Week 5: The Nominative: Who or What?
This week is designed as a 60-minute self-study lesson. Read aloud first, then translate.
Aim of the Week
Recognise the Nominative as a meaning-role in Sanskrit reading.
Core Pattern
प्रथमा marks the role: who or what does/is.
| Case idea | Question to ask | Reading habit |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | who or what does/is | Do not begin with English word order. Look at the ending. |
Translation Practice
- रामः गच्छति।
rāmaḥ gacchati. - बुद्धः उपविशति।
buddhaḥ upaviśati. - अर्जुनः पश्यति।
arjunaḥ paśyati. - धर्मः अस्ति।
dharmaḥ asti.
Answer key
- Rāma goes.
- The Buddha sits down.
- Arjuna sees.
- Dharma exists.
Recitation Guidance
Read each sentence twice: once for sound, once for meaning. On the second reading, pause before the verb.
Vocabulary
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| रामः | rāmaḥ | Rāma |
| बुद्धः | buddhaḥ | Buddha |
| अर्जुनः | arjunaḥ | Arjuna |
| उपविशति | upaviśati | sits down |
| अस्ति | asti | is; exists |
Self-Check
- Can you state the role of the highlighted case?
- Can you translate without changing the Sanskrit order too early?