Grammar Tutorial ::: Reference - Noun Forms / शब्दरूप / shabdaruupa

Noun Form Classification (शब्दरूप / shabdaruupa): In chapter 1 and 4 we learnt about noun forms. Each noun has 7 different cases in addition to a vocative case. The noun form is derived by adding special suffix सुप् (sup) to the root of the word. All such words are also called सुबन्तपद (subantapada) meaning "ending with सुप् (sup)". In this chapter we will learn about classification of nouns and their respective सुप् (sup) suffixes.

In Sanskrit nouns are classified into different categories based on:

• their gender and,
• ending alphabate. The ending alphabates can be - अ (a), आ (aa), इ (i), ई (ii), उ (u), ऊ (uu), ऋ (RRi), र् (r), श् (sh), त् (t), इन् (in), ज् (j), न (na), द (da) and ओ (o) etc. A word ending with अ (a) is called अकारान्तः (akaaraantaH) or "ending with a". Similarly word ending with इ (i) is called इकारान्तः (ikaaraantaH) or "ending with i", and so on.
• स्वरान्त:
  • m - अ, इ, ई, उ, ऊ, ऋ, ओ
  • f - आ, इ, ई, उ, ऊ, ऋ
  • n - अ, इ, उ
• व्यञ्जनान्त:
  • m - च, ज, त, द, अन्, हन्, इन्, श, ष, स
  • f - रेफ़ान्त, व, श्, ष्, स
  • n - न, इन्, अस्, इस्, उस्