Lang Lakar (लङ् लकार) is the past tense (imperfect) in Sanskrit grammar. It is used to describe actions that happened in the past — what someone did or was doing. Lang Lakar is identified by the augment 'अ' (a-prefix, called Augment or वृद्धि/आगम) that is added before the verb root. It is one of the most important lakars for Sanskrit examinations from class 6 to class 10.
Lang Lakar = Past Tense (लङ् लकार = भूतकाल)
Key feature: augment 'अ' added before verb root
Third person singular ending: -त् (अपठत् = he read)
First person singular ending: -म् (अपठम् = I read)
Third person plural ending: -न् (अपठन् = they read)
Signal words: ह्यः (yesterday), पुरा (formerly), तदा (then)
No augment = Lat Lakar (present); with अ = Lang Lakar (past)
Most commonly tested past tense in class 6–10 Sanskrit exams
लङ् लकार = भूतकाल (Past Tense — Imperfect). जो कार्य बीत चुका हो, उसे व्यक्त करने के लिए लङ् लकार का प्रयोग किया जाता है। Lang Lakar describes actions completed in the past. Key feature: The augment 'अ' (a-prefix) is added before the verb root. Signal words for Lang Lakar: ह्यः (yesterday), पुरा (formerly/in the past), तदा (then/at that time), कदाचित् (once/sometimes).
The most important rule of Lang Lakar: an augment 'अ' is added before the verb root.
Root → Augment + Root: भू (to be) → अ + भव = अभव → अभवत् (he was) पठ् (to read) → अ + पठ = अपठ → अपठत् (he read) गम् → अ + गच्छ = अगच्छ → अगच्छत् (he went) लिख् → अ + लिख = अलिख → अलिखत् (he wrote)
When the root begins with a vowel, the augment combines: गम् starts with 'g' (consonant) → अ + ग = अग. If a root began with 'a', the augment would combine to give ā (ā + a = ā), but most common verbs start with consonants.
Parasmaipada endings for Lang Lakar:
पुरुष | एकवचन | द्विवचन | बहुवचन प्रथम पुरुष (He/She/It) | -त् | -ताम् | -न् मध्यम पुरुष (You) | -ः | -तम् | -त उत्तम पुरुष (I/We) | -म् | -व | -म
Note: These endings look different from Lat Lakar. Prathama singular -त् (not -ति); Uttama singular -म् (not -मि).
भू (to be) — Lang Lakar: अभवत्, अभवताम्, अभवन् | अभवः, अभवतम्, अभवत | अभवम्, अभवाव, अभवाम
पठ् (to read) — Lang Lakar: अपठत्, अपठताम्, अपठन् | अपठः, अपठतम्, अपठत | अपठम्, अपठाव, अपठाम
गम् (to go) — Lang Lakar: अगच्छत्, अगच्छताम्, अगच्छन् | अगच्छः, अगच्छतम्, अगच्छत | अगच्छम्, अगच्छाव, अगच्छाम
लिख् (to write) — Lang Lakar: अलिखत्, अलिखताम्, अलिखन् | अलिखः, अलिखतम्, अलिखत | अलिखम्, अलिखाव, अलिखाम
वद् (to speak) — Lang Lakar: अवदत्, अवदताम्, अवदन् | अवदः, अवदतम्, अवदत | अवदम्, अवदाव, अवदाम
Examples: • सः अपठत् — He read. • तौ अपठताम् — They two read. • ते अपठन् — They all read. • त्वं अगच्छः — You went. • अहं अलिखम् — I wrote. • वयं अभवाम — We were. • बालकः विद्यालयम् अगच्छत् — The boy went to school. • रामः वनम् अगच्छत् — Ram went to the forest. • आचार्यः छात्रान् अपाठयत् — The teacher taught the students. • सा पुष्पाणि अचिनोत् — She plucked flowers.
Identify Lang Lakar by: (1) The 'अ' prefix before the verb root — 'अपठत्' (not 'पठति'). (2) The ending -त् for third person singular (not -ति). (3) Context — the action is in the past; signal words like ह्यः (yesterday), पुरा (formerly). (4) Third person plural ends in -न् (not -न्ति). Key confusion: Lot Lakar (imperative) third person singular ends in -तु; Lang ends in -त्. The 'अ' augment is the simplest identifier — if it's there, it's Lang Lakar.
Lang Lakar (लङ् लकार) is the past tense (imperfect) in Sanskrit grammar. It describes actions that happened in the past. Key feature: the augment 'अ' is added before the verb root. Example: पठ् (to read) → अपठत् (he read). Third person singular ends in -त् (not -ति as in Lat Lakar). Signal words: ह्यः (yesterday), पुरा (formerly), तदा (then).
The augment (आगम) rule of Lang Lakar states that the letter 'अ' is added before the verb root before personal endings are attached. Examples: पठ् → अ + पठत् = अपठत् (he read); गम् → अ + गच्छत् = अगच्छत् (he went); लिख् → अ + लिखत् = अलिखत् (he wrote); भू → अ + भवत् = अभवत् (he was). This 'अ' prefix is the clearest marker of Lang Lakar and distinguishes it from Lat Lakar (present tense) which has no augment.
Parasmaipada Lang Lakar endings: Prathama Purush (Third): Singular -त्, Dual -ताम्, Plural -न्. Madhyama Purush (Second): Singular -ः, Dual -तम्, Plural -त. Uttama Purush (First): Singular -म्, Dual -व, Plural -म. These are added after the augment 'अ' and the verb root.
Patha (पठ्) dhatu Lang Lakar: Prathama — अपठत्, अपठताम्, अपठन्. Madhyama — अपठः, अपठतम्, अपठत. Uttama — अपठम्, अपठाव, अपठाम. Example: 'रामः पाठं अपठत्' — Ram read the lesson. 'वयं संस्कृतम् अपठाम' — We read Sanskrit (in the past).
Lat Lakar (Present): no augment. Ending -ति (3rd singular). Example: पठति (reads now). Lang Lakar (Past): augment 'अ' before verb. Ending -त् (3rd singular). Example: अपठत् (read in past). The 'अ' augment is the most reliable test: if the verb has 'अ' before it (अपठत्, अगच्छत्), it is Lang Lakar. If not (पठति, गच्छति), it is Lat Lakar.
1. सः विद्यालयम् अगच्छत् — He went to school. 2. बालकाः क्रीडनम् अखेलन् — The boys played. 3. अहं जलं अपिबम् — I drank water. 4. आचार्यः संस्कृतम् अपाठयत् — The teacher taught Sanskrit. 5. रामः वनम् अगच्छत् — Ram went to the forest.
Gam (गम्) dhatu Lang Lakar: Prathama — अगच्छत्, अगच्छताम्, अगच्छन्. Madhyama — अगच्छः, अगच्छतम्, अगच्छत. Uttama — अगच्छम्, अगच्छाव, अगच्छाम. Note: गम् changes to गच्छ (same as in Lat Lakar), then the augment 'अ' is prefixed: अ + गच्छत् = अगच्छत्. Example: 'सः बाजारं अगच्छत्' — He went to the market.
Signal words that indicate Lang Lakar (past tense) in Sanskrit: ह्यः — yesterday; पुरा — formerly, in the past; तदा — then, at that time; कदाचित् — once, sometimes; प्रागेव — before; अतीते — in the past; भूतकाले — in the past time. When you see these words in a Sanskrit sentence or translation exercise, use Lang Lakar forms.
To convert from Lat Lakar (present) to Lang Lakar (past): (1) Add the augment 'अ' before the verb root. (2) Change the ending from Lat endings (-ति, -मि) to Lang endings (-त्, -म्). Example: Lat: रामः पठति → Ram reads. Lang: रामः अपठत् → Ram read. Another: Lat: अहं गच्छामि → I go. Lang: अहं अगच्छम् → I went. The process is: identify the Lat form, add 'अ' before the root, change ending.
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