-सा / -शी / -से

Smallish and Somewhat

Level 4Sounds Like sā / -śī / -sē

In the singular the ending is -सा for masculine, -शी for feminine and -से for neuter.

How It Works

Add the ending to the describing word and write it as one word. आमचे लहानसे घर गावात आहे. (Our small house is in the village.)

MasculineFeminineNeuter
small, oneलहानसालहानशीलहानसे
small, manyलहानसेलहानशालहानशी
tiny, oneछोटासाछोटीशीछोटेसे
tiny, manyछोटेसेछोट्याशाछोटीशी
a little, oneथोडासाथोडीशीथोडेसे
a little, manyथोडेसेथोड्याशाथोडीशी

Before another ending, the form is -शा: थोड्याशा पाण्यात (in a little water), लहानशा घरात (in a small house).

The ending agrees with the noun, and it agrees with the speaker when it describes the speaker. A man says मी थोडासा दमलो आहे. A woman says मी थोडीशी दमले आहे. Both mean "I am a little tired."

The ending softens the word. लहानसे घर can sound cosy and dear to the speaker. With थोडा, as in थोडेसे पाणी, it only means a little.

It also makes a small thing sound kind. छोटीशी भेट is a small gift, given with warmth. Use it for small or mild things, such as a small gift or a little water.

It also joins pointing words: एवढासा मुलगा means "a tiny boy, only this big".

Write the ending joined. Do not leave a space, as in लहान से.

Examples (5)

  1. आमचे लहानसे घर गावात आहे.

    Our small house is in the village.

    -से matches the neuter word घर.

  2. तिने छोटीशी गोष्ट सांगितली.

    She told a short little story.

    -शी matches the feminine word गोष्ट.

  3. मला थोडेसे पाणी द्या.

    Please give me a little water.

    -से matches the neuter word पाणी.

  4. मी थोडीशी दमले आहे.

    I am a little tired. A woman is speaking.

    -शी is feminine because a woman is speaking.

  5. मी थोडासा दमलो आहे.

    I am a little tired. A man is speaking.

    -सा is masculine because a man is speaking.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the masculine ending with a neuter word.

    आमचे लहानसा घर गावात आहे.
    आमचे लहानसे घर गावात आहे.

    घर is neuter, so the ending is -से.

  • Writing the ending as a separate word.

    आमचे लहान से घर गावात आहे.
    आमचे लहानसे घर गावात आहे.

    -से is an ending, so it joins the word.

How It Connects

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

-सा / -शी / -सेLevel 4Smallish and Somewhat

Learn This First

-सा softens an adjective.