Upsarg and Pratyay — Study Notes for WB TET
Overview
Upsarg (উপসর্গ) and Pratyay (প্রত্যয়) are the two fundamental building blocks of word formation in Bengali. Understanding these prefixes and suffixes is essential for the WB TET Language I paper because questions frequently test your ability to identify, analyse and form new words using these elements.
Upsarg are meaningful syllables added before a root word (dhatu or mool shabd) to modify or completely change its meaning. Pratyay are suffixes added after the root to create new words with different grammatical functions or meanings. Together, they allow Bengali to generate thousands of words from a limited set of roots.
For the exam, you must know the three categories of upsarg (Sanskrit/tatsam, Bengali/khandi, and bideshi), the two main types of pratyay (krit and taddhit), and be able to recognise common examples. This topic typically carries 2–4 marks and tests both identification and application skills.
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Key Concepts
- **Upsarg definition**: Upsarg are prefixes that have no independent meaning but modify the meaning of the root word when attached. Example: প্র + হার = প্রহার (strike/blow).
- **Three types of Upsarg**: Bengali uses (1) tatsam/Sanskrit upsarg, (2) khandi/Bengali upsarg, and (3) bideshi/foreign upsarg from English, Arabic, Persian and Hindi sources.
- **Pratyay definition**: Pratyay are suffixes added after a dhatu (verb root) or a noun/adjective to form new words. They carry grammatical or semantic value.
- **Krit Pratyay**: Suffixes added to verb roots (dhatu) to form nouns or adjectives. Example: পড় + উয়া = পড়ুয়া (one who reads).
- **Taddhit Pratyay**: Suffixes added to nouns, pronouns or adjectives (not verb roots) to form new words. Example: মধু + র = মধুর (sweet).
- **Meaning modification**: Upsarg can intensify, negate, reverse, or completely alter the meaning of the base word. Example: অ + জ্ঞান = অজ্ঞান (unconscious) — negation.
- **Grammatical function change**: Pratyay often convert verbs into nouns (doer, action, instrument) or nouns into adjectives.
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Formulas / Key Facts
### Tatsam (Sanskrit) Upsarg — 20 in number | Upsarg | Meaning/Function | Example | |--------|------------------|---------| | প্র | forward, excess | প্রবল, প্রহার, প্রচার | | পরা | reverse, opposite | পরাজয়, পরাভব | | অপ | bad, away | অপমান, অপকার | | সম্ | together, complete | সম্মান, সংগ্রাম | | নি | down, into | নিবাস, নিযুক্ত | | অব | down, less | অবনতি, অবহেলা | | অনু | after, following | অনুসরণ, অনুমান | | দুর্/দুঃ | bad, difficult | দুর্নাম, দুঃখ | | বি | special, without | বিজয়, বিশেষ | | অধি | over, chief | অধিকার, অধ্যক্ষ | | সু | good, well | সুনাম, সুকৃতি | | উৎ/উদ্ | up, out | উত্থান, উদ্ভব | | পরি | around, complete | পরিচয়, পরিণাম | | প্রতি | each, against | প্রতিদিন, প্রতিবাদ | | অতি | excess | অতিশয়, অত্যাচার | | অভি | towards | অভিমান, অভিযান | | আ | until, slight | আমরণ, আজীবন | | উপ | near, sub | উপকার, উপদেশ | | নির্ | without, out | নির্দোষ, নির্গমন | | অ/অন্ | not, without | অজ্ঞান, অনাদর |