Suffixes are short groups of sounds that are added to the end of something else. Here, we talk about root suffixes, which are added to the end of a verb root.
-aya-
-aya- usually expresses the idea of making someone do something.
daśaratho rāmaṃ vanaṃ gamayati
Dasharatha sends Rama away (makes Rama go) to the forest.hariṇī saṃjayāya vṛkṣaṃ darśayati
Harini shows Sanjaya (makes Sanjaya see) the tree.rāvaṇo rāmaṃ mārayitum icchati.
Ravana wants to kill Rama (to make Rama die).
-tum
-tum expresses the idea of "to do." Due to sound changes, you may also see -ṭum, -dhum, or -ḍhum.
saṃjayaḥ krīḍitum icchati
Sanjaya wants to play.
-ta
-ta expresses that something is or has been done. Due to sound changes, you may also see -ṭa, -dha, or -ḍha. Words made with -ta are adjectives and follow adjective rules.
phalaṃ khāditam
The fruit is eaten (or has been eaten, or was eaten).tvaṃ dṛṣṭaḥ
You are seen (or have been seen, or were seen).
If the root implies a sense of movement, -ta expresses that something "went" or "has gone."
sītā gatā
Sita has gone (or is gone, or had gone, or went).phalaṃ patitam
The fruit has fallen (or is fallen, or had fallen, or fell).
-tavat
-tavat usually express that someone has done something. Due to sound changes, you may also see -ṭavat, -dhavat, or -ḍhavat. Words made with -tavat are adjectives and follow adjective rules.
aham phalaṃ khāditavān
I have eaten the fruit.sītā dṛṣṭavatī
Sita has seen.
-tavya
-tavya shows that something "should be done" or "must be done." Due to sound changes, you may also see -ṭavya, -dhavya, or -ḍhavya. Words made with -tavya are adjectives and follow adjective rules.
For these words, the person doing the action (the subject) uses a different case ending from what is usually used.
tvayā khāditavyam
You must eat.rāmeṇa vanaṃ gantavyam
Rama must go to the forest.mayā mātā draṣṭavyā
I must see my mother.