-आ

-आ

Hindi

Pronunciation

• (Delhi Hindi) IPA^(key): /ɑː/, [äː]

Etymology 1

The paradigm is inherited from Sanskrit -अ m (-a) extended by Ashokan Prakrit -𑀓- (-ka-) or -क (-ka) (equivalent to -अक (-aka)). The direct singular specifically is inherited from Sauraseni Apabhramsa -औ (-au), -औं (-auṃ), from Sauraseni Prakrit -𑀅𑀕𑁄 m (-ago), -𑀅𑀕𑀁 n (-agaṃ), from inherited from Sanskrit -अकः m (-akaḥ), -अकम् n (-akam), the nominative and accusative singular, respectively. See -ए (-e), -ओं (-õ), and -ओ (-o) for the etymologies of those endings specifically.

Suffix

-आ • (-ā) m

1. forms masculine nouns

Declension

Declension of -आ (masc ind ā-stem)

	singular	plural
direct	-आ -ā	-ए -e
oblique	-ए -e	-ओं -õ
vocative	-ए -e	-ओ -o

Etymology 2

See -आ (-ā) (ultimately inherited from Sanskrit -क (-ka)) for the masculine endings and -ई (-ī) (ultimately inherited from Sanskrit -इका (-ikā)) for the feminine ones.

Suffix

-आ • (-ā)

1. forms adjectives from nouns, showing a property

   ‎झूठ (jhūṭh, “lie”) + ‎-आ (-ā) → ‎झूठा (jhūṭhā, “false, fake, liar”)

   ‎भूख (bhūkh, “hunger”) + ‎-आ (-ā) → ‎भूखा (bhūkhā, “hungry, famished”)

Declension

Declension of -आ (ind ā-stem)

	masculine		feminine
	singular	plural	singular	plural
direct	-आ -ā	-ए -e	-ई -ī	-ई -ī
oblique	-ए -e	-ए -e	-ई -ī	-ई -ī
vocative	-ए -e	-ए -e	-ई -ī	-ई -ī

Etymology 3

As -या (-yā) after vowels, ultimately inherited from Sanskrit -त (-ta).

Suffix

-आ • (-ā)

1. Marks the perfective participle

   ‎कह (kah, “say”) + ‎-आ (-ā) → ‎कहा (kahā, “said”)

   ‎देख (dekh, “see”) + ‎-आ (-ā) → ‎देखा (dekhā, “seen”)

Declension

Declension of -आ (ind ā-stem)

	masculine		feminine
	singular	plural	singular	plural
direct	-आ -ā	-ए -e	-ई -ī	-ई -ī
oblique	-ए -e	-ए -e	-ई -ī	-ई -ī
vocative	-ए -e	-ए -e	-ई -ī	-ई -ī

Etymology 4

Borrowed from Sanskrit -आ (-ā).

Suffix

-आ • (-ā) f

1. forms feminine form of the nouns

   ‎पुष्प (puṣp, “flower”) + ‎-आ (-ā) → ‎पुष्पा (puṣpā, “flower, female given name”)

2. forms feminine form of the adjectives

   ‎हरित (harit, “green”) + ‎-आ (-ā) → ‎हरिता (haritā, “green”)

Declension

Declension of -आ (fem ā-stem)

	singular	plural
direct	-आ -ā	-आएँ -āẽ
oblique	-आ -ā	-आओं -āõ
vocative	-आ -ā	-आओ -āo

Derived terms

Hindi terms suffixed with -आ

References