Stem suffixes

Suffixes are short groups of sounds that are added to the end of something else. Here, we talk about stem suffixes, which are added to the end of a nominal or a verb stem.

-tara

-tara is often added to adjectives. It has the meaning of "more."

  • sundaraḥ ⟶ sundarataraḥ
    beautiful ⟶ more beautiful

  • balavān ⟶ balavattaraḥ
    strong ⟶ more strong, stronger

-tama

-tama is often added to adjectives. It has the meaning of "most."

  • sundaraḥ ⟶ sundaratamaḥ
    beautiful ⟶ most beautiful

  • balavān ⟶ balavattamaḥ
    strong ⟶ most strong, strongest

-vat (-vān, -vatī)

-vat is often added to nouns. It has the meaning of "possessing" or "characterized by." Depending on the word's gender, it may also appear as -vān or -vatī.

  • balam ⟶ balavān
    strength ⟶ having strength, strong