Lesson 22: Joining Words
Index · Lesson 21: Two Women, Two Books · Lesson 23: The Future
The lessons write words apart, so the ending stays visible. One change is written in every sentence: म् before a consonant becomes ं. सः changes in more than one way, so those spellings are named here and not written in the sentences. The rest of joining stays on the later list.
म् before a consonant
म् at the end of a word is written ं when the next word starts with a consonant. Sentences in this book follow that.
अहम् गच्छामि is written अहं गच्छामि।
बुद्धम् शरणम् गच्छामि is written बुद्धं शरणं गच्छामि। Both lines are three words. Only the final म् has changed shape. बुद्धम् is “the Buddha,” शरणम् is “refuge,” and गच्छामि is “I go.”
गृहम् गच्छामि is written गृहं गच्छामि। Lesson 2 uses the second spelling.
The tables still show the ending as -म्. That is the ending before the next word is taken into account. Becoming one word is a different thing. शुभरात्रिः in the introduction is one word. This refuge line is not.
When the next word starts with a vowel, म् stays म्. पुस्तकम् अस्ति। नगरम् अगच्छः। अहम् अस्मि said with no space is अहमस्मि। When the word is last, म् stays म्. गच्छामि।
सः before the next word
सः is the spelling at a pause. These lessons keep that spelling. Speech does not turn every सः into one other shape.
Before a voiced consonant, the ः of सः becomes ओ. सः गच्छति is said सो गच्छति। “He goes.”
Before अ, that ओ swallows the अ. सः अस्ति is said सोऽस्ति। “He is.” The ऽ marks the swallowed अ.
Before प्, careful spelling keeps सः पठति। The breath of ः is said in front of प्.
कः, छात्रः, and श्वः end in अः, so they follow those same speech changes. गुरुः ends in उः. Before a voiced sound that ः becomes र्. गुरुः अत्र is said गुरुरत्र। गुरुः गच्छति is said गुरुर्गच्छति। The sentences keep the pause spelling, with the ः, so the ending stays visible.
Practice
- Read बुद्धं शरणं गच्छामि aloud, then say the endings before the next word: बुद्धम् शरणम् गच्छामि।
- Say सो गच्छति as the speech form of सः गच्छति।
- Say सोऽस्ति as the speech form of सः अस्ति।
Next
Lesson 23: The Future is “I will go” and “I will be.”