Conjugation of a-ending verbal base (bhāsa)

bhāsati = speaks

Singular Plural
Third Person bhāsati bhāsanti
Second Person bhāsasi bhāsatha
First Person bhāsāmi bhāsāma

The salient feature of a-ending verbal bases : the last vowel ‘a’ gets strengthened into ‘ā’ in case of first person (bhāsāmi, bhāsāma)

All the a-ending verbal bases conjugate like ‘bhāsa’ (bhāsati) in the Present Tense. We have learnt many such verbs so far.

E.g.

  • gacchati = goes,
  • carati = walks, conducts;
  • āruhati = climbs, ascends;
  • patati = falls,
  • sayati = sleeps,
  • nisīdati = sits,
  • āharati = brings,
  • tiṭṭhati = stands, stops
  • upasaṅkamati = approaches,
  • vandati = salutes, pays respect

We will now translate a few sentences containing conjugated forms of a-ending verbal bases in the Present Tense. These sentences are adopted from the Tipitaka.

Audio for Introduction

1. Paṇḍitā kāyena ca vācāya ca sucaritaṃ caranti. Bālā kāyena ca vācāya ca duccaritaṃ caranti.

paṇḍita = wise man, kāya = body, ca = and, vācā = speech,
sucarita = good conduct / action, carati = behaves, acts, conducts
bāla = foolish person, duccarita = bad / wrong conduct

Translation : Wise men do (conduct) good actions (behave in a proper manner) by body and speech. Foolish persons behave in a bad / improper manner by body and speech.

Audio for a-ending verb - sentence 1

2. Tvaṃ agāraṃ ajjhāvasasi kāme paribhuñjasi.

tvaṃ = you, agāra = house, ajjhāvasati = lives, inhabits;
kāma = pleasure, enjoyment, sense object, (object of sense desire);
paribhuñjati = uses, enjoys

Translation : You live / dwell at home (and) enjoy sense pleasures.

Audio for a-ending verb - sentence 2

3. Jātidhammānaṃ sattānaṃ evaṃ icchā uppajjati –

jāti = birth, dhamma = nature, law, quality;
jātidhamma = of the nature of being born / taking birth, (subject to birth)
satta = being, evaṃ = thus, in this way, such; icchā = wish, desire;
uppajjati = arises, comes into existence

Translation : Such a desire arises for / of the beings subject to birth –

Audio for a-ending verb - sentence 3

4. Na socāmi na rodāmi na tvaṃ bhāyāmi āvuso.

na = no, not; socati = grieves, mourns; rodati = cries, tvaṃ = you,
bhāyati = fears, is afraid; āvuso (vocative) = friend, brother

Translation : O friend! I do not grieve, (I do) not cry and I am not afraid of you.

Audio for a-ending verb - sentence 4

5. Ete mayaṃ bhavantaṃ gotamaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāma dhammañca bhikkhusaṅghañca.

ete = these, mayaṃ = we, bhavanta = sir, honourable;
gotama = a person belonging to Gotama clan (also used for the Buddha)
saraṇa = refuge, bhikkhusaṅgha = the order of monks

Translation : We (these us) go for refuge to the honourable Gotama (Buddha), Dhamma and the order of monks.
It can simply be translated as – We take refuge in the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha.

Audio for a-ending verb - sentence 5
Last modified: Thursday, 16 February 2023, 1:18 PM