (synonym) and vilom (antonym). When an exam question uses the phrase 'by source', 'by origin' or 'by history', it is pointing to the four categories on this page.
Rules for identifying tatsam and tadbhav
| Form found in tatsam | Changes to, in tadbhav | Example (tatsam → tadbhav) |
|---|---|---|
| ऋ | रि/उ/अ | मातृ → माता/माँ, भ्रातृ → भाई |
| ष | स या ख | वर्षा → बरखा, शीर्ष → सीस |
| क्ष | ख या छ | क्षेत्र → खेत, अक्षि → आँख, पक्षी → पंछी |
| श्र / श | स | श्रावण → सावन, शत → सौ |
| Conjunct consonant | Becomes a single consonant; preceding vowel lengthens | हस्त → हाथ, सप्त → सात, दुग्ध → दूध |
| व | ब | वधू → बहू, वचन → बचन |
| म/न (with anusvar) | Chandrabindu (ँ) | ग्राम → गाँव, दंत → दाँत, कंटक → काँटा |
| Conjunct with a reph (र्ण, र्म, र्य) | The reph drops, giving a simpler form | कर्ण → कान, कर्म → काम, कार्य → काज |
These rules are cues, not proof — the final decision rests on the word's Sanskrit root. So memorising the common examples is the safest approach.
Tatsam–tadbhav pairs that repeatedly come up in exams
| Tatsam | Tadbhav | Tatsam | Tadbhav |
|---|---|---|---|
| अग्नि | आग | अश्रु | आँसू |
| चन्द्र | चाँद | सूर्य | सूरज |
| हस्त | हाथ | कर्ण | कान |
| दुग्ध | दूध | दधि | दही |
| घृत | घी | ग्राम | गाँव |
| क्षेत्र | खेत | कर्म | काम |
| मयूर | मोर | उष्ट्र | ऊँट |
| सर्प | साँप | रात्रि | रात |
| आम्र | आम | मुख | मुँह |
| सप्त | सात | शत | सौ |
| पिप्पल | पीपल | श्रावण | सावन |
| दंत | दाँत | ओष्ठ | होंठ |
| मातृ | माता / माँ | भ्रातृ | भाई |
| वधू | बहू | अक्षि | आँख |
| उच्च | ऊँचा | कार्य | काज |
Videshaj (loan) words, by source language
| Source language | Examples |
|---|---|
| Arabic | अदालत, किताब, कानून, कलम, इनाम, औलाद |
| Persian | दुकान, गुलाब, चश्मा, दरवाज़ा, ज़मीन |
| Arabic-Persian (via Urdu) | आदमी, हवा, दुनिया |
| Turkish | तोप, चाकू, कैंची, बहादुर, कुली, बेगम |
| English | स्कूल, स्टेशन, डॉक्टर, टिकट, रेल |
| Portuguese | कमरा, अलमारी, चाबी, तौलिया, बाल्टी, पादरी |
| French | कारतूस, कूपन |
| Japanese / Chinese | रिक्शा / चाय, लीची |
Once foreign words enter Hindi, they usually take on Hindi's own grammatical rules — for instance, the plural of किताब (book) becomes 'किताबें'.
Major dialects of Rajasthani and their regions
| Dialect | Main region |
|---|---|
| मारवाड़ी (Marwari) | जोधपुर, नागौर, जैसलमेर, पाली (Jodhpur, Nagaur, Jaisalmer, Pali) — the widest in area |
| मेवाड़ी (Mewari) | उदयपुर, राजसमंद, चित्तौड़गढ़, भीलवाड़ा (Udaipur, Rajsamand, Chittorgarh, Bhilwara) |
| ढूँढाड़ी / जयपुरी (Dhundhari / Jaipuri) | जयपुर, टोंक (Jaipur, Tonk) and surrounding areas |
| हाड़ौती (Hadoti) | कोटा, बूँदी, बाराँ, झालावाड़ (Kota, Bundi, Baran, Jhalawar) |
| मेवाती (Mewati) | अलवर, भरतपुर (Alwar, Bharatpur) region |
| शेखावाटी (Shekhawati) | सीकर, चूरू, झुंझुनूँ (Sikar, Churu, Jhunjhunu) |
| वागड़ी (Wagdi) | डूँगरपुर, बाँसवाड़ा (Dungarpur, Banswara) |
| मालवी (Malvi) | Mainly the Malwa region of Madhya Pradesh; in Rajasthan, around Jhalawar–Pratapgarh |
Maithili, Magahi (Bihar), Baghelli, Bundeli, Chhattisgarhi and Bangru (Haryana) are NOT dialects of Rajasthani. Rajasthani words that often come up in exams: उनाळौ (unalo) = summer season, सियाळो (siyalo) = winter season, सोगरा (sogra) = a bajra (millet) flatbread.[Source 1]
Memory trick / exam tip
Quick cue for spotting tatsam: if a word has ऋ, ष, क्ष, ज्ञ, त्र, or a conjunct with a half-letter, and sounds 'bookish' when spoken — it's usually tatsam. The same word's simpler, everyday form (with a chandrabindu, ख, or स) is tadbhav. A nukta (ज़, फ़) or a '-आना/-खाना' sound is usually Arabic-Persian. In a Rajasthani-dialect question, rule out dialects of Bihar, eastern Madhya Pradesh, and Haryana right away.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between tatsam and tadbhav words?+
Tatsam words are used in Hindi exactly as they are in Sanskrit (अग्नि, हस्त), while tadbhav words derive from Sanskrit but arrive in a changed form (आग, हाथ).
Is the word 'आदमी' tatsam or a loanword?+
'आदमी' is a videshaj (loan) word of Arabic-Persian origin, formed from 'आदम' (Adam).
What are deshaj words? Give examples.+
Words whose source is neither Sanskrit nor any foreign language, but which come from everyday usage and local dialects, are deshaj — for example, लोटा, पगड़ी, खिड़की, झाड़ू, डिबिया.
Which Rajasthani dialect is mainly spoken outside Rajasthan?+
Malvi — it is mainly spoken in the Malwa region of Madhya Pradesh, with its area in Rajasthan limited to around Jhalawar–Pratapgarh.