Adverbs
Adverbs¶
Adverbs describe how or when an action is done, they give more information about the verb in the sentence.
kiṃ nu kho ahaṃ saṇikaṃ gacchāmi? MN20
Why am I going slowly?
Adverbs are formed in various ways using suffixes and different cases of adjectives, and also using indeclinable particles. In all cases, adverbs are indeclinable.
How to form adverbs¶
Derivative Adverbs are formed by adding suffixes to nouns and adjectives. You’ll go into these in more detail when you study primary and secondary derivatives.
| satta | card | seven | sattadhā | adv | in 7 pieces |
| pañca | card | five | pañcaso | adv | five by five |
| bahu | adj | many | bahukkhattuṃ | adv | many times |
| ka | adj | what | kathaṃ | adv | in what way? |
| piṭṭhi | noun | back | piṭṭhito | adv | behind |
| pari | prep | around | parito | adv | all around |
| dūra | adj | far | dūrato | adv | from far away |
| ta | pron | that | tatra | adv | there |
| añña | adj | another | aññatra | adv | elsewhere |
| sabba | pron | all | sabbattha | adv | everywhere |
| ka | pron | which | kuhiṃ | adv | where |
and a very large number of others.
Case-form Adverbs are formed by using nouns, pronouns and adjectives in certain cases, most commonly the accusative and instrumental cases.
Accusative Case
| cira | adj | long (time) | ciraṃ | adv | for a long time |
| divasa | noun | day | divasaṃ | adv | by day |
| sacca | noun | truth | saccaṃ | adv | truthfully |
| sāya | noun | evening | sāyaṃ | adv | in the evening |
| sukha | adj | easy | sukhaṃ | adv | easily |
| tatiya | ordin | third | tatiyaṃ | adv | for third time |
| uddha | adj | upper | uddhaṃ | adv | upwards, above |
Quick review: where do you find the -aṃ ending in Pāli grammar?
- masculine, feminine, neuter acc s
- neuter nom. s.
- present participle masc nom. s.
- adverbs
Instrumental Case
| abhūta | adj | untrue | abhūtena | adv | untruthfully |
| antara | adj | space between | antarena | adv | in-between |
| anupubba | adj | gradual | anupubbena | adv | gradually |
| cira | adj | long (time) | cirena | adv | after a long time |
| dhamma | noun | law | dhammena | adv | lawfully |
| java | m | speed | javena | adv | quickly |
| kāla | noun | time | kālena | adv | timely |
| kasira | adj | difficult | kasirena | adv | with difficulty |
| vega | noun | speed | vegena | adv | quickly |
| ya | pron | which | yena | adv | where |
Dative Case
| svātana | adj | of tomorrow | svātanāya | adv | for tomorrow's (meal) |
| ajjatana | adj | modern | ajjatanāya | adv | for today; today |
Genitive Case
| ta | pron | that | tassa | adv | therefore; because of that; lit. of that |
Locative Case
| atīta | noun | the past | atīte | adv | in the past |
| bāhira | adj | external | bāhire | adv | externally |
| pubba | adj | former | pubbe | adv | formerly |
The final group consists of the Pure Adverbs, which are not formed by adding suffixes or case declensions.
There are about 200 such particles or nipātā, as they are called in traditional grammar books.
| kira | they say, allegedly; apparently |
| hi | indeed, certainly |
| khalu | indeed, surely |
| tu | however; but; rather |
| atha | now, then, and then |
| kva | where? |
… ādi …