Questions
3–5 questions per exam
Difficulty
Medium
Importance
High yield for SSC, Banking, and State level exams
Overview
Sandhi (Joining of sounds) and Samas (Compounding of words) are foundational pillars of Hindi grammar tested extensively in competitive exams. Mastering these topics allows aspirants to quickly identify word formations and structures, saving precious time in objective papers.
Sandhi ke Bhed (Types of Sandhi)
Sandhi involves the fusion of two निकटवर्ती (adjacent) sounds resulting in a change. It is categorized into three primary types based on the element undergoing change.
- Swar Sandhi: Interaction between two vowels (e.g., Vidyarthi).
- Vyanjan Sandhi: Interaction between a consonant and a vowel or consonant.
- Visarga Sandhi: Interaction involving the visarga (:).
- Swar Sandhi has 5 sub-types: Dirgha, Gun, Vriddhi, Yan, and Ayadi.
Samas ke Bhed (Types of Compounds)
Samas is the process of combining two or more words to form a new, meaningful word while removing connecting suffixes. Identification depends on which part of the compound word is 'Pradhan' (dominant).
- Avyayibhav: First term is an Avyaya (e.g., Pratidin).
- Tatpurush: Second term is dominant; utilizes कारक चिन्ह (case markers).
- Karmadharaya: Adjective-Noun or Comparison-based relationship.
- Dvigu: First term is a numeral/number.
- Dvandva: Both terms are equal; usually linked by 'aur' or 'ya'.
- Bahuvrihi: Neither term is dominant; refers to a third entity.
Sandhi-Viched Strategy
Breaking a word correctly requires identifying the 'Sandhi point'. Focus on the middle junction to split the word into two meaningful root words.
- Look for the matra (आ, ई, ऊ) for Dirgha Sandhi.
- Observe the change of 'e/o' for Gun Sandhi.
- Check for 'ya/va' preceded by a half-letter for Yan Sandhi.
- Always ensure both broken parts are meaningful words in standard Hindi.
Formula Sheet
Swar + Swar = Swar Sandhi
Vyanjan + Vyanjan/Swar = Vyanjan Sandhi
Visarga + Swar/Vyanjan = Visarga Sandhi
Exam Tip
Always try to form the 'Vigrah' (breakdown) first; if the breakdown makes clear sense, the Samas type will reveal itself immediately through the prefix or conjunction used.
Common Mistakes
- Confusing Karmadharaya Samas with Bahuvrihi Samas when the word has a special meaning.
- Ignoring the omission of case markers (Karaka) while identifying Tatpurush Samas.
- Applying rule-based logic to words that are exceptions rather than strictly following standard vowel shifts.
More Revision Notes
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