The Avagraha ऽ

FoundationsSounds Like avagraha ̕

The sign ऽ shows a short vowel that is said at the end of a short word.

How It Works

The avagraha (ऽ) is a small sign written after a final consonant. In Maithili it marks a short vowel that is said at the end of the word. Compare कर, which stops on the r, with कऽ, which ends in a short vowel.

Verb	Joining form	Meaning
करब	कऽ	do, having done
होएब	भऽ	be, having been
देब	दऽ	give, having given
लेब	लऽ	take, having taken

You will see these forms in two common places. The first is the joining form, which means "having done": काज कऽ कऽ आएब. The second is the progressive: बरखा भऽ रहल अछि.

Keep the ऽ when you write. Leaving it off makes the word look like a different verb stem.

Examples (5)

नेहा चाह पीबि कऽ गेलीह।
Neha had tea and then left.
कऽ joins the two actions: having done, and then.
बरखा भऽ रहल अछि।
It is raining.
भऽ is the joining form of होएब.
हमरा पानि दऽ दिअ।
Please give me water.
दऽ is the joining form of देब.
ओ किताब लऽ कऽ गेल।
He took the book and went.
लऽ is from लेब, and कऽ joins it to गेल.
हम काज कऽ कऽ आएब।
I will come after finishing the work.
The first कऽ is the verb, the second joins it to आएब.

Common Mistakes

Using Hindi के after the verb stem.
हम काज कर के आएब।
हम काज कऽ कऽ आएब।
Maithili uses the joining form कऽ, not the Hindi कर के.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

The Avagraha ऽFoundations

Learn This First

The sign ऽ marks the exception to silent final vowels, so reading ordinary words like घर comes first.

Reading Maithili in Devanagari
Know that the little a at the end of घर is not said, because the ऽ in कऽ marks a word where that final vowel is said.
Foundations

Words in This Pattern

कऽभऽदऽलऽ

Practice The Avagraha ऽ in Bubblegum

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