Sangya, Sarvanam, Visheshan, Kriya
संज्ञा, सर्वनाम, विशेषण, क्रिया
Overview
This topic covers the four foundational word classes (parts of speech) in Hindi grammar — Sangya (Noun), Sarvanam (Pronoun), Visheshan (Adjective), and Kriya (Verb). Together, these form the backbone of Hindi sentence construction and appear consistently in UPTET Language I papers.
Questions may ask you to identify the type of sangya in a sentence, pick out the correct sarvanam, match visheshan with visheshya, or determine the kriya form. Mastery here also strengthens your performance in comprehension passages, as grammatical accuracy improves both understanding and error-spotting.
Students must know all sub-types with clear definitions and be able to apply them instantly in sentence-based questions. Rote memorisation of examples is useful, but understanding the logic behind classifications is what separates toppers from average scorers.
Key Concepts
- Sangya (संज्ञा) is the naming word — it identifies persons, places, things, qualities, or actions. Every Hindi sentence revolves around at least one sangya.
- Sarvanam (सर्वनाम) replaces sangya to avoid repetition. "Ram khel raha hai. Woh thak gaya." — here "woh" replaces "Ram."
- Visheshan (विशेषण) qualifies or describes a sangya/sarvanam, adding information about quality, quantity, or order. The word it describes is called visheshya.
- Kriya (क्रिया) expresses action or state of being. It tells us what the subject does or is. The doer of kriya is called karta.
- Hindi word classes are determined by function in a sentence — the same word can act as different parts of speech depending on context.
- Gender (ling), number (vachan), and case (karak) influence the form of sangya, sarvanam, and visheshan, while kriya agrees with karta or karma depending on sentence structure.
- Understanding these four classes is prerequisite for tackling advanced topics like karak, vakya rachna, and voice transformation.
Formulas / Key Facts
Sangya (Noun) — 5 Types
| Type | Hindi Name | Definition | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proper Noun | Vyakti-vachak | Names a specific person, place, or thing | राम, गंगा, भारत, ताजमहल |
| Common Noun | Jati-vachak | Names a class or category | लड़का, नदी, देश, शहर |
| Collective Noun | Samuh-vachak | Names a group or collection | सेना, झुंड, परिवार, सभा |
| Material Noun | Dravya-vachak | Names substances or materials | सोना, दूध, लोहा, पानी |
| Abstract Noun | Bhav-vachak | Names qualities, feelings, or states | सुंदरता, क्रोध, बचपन, मित्रता |
Memory trick: व्यक्ति-जाति-समूह-द्रव्य-भाव (VJSDB)
Sarvanam (Pronoun) — 6 Types
| Type | Hindi Name | Definition | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| Personal | Purush-vachak | Refers to persons (1st/2nd/3rd) | मैं, तू, वह, हम, तुम, वे |
| Reflexive | Nij-vachak | Refers back to the subject | आप, अपना, स्वयं |
| Demonstrative | Nishchay-vachak | Points to specific things | यह, वह, ये, वे |
| Indefinite | Anishchay-vachak | Refers to unspecified things | कोई, कुछ, किसी |
| Interrogative | Prashna-vachak | Used in questions | कौन, क्या, किसे, किसको |
| Relative | Sambandh-vachak | Connects clauses | जो, जिसे, जिसको, जिन्हें |
Visheshan (Adjective) — 4 Types
| Type | Hindi Name | Definition | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| Qualitative | Gun-vachak | Describes quality | अच्छा, सुंदर, बुरा, मोटा |
| Quantitative | Pariman-vachak | Describes quantity | थोड़ा, बहुत, कम, ज्यादा |
| Numeral | Sankhya-vachak | Describes number/order | एक, दो, पहला, दूसरा |
| Demonstrative | Sarvanamik | Derived from sarvanam | यह पुस्तक, वह लड़का |
Kriya (Verb) — Key Classifications
By structure:
- Sakarmak Kriya (Transitive) — requires an object: "राम ने सेब खाया।"
- Akarmak Kriya (Intransitive) — no object needed: "राम सोता है।"
By composition:
- Samanyak Kriya (Simple) — single verb: खाना, पीना, सोना
- Sanyukt Kriya (Compound) — two verbs together: खा लिया, पढ़ डाला
- Purn Kriya (Finite) — shows tense, changes with subject
- Asampurn Kriya (Non-finite) — infinitive forms: खाना, खाकर, खाता हुआ
Dhatu — the verb root from which kriya is formed (खा, पी, लिख, पढ़)
Worked Examples
Example 1: Identify Sangya Type
Question: "ईमानदारी सबसे अच्छी नीति है।" — "ईमानदारी" कौन-सी संज्ञा है?
Solution:
- "ईमानदारी" (honesty) is a quality/feeling, not a physical object
- It expresses a state or virtue
- Answer: Bhav-vachak Sangya (भाववाचक संज्ञा)
Example 2: Identify Sarvanam Type
Question: "जो मेहनत करता है, वह सफल होता है।" — "जो" और "वह" कौन-से सर्वनाम हैं?
Solution:
- "जो" connects the two clauses — it is Sambandh-vachak Sarvanam
- "वह" points to a specific person (the one who works hard) — it is Nishchay-vachak Sarvanam (or Purush-vachak when referring to third person)
- Answer: जो = संबंधवाचक; वह = निश्चयवाचक/पुरुषवाचक
Example 3: Identify Kriya Type
Question: "बच्चा रो रहा है।" — यहाँ क्रिया का प्रकार बताइए।
Solution:
- Kriya = "रो रहा है"
- Is there an object? No — the child is simply crying, no object receives the action
- Answer: Akarmak Kriya (अकर्मक क्रिया)
Example 4: Visheshan-Visheshya Identification
Question: "चार सुंदर लड़कियाँ आईं।" — विशेषण और विशेष्य छाँटिए।
Solution:
- Visheshya (the noun being described) = लड़कियाँ
- Visheshan 1: "चार" — Sankhya-vachak Visheshan
- Visheshan 2: "सुंदर" — Gun-vachak Visheshan
- Answer: विशेष्य = लड़कियाँ; विशेषण = चार (संख्यावाचक), सुंदर (गुणवाचक)
Common Mistakes
| Wrong Thinking | Correct Fix |
|---|---|
| Confusing Jati-vachak with Vyakti-vachak when capital letters are absent | Check meaning: "राम" is always specific (Vyakti-vachak); "लड़का" is a category (Jati-vachak) |
| Treating "अपना" as Purush-vachak Sarvanam | "अपना/आप/स्वयं" referring to self = Nij-vachak Sarvanam |
| Assuming all verbs with objects are Sakarmak | Check if the object is essential. "वह बहुत दौड़ा" — "बहुत" is adverb, not object; still Akarmak |
| Confusing Pariman-vachak with Sankhya-vachak Visheshan | Pariman = uncountable quantity (थोड़ा पानी); Sankhya = countable numbers (तीन किताबें) |
| Marking abstract qualities as Dravya-vachak | Dravya-vachak = physical materials (सोना, चाँदी); Bhav-vachak = abstract feelings/qualities (प्रेम, घृणा) |
Quick Reference
- Sangya 5 types: व्यक्तिवाचक, जातिवाचक, समूहवाचक, द्रव्यवाचक, भाववाचक
- Sarvanam 6 types: पुरुषवाचक, निजवाचक, निश्चयवाचक, अनिश्चयवाचक, प्रश्नवाचक, संबंधवाचक
- Visheshan 4 types: गुणवाचक, परिमाणवाचक, संख्यावाचक, सार्वनामिक
- Sakarmak needs karma (object); Akarmak does not
- Visheshya = the noun described; Visheshan = the word describing it
- Dhatu + pratyay = Kriya formation (खा + ना = खाना)