Source: Hart, pp. 144-145; Whitney pp. 395-400 (§§ 1076-1089)
This table lists the common prefixes affixed to verb roots in Sanskrit along with their meaning in English. In most cases, the prefix changes the meaning of the root in such unpredictable ways that one has to memorize the meaning of each combination separately. It is only in hindsight that one can see why a certain prefixed verb has a particular meaning. Some prefixed especially the intensifiers scarcely change the meaning of the root at all. Multiple prefixes can be added simultaneously. For instance, उपागम् is उप + आ + गम्. The most common prefixes are:
Prefix | Meaning |
अति- | across, beyond, past, over, to excess |
अधि- | above, over, on, onto |
अनु- | after, along, toward, in imitation of |
अन्तर्- | between, among, within. |
अप- | away, forth, off |
अभि- | to, towards, into, unto, against (often with implied violence), approaching |
अव- | down, off |
आ- | to, unto, at |
उद्- | up, up out |
उप- | to, toward |
नि- | down; in, into |
निस्- | out, forth |
परा- | to a distance, away, forth |
परि- | round about, around, (intensifier) |
प्र- | forward, onward, forth, fore |
प्रति- | in reversed direction, back to or against, in return |
वि- | apart, asunder, away, out, (intensifier) |
सम्- | along, with, together, (intensifier) |
Rarer and more distinctly adverbial prefixes which are akin to the above are:
Prefix | Meaning |
अछ-, अछा- | to, unto |
अविस्- | forth to sight, in view |
तिरस्- | through, crossways, out of sight |
पुरस्- | in front, forward |
प्रदुस्- | forth to view |
बहिस्- | outside |
विना- | without |
अलम्- | sufficiently, properly |
साक्षत्- | in view |