Prefixes (upasagga)

Prefixes (upasagga)

Prefixes are attached to the beginning of nouns, verbs & adjectives. They can modify, intensify, completely change, or, in some cases, leave the meaning of the root unchanged.

Traditional grammarians consider there to be three types of prefixes.

1. dhātv’atth’ānuvattaka

(root – meaning – following along)

These prefixes don’t change the meaning of the root at all.

e.g. √bhā (to shine)

bhāti (shines)

ābhāti (shines)

2. dhātv’atthabādhaka

(root – meaning - obstructing)

These prefixes completely change or even reverse the meaning of the root.

e.g. √raj 3 ya (desire)

rajjati (is attached)

virajjati (is detached)

3. dhātv’atthavisesaka

(root – meaning - enhancer)

These prefixes add some flavour and nuance to the meaning of the root.

e.g. √har (to carry)

harati (carries)

āharati (brings back)

oharati (shaves, lit. takes down)

nīharati (removes, extracts)

paharati (beats, strikes)

Here is the list of 20 prefixes according to traditional sources

pa, parā, ni, nī, u(d), du(r), saṃ, vi, ava, anu, pari, adhi, abhi, pati, su, ā, ati, api, apa, upa

When adding prefixes, the normal rules of sandhi apply

ati + agā > accagā

adhi + ā + vasa + ti > ajjhāvasati

abhi + ā + cikkha + ti > abbhācikkhati