Sanskrit Vocabulary for Everyday Learning
Everyday Sanskrit words in themed tables: family, home, nature, time, food and common verbs, with IAST, Hindi and English meanings and practice tips.
By Sanskritam Academy Editorial TeamPublished 5 min read
Vocabulary is easiest to remember when the words belong to things you see and do every day. The tables below give about seventy common Sanskrit words grouped by theme, each with IAST transliteration and Hindi and English meanings. Learn one table at a time and use the words in short sentences straight away.
How to read the tables
- Nouns are given in the first case singular (prathamā ekavacana), the form used for the subject of a sentence.
- The ending shows the gender of most nouns: -ः (-ḥ) after a is usually masculine, -म् (-m) is neuter, and -ā or -ī is usually feminine.
- Verbs are given in the present tense, third person singular: पठति means he or she reads.
- In IAST a line over a vowel (ā, ī, ū) marks a long vowel, and ḥ is the visarga.
If you cannot yet read Devanagari comfortably, begin with the Sanskrit alphabet explained.
Word lists by theme
Family and people
| Sanskrit | IAST | Hindi | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| माता | mātā | माँ | mother |
| पिता | pitā | पिता | father |
| भ्राता | bhrātā | भाई | brother |
| भगिनी | bhaginī | बहन | sister |
| पुत्रः | putraḥ | बेटा | son |
| पुत्री | putrī | बेटी | daughter |
| पितामहः | pitāmahaḥ | दादा | paternal grandfather |
| पितामही | pitāmahī | दादी | paternal grandmother |
| मातुलः | mātulaḥ | मामा | maternal uncle |
| मित्रम् | mitram | मित्र | friend |
| शिक्षकः | śikṣakaḥ | शिक्षक | teacher |
| छात्रः | chātraḥ | छात्र | student |
Home and school
| Sanskrit | IAST | Hindi | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| गृहम् | gṛham | घर | house |
| द्वारम् | dvāram | दरवाज़ा | door |
| वातायनम् | vātāyanam | खिड़की | window |
| पाकशाला | pākaśālā | रसोई | kitchen |
| दीपः | dīpaḥ | दीया | lamp |
| वस्त्रम् | vastram | कपड़ा | cloth, garment |
| पुस्तकम् | pustakam | किताब | book |
| लेखनी | lekhanī | कलम | pen |
| विद्यालयः | vidyālayaḥ | विद्यालय | school |
| मार्गः | mārgaḥ | रास्ता | road, path |
Nature
| Sanskrit | IAST | Hindi | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| सूर्यः | sūryaḥ | सूरज | sun |
| चन्द्रः | candraḥ | चाँद | moon |
| आकाशः | ākāśaḥ | आकाश | sky |
| मेघः | meghaḥ | बादल | cloud |
| वायुः | vāyuḥ | हवा | wind, air |
| जलम् | jalam | पानी | water |
| अग्निः | agniḥ | आग | fire |
| वृक्षः | vṛkṣaḥ | पेड़ | tree |
| पुष्पम् | puṣpam | फूल | flower |
| नदी | nadī | नदी | river |
| पर्वतः | parvataḥ | पहाड़ | mountain |
| पृथिवी | pṛthivī | धरती | earth |
Time
| Sanskrit | IAST | Hindi | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| अद्य | adya | आज | today |
| श्वः | śvaḥ | आने वाला कल | tomorrow |
| ह्यः | hyaḥ | बीता हुआ कल | yesterday |
| इदानीम् | idānīm | अभी | now |
| प्रातः | prātaḥ | सुबह | in the morning |
| सायम् | sāyam | शाम को | in the evening |
| दिनम् | dinam | दिन | day |
| रात्रिः | rātriḥ | रात | night |
| मासः | māsaḥ | महीना | month |
| वर्षम् | varṣam | साल | year |
| सदा | sadā | हमेशा | always |
Hindi uses कल for both yesterday and tomorrow. Sanskrit has two separate words: ह्यः (hyaḥ) for yesterday and श्वः (śvaḥ) for tomorrow.
Food
| Sanskrit | IAST | Hindi | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| अन्नम् | annam | अन्न | food, grain |
| ओदनम् | odanam | भात | cooked rice |
| रोटिका | roṭikā | रोटी | flat bread |
| शाकम् | śākam | सब्ज़ी | vegetable |
| फलम् | phalam | फल | fruit |
| दुग्धम् | dugdham | दूध | milk |
| घृतम् | ghṛtam | घी | ghee |
| लवणम् | lavaṇam | नमक | salt |
| शर्करा | śarkarā | चीनी | sugar |
| मधु | madhu | शहद | honey |
Common verbs
| Sanskrit | IAST | Hindi | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| गच्छति | gacchati | जाता है | goes |
| आगच्छति | āgacchati | आता है | comes |
| पठति | paṭhati | पढ़ता है | reads |
| लिखति | likhati | लिखता है | writes |
| खादति | khādati | खाता है | eats |
| पिबति | pibati | पीता है | drinks |
| वदति | vadati | बोलता है | speaks |
| पश्यति | paśyati | देखता है | sees |
| शृणोति | śṛṇoti | सुनता है | hears |
| उपविशति | upaviśati | बैठता है | sits down |
| करोति | karoti | करता है | does |
| ददाति | dadāti | देता है | gives |
| इच्छति | icchati | चाहता है | wants |
From words to sentences
A word is properly learnt only when you can use it. Sanskrit sentences usually place the verb at the end, and the object takes the second case ending. To say 'I', change the verb ending -ti to -āmi: पठति (he or she reads) becomes पठामि (I read).
| Sanskrit | IAST | English |
|---|---|---|
| बालकः पुस्तकं पठति। | bālakaḥ pustakaṃ paṭhati. | The boy reads a book. |
| माता फलं ददाति। | mātā phalaṃ dadāti. | Mother gives a fruit. |
| अहं जलं पिबामि। | ahaṃ jalaṃ pibāmi. | I drink water. |
| अद्य अहं विद्यालयं गच्छामि। | adya ahaṃ vidyālayaṃ gacchāmi. | Today I go to school. |
| सूर्यः प्रातः उदेति। | sūryaḥ prātaḥ udeti. | The sun rises in the morning. |
How to practise
- Learn five to seven words a day, not a whole table at once.
- Say each word aloud while looking at the Devanagari, then write it once from memory.
- Name things around you in Sanskrit during the day: द्वारम्, जलम्, पुस्तकम्.
- Make two short sentences with each new verb.
- Revise on a fixed pattern: the next day, after a week and after a month.
- Keep a notebook with the word, its gender and one sentence of your own.
For another list aimed at Hindi speakers, see easy Sanskrit words with Hindi meaning. If you want to use this vocabulary in conversation, the Spoken Sanskrit course is taught live online in Hindi or English.