Grammar is 25 of the 80 written marks in Class 9 Sanskrit, and it is where most students first feel the subject get harder. The reason is in the syllabus itself: up to Class 8 a good memory carries a student through the tables, but the 2026-27 Class 9 list names eighteen noun patterns, fifteen verbs in five tenses and more than thirty words that decide a case. Learned as patterns, that is very manageable. Learned as tables, it is a wall.
This post goes through all nine topics in the order the paper sets them, from CBSE's official syllabus for 2026-27, with the exact lists, worked examples and the usual slips. For the whole paper and the new book, see the CBSE Class 9 Sanskrit syllabus and Sharada. Check every list against the copy your school has issued.
The 25 marks at a glance
| Topic | How it is asked | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Sandhi सन्धिकार्यम् | Short written answers, 1 + 1 + 1 | 3 |
| Kāraka and upapada vibhakti | Multiple choice | 3 |
| Noun forms शब्दरूपाणि | Multiple choice | 3 |
| Verb forms धातुरूपाणि | Multiple choice | 3 |
| Pratyaya प्रत्ययाः | Multiple choice | 3 |
| Samāsa समासः | Multiple choice | 3 |
| Numbers 1 to 100 सङ्ख्या | Short written answers | 3 |
| Places of articulation उच्चारणस्थानानि | Short written answers, 4 × ½ | 2 |
| Avyaya अव्ययानि | Short written answers, 4 × ½ | 2 |
| Total | 15 marks multiple choice, 10 written | 25 |
Two things follow. The written topics, sandhi, numbers, places of articulation and avyaya, are where spelling counts: a right answer with a wrong letter loses the mark. And the multiple-choice topics are built on the noun and verb tables, so a student who knows the patterns picks the right option quickly, while one who half-remembers a table picks a near miss.
1. Sandhi: 3 marks
One mark each for a vowel sandhi, a consonant sandhi and a visarga sandhi. Both joining and splitting can be asked.
Vowel sandhi (svara sandhi): six kinds
| Kind | What happens | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Dīrgha | Two similar vowels become one long vowel | विद्या + आलयः = विद्यालयः हिम + आलयः = हिमालयः |
| Guṇa | अ/आ + इ/ई = ए; + उ/ऊ = ओ; + ऋ = अर् | देव + इन्द्रः = देवेन्द्रः महा + उत्सवः = महोत्सवः |
| Vṛddhi | अ/आ + ए/ऐ = ऐ; + ओ/औ = औ | सदा + एव = सदैव वन + ओषधिः = वनौषधिः |
| Yaṇ | इ उ ऋ before a different vowel become य् व् र् | इति + आदि = इत्यादि सु + आगतम् = स्वागतम् |
| Ayādi | ए ऐ ओ औ before a vowel become अय् आय् अव् आव् | ने + अनम् = नयनम् पो + अनः = पवनः |
| Pūrvarūpa | A word ending in ए or ओ, then अ: the अ merges and is marked ऽ | वने + अपि = वनेऽपि |
Consonant sandhi (vyañjana sandhi): three kinds
- Jaśtva: a hard consonant at the end of a word becomes the soft one of its class before a vowel or a soft consonant. वाक् + ईशः = वागीशः · जगत् + ईशः = जगदीशः · अच् + अन्तः = अजन्तः
- म् to anusvāra: a word-final म् before a consonant becomes the dot. हरिम् + वन्दे = हरिं वन्दे · गृहम् + गच्छति = गृहं गच्छति
- Tuk-āgama: a short vowel before छ takes an extra च्. वृक्ष + छाया = वृक्षच्छाया · स्व + छन्दः = स्वच्छन्दः
Visarga sandhi: five kinds
- Utva: अः before a soft consonant, or before अ, becomes ओ. मनः + रथः = मनोरथः · बालः + अयम् = बालोऽयम्
- Satva: before त थ the visarga becomes स्. नमः + ते = नमस्ते · बालकः + तिष्ठति = बालकस्तिष्ठति
- Śatva: before च छ it becomes श्. निः + चलः = निश्चलः · हरिः + चरति = हरिश्चरति
- Ṣatva: before ट ठ it becomes ष्. धनुः + टङ्कारः = धनुष्टङ्कारः · रामः + टीकते = रामष्टीकते
- Ratva: after a vowel other than अ or आ, before a vowel or soft consonant, it becomes र्. निः + आशा = निराशा · मुनिः + अयम् = मुनिरयम्
2. Kāraka and upapada vibhakti: 3 marks
Certain words always take a particular case on the noun beside them. The syllabus names them all, and the question asks for the right case form, usually by choosing from options.
| Case | The words in the syllabus | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Second (द्वितीया) | उभयतः, धिक्, परितः, समया, निकषा, प्रति, विना | विद्यालयं परितः वृक्षाः सन्ति। सः गृहं प्रति गच्छति। |
| Third (तृतीया) | सह, साकम्, समम्, सार्धम्, विना, अलम्, सदृश, हीन | पुत्रः पित्रा सह गच्छति। अलं विवादेन। |
| Fourth (चतुर्थी) | रुच्, दा (यच्छ्), नमः, कुप्, स्वस्ति | बालकाय मोदकं रोचते। गणेशाय नमः। |
| Fifth (पञ्चमी) | विना, बहिः, भी, रक्ष्, ऋते | बालकः सिंहात् बिभेति। ग्रामात् बहिः नदी अस्ति। |
| Sixth (षष्ठी) | उपरि, अधः, पुरतः, पृष्ठतः, and choosing one from a group (निर्धारणे) | वृक्षस्य उपरि खगाः सन्ति। कवीनां कालिदासः श्रेष्ठः। |
| Seventh (सप्तमी) | स्निह्, निपुणः, विश्वस्, पटु | पिता पुत्रे स्निह्यति। सः गणिते निपुणः। |
3. Noun forms (śabdarūpa): 3 marks
The syllabus names nouns and pronouns in four groups. Where it says -vat, "like", any noun of the same pattern can be asked: like बालक means राम, देव, छात्र and every other masculine noun in -अ.
- Masculine: like बालक, कवि, साधु, पितृ; and राजन्, भवत्, विद्वस्, गुणिन्
- Feminine: like लता, मति, नदी, मातृ, धेनु
- Neuter: like फल; and वारि, जगत्, मनस्, चक्षुष्
- Pronouns: तत्, इदम्, किम् in all three genders; अस्मद्, युष्मद्
The pattern every other table is compared with, बालक:
| Case | Singular | Dual | Plural |
|---|---|---|---|
| First | बालकः | बालकौ | बालकाः |
| Second | बालकम् | बालकौ | बालकान् |
| Third | बालकेन | बालकाभ्याम् | बालकैः |
| Fourth | बालकाय | बालकाभ्याम् | बालकेभ्यः |
| Fifth | बालकात् | बालकाभ्याम् | बालकेभ्यः |
| Sixth | बालकस्य | बालकयोः | बालकानाम् |
| Seventh | बालके | बालकयोः | बालकेषु |
| Address | हे बालक | हे बालकौ | हे बालकाः |
4. Verb forms (dhāturūpa): 3 marks
Three groups of verbs, each in a fixed set of tenses:
- Parasmaipada, in five lakāras: पठ्, गम्, वद्, भू, क्रीड्, नी, दृश्, शक्, ज्ञा, अस्, कृ, दा, क्री, श्रु, पा (पिब्). The syllabus does not name the five; the five taught in Class 9 are usually लट् (present), लङ् (past), लृट् (future), लोट् (command) and विधिलिङ् ("should").
- Ātmanepada, in लट्, लृट्, लोट्: सेव्, लभ्, रुच्, मुद्, वृध्
- Ubhayapada, in लट् only: कृ, पच्, नी, कृष्, हृ, भज्
Most of the difficulty is the present stem, which often looks nothing like the root. The third person singular present of each parasmaipada verb:
| Root | He or she… | Root | He or she… |
|---|---|---|---|
| पठ् | पठति | शक् | शक्नोति |
| गम् | गच्छति | ज्ञा | जानाति |
| वद् | वदति | अस् | अस्ति |
| भू | भवति | कृ | करोति |
| क्रीड् | क्रीडति | दा | ददाति (also यच्छति) |
| नी | नयति | क्री | क्रीणाति |
| दृश् | पश्यति | श्रु | शृणोति |
| पा | पिबति |
One verb through the five lakāras, third person singular: पठति (reads), अपठत् (read), पठिष्यति (will read), पठतु (let him read), पठेत् (should read). Ātmanepada present: सेवते, लभते, रोचते, मोदते, वर्धते. Ubhayapada present, both forms: करोति / कुरुते, पचति / पचते, नयति / नयते, कर्षति / कर्षते, हरति / हरते, भजति / भजते.
5. Pratyaya: 3 marks
Seven suffixes, each joined to a root:
| Suffix | Meaning | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| क्त्वा | having done (verb with no prefix) | पठित्वा, गत्वा, कृत्वा |
| ल्यप् | having done (verb with a prefix) | आ + नी = आनीय, वि + हस् = विहस्य, सम् + पूज् = सम्पूज्य |
| तुमुन् | to do, in order to | पठितुम्, गन्तुम्, कर्तुम् |
| क्त | done (past participle) | पठितः, गतः, कृतः |
| क्तवतु | he did | पठितवान्, गतवान्, कृतवान् (feminine पठितवती) |
| शतृ | while doing (parasmaipada verbs) | पठन्, गच्छन्, पश्यन् |
| शानच् | while doing (ātmanepada verbs) | सेवमानः, वर्धमानः, लभमानः |
6. Samāsa: 3 marks
Class 9 asks tatpuruṣa only, in four kinds. The question gives a compound or its expanded form (विग्रहः) and asks for the other, or for the kind.
- Vibhakti tatpuruṣa: a case ending between the words is dropped. राज्ञः पुरुषः = राजपुरुषः · विद्यायाः आलयः = विद्यालयः · ग्रामं गतः = ग्रामगतः
- Nañ tatpuruṣa: न becomes अ before a consonant, अन् before a vowel. न सत्यम् = असत्यम् · न उचितम् = अनुचितम्
- Upapada tatpuruṣa: the second part comes from a verb. कुम्भं करोति इति = कुम्भकारः · जले जायते इति = जलजम्
- Karmadhāraya: describer and described. नीलम् उत्पलम् = नीलोत्पलम् · महान् राजा = महाराजः
7. Numbers 1 to 100: 3 marks
Written in words. Only 1 to 4 change with gender, and the syllabus asks them in the first case only:
| Masculine | Feminine | Neuter | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | एकः | एका | एकम् |
| 2 | द्वौ | द्वे | द्वे |
| 3 | त्रयः | तिस्रः | त्रीणि |
| 4 | चत्वारः | चतस्रः | चत्वारि |
So त्रयः बालकाः, तिस्रः बालिकाः, त्रीणि फलानि; but from 5 onward one form serves every gender: पञ्च बालकाः, पञ्च बालिकाः.
The tens are the backbone: दश 10, विंशतिः 20, त्रिंशत् 30, चत्वारिंशत् 40, पञ्चाशत् 50, षष्टिः 60, सप्ततिः 70, अशीतिः 80, नवतिः 90, शतम् 100. The numbers between are the unit joined to the ten: एकविंशतिः 21, द्वाविंशतिः 22, त्रयोविंशतिः 23, चतुर्विंशतिः 24, पञ्चविंशतिः 25. A number ending in 9 is often said as "one less than" the next ten: एकोनविंशतिः 19, एकोनत्रिंशत् 29. Several numbers have two accepted forms; learn the ones in your textbook's table.
8. Places of articulation: 2 marks
Four half-mark questions: where in the mouth a sound is made. The traditional table:
| Place | Sounds |
|---|---|
| Throat (कण्ठः) | अ आ, the क row, ह, visarga |
| Palate (तालु) | इ ई, the च row, य श |
| Roof of the mouth (मूर्धा) | ऋ ॠ, the ट row, र ष |
| Teeth (दन्ताः) | ऌ, the त row, ल स |
| Lips (ओष्ठौ) | उ ऊ, the प row |
| Throat and palate | ए ऐ |
| Throat and lips | ओ औ |
| Teeth and lips | व |
| Nose, with its own place | ङ ञ ण न म; the anusvāra, nose |
The easy way to remember it is to say each row aloud and feel where the tongue goes. The three s-sounds sit in three different rows: श palate, ष roof, स teeth.
9. Avyaya: 2 marks
Indeclinable words, which never change form. Four half-mark questions, from this list only:
| Group | Words and meanings |
|---|---|
| Place | अत्र here · तत्र there · अन्यत्र elsewhere · सर्वत्र everywhere · यत्र where · एकत्र in one place · उभयत्र in both places |
| Time | यदा when · तदा then · सर्वदा always · एकदा once · पुरा long ago · अधुना now · अद्य today · श्वः tomorrow · ह्यः yesterday |
| Question | किम् what · कुत्र where · कति how many · कदा when · कुतः from where · कथम् how · किमर्थम् why |
| Others | च and · अपि also · यदि … तर्हि if … then · यथा … तथा as … so · सम्यक् properly · एव only, indeed · तु but |
How to prepare the 25 marks
- The lists above and nothing beyond them. Guidebooks often add nouns and verbs the syllabus does not ask.
- One noun pattern per group, then the differences. बालक first, then how कवि and साधु differ from it.
- Present stems as a list of their own. Fifteen verbs, fifteen stems: that one list fixes most verb mistakes.
- The written topics in writing. Sandhi, numbers and avyaya are lost on spelling, so write them out rather than reading them.
- Grammar inside the lessons. Find the suffixes, compounds and case words in each Sharada lesson as it is read.
Class 9 sets up Class 10, where grammar stays at 25 marks with new topics. CBSE Class 10 Sanskrit grammar shows what comes next.
Class 9 Sanskrit grammar, taught as patterns
Ms. Ishita Parikh holds an MA in Sanskrit from the Central Sanskrit University and taught the CBSE and ICSE Sanskrit syllabus in Mumbai classrooms for five years. School tuition follows the student's own textbook and the year's published syllabus.
School Sanskrit tuition, Classes 1 to 12, or book the free first class and bring the last test paper.
Questions people ask
Which grammar topics come in CBSE Class 9 Sanskrit for 2026-27?
Nine, worth 25 marks together: sandhi 3, karaka and upapada vibhakti 3, noun forms 3, verb forms 3, pratyaya 3, samasa 3, numbers 1 to 100 for 3, places of articulation 2 and avyaya 2. The official syllabus names exactly which nouns, verbs, suffixes, compounds and indeclinables can be asked.
Are the Class 9 Sanskrit grammar questions multiple choice?
Five topics are: karaka, noun forms, verb forms, pratyaya and samasa, 15 marks. The other four need short written answers: sandhi, numbers, places of articulation and avyaya, 10 marks, so spelling counts there.
Which nouns are in the Class 9 Sanskrit syllabus?
Masculine nouns like balaka, kavi, sadhu and pitr, plus rajan, bhavat, vidvas and gunin; feminine nouns like lata, mati, nadi, matr and dhenu; neuter nouns like phala, plus vari, jagat, manas and chakshus; and the pronouns tat, idam and kim in all three genders, asmad and yushmad.
How are numbers asked in Class 9 Sanskrit?
Numbers 1 to 100 are written in words, 3 marks. Only 1 to 4 change with gender and case, and the syllabus asks them in the first case only: ekah, eka, ekam; dvau, dve; trayah, tisrah, trini; chatvarah, chatasrah, chatvari. From 5 onward one form serves every gender.
What is the difference between ktva and lyap?
Both mean 'having done'. Ktva is used when the verb has no prefix: pathitva, gatva, kritva. Lyap replaces it when the verb has a prefix: anaya, vihasya, sampujya. A prefixed verb with ktva, or a plain verb with lyap, is the usual mistake.