Grammar Tutorial -Active Voice / कर्तृवाच्य / kartRRIvaachya
Active Voice (कर्तृवाच्य / kartRRIvaachya): We will study "Active Voice" in this chapter with examples. Other two sentence formations will be covered in chapter 7 and 8 later. All subsequent chapters are in active voices except chapter 7 and 8.
Study the following statements.
आङ्ग्लभाषा / English संस्कृत / Sanskrit Subject
(कर्ता / kartaa) Verb
(क्रिया / kriyaa) Object
(कर्म / karma)
1. The boy is going बालः गच्छति
baalaH gachchhati The boy
बालः / baalaH going
गच्छति / gachchhati -
2. I am going अहं गच्छामि
aha.n gachchhami I am
अहं / aha.n going
गच्छामि / gachchhami -
3. The boy is reading बालः पठति
baalaH pathati The boy
बालः / baalaH reading
पठति / pathati -
4. I am reading अहं पठामि
aha.n pathaami I am
अहं / aha.n reading
पठामि / pathaami -
5. The boy is going to school बालः विद्यालयम् गच्छति
baalaH vidyaalayam gachchhati The boy
बालः / baalaH going
गच्छति / gachchhati to school
विद्यालयम् / vidyaalayam
6. I am going to school अहं विद्यालम् गच्छामि
aha.n vidyaalayam gachchhami I am
अहं / aha.n going
गच्छामि / gachchhami to school
विद्यालयम् / vidyaalayam
7. The boy is reading the book बालकः पुस्तकम् पठति
baalakaH pustakam paThati The boy
बालकः / baalakaH reading
पठति / pathati the book
पुस्तकम् / pustakam
8. I am reading the book अहं पुस्तकम् पठामि
aha.n pustakam paThaami I am
अहं / aha.n reading
पठामि / pathaami the book
पुस्तकम् / pustaka
These are all examples of Active Voice or कर्तृवाच्य (kartRRivaachya).
Sentence 1 to 4 do not have any "Object" or कर्म (karma) in them. So these are intransitive or अकर्म कर्तृवाच्य (akarmaka kartRRivachya).
Rule 5: In a कर्तृवाच्य (kartRRivaachya) the "Subject" or कर्ता (kartaa) is always in the "nominative case" or प्रथमा विभक्ति (prathamaa vibhakti).
Sentence 5 to 8 have "Object" or कर्म (karma) like विद्यालयम् (vidyaalayam), पुस्तकम् (pustakam) in them. So, these are transitive or सकर्मक कर्तृवाच्य (sakarmaka kartRRivachya).
Rule 6: In a कर्तृवाच्य (kartRRivaachya) the "Object" or कर्म (karma) is always in the "accusative case" or द्वितीया विभक्ति (dvitiiyaa vibhakti).