Sound Changes Between Sanskrit Words

Level 6Sounds Like sandhi

सन्धि is the sound change at the join of two Sanskrit-based words: विद्या and आलय make विद्यालय.

How It Works

सन्धि means joining. It names the sound change at the place where two words meet. This happens in Sanskrit-based compounds, so you see it in school, news and book words.

WordsJoinResult
विद्या + आलयआ + आ gives आविद्यालय
महा + आत्माआ + आ gives आमहात्मा
हिम + आलयअ + आ gives आहिमालय
सूर्य + उदयअ + उ gives ओसूर्योदय

Two rules cover these words: अ or आ meeting अ or आ gives a long आ, and अ meeting उ gives ओ. These are only two of several joining rules.

You do not need to build these words yourself. They are in the dictionary as whole words. The rule helps you split a long word that you meet for the first time and guess its meaning. पुस्तकालय splits into पुस्तक (book) and आलय (home).

Everyday Nepali words rarely use सन्धि. They are usually joined without sound change. Consonants can change at a join too, as when सत् and जन make सज्जन, but this entry covers only the two vowel rules. In राजकुमार, राज and कुमार join with no change.

Examples (5)

  1. विद्या र आलय मिलेर विद्यालय बन्छ।

    विद्या and आलय join to make विद्यालय, a school.

    आ and आ merge into one आ.

  2. महा र आत्मा मिलेर महात्मा बन्छ।

    महा and आत्मा join to make महात्मा, a great soul.

    आ and आ merge into one आ.

  3. सूर्य र उदय मिलेर सूर्योदय बन्छ।

    सूर्य and उदय join to make सूर्योदय, sunrise.

    अ and उ merge into ओ.

  4. हिम र आलय मिलेर हिमालय बन्छ।

    हिम and आलय join to make हिमालय, the home of snow.

    अ and आ merge into आ.

  5. पुस्तक र आलय मिलेर पुस्तकालय बन्छ।

    पुस्तक and आलय join to make पुस्तकालय, a library.

    अ and आ merge into आ.

How It Connects

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

Sound Changes Between Sanskrit WordsLevel 6

Learn This First

Sound changes happen between Sanskrit-based words, and they are easier to follow with the letters in mind.