Hindi Grammar for Exams: Sandhi and Samas Made Simple
A clear guide to Hindi sandhi (दीर्घ, गुण, वृद्धि, यण, विसर्ग) and samas (द्विगु, द्वंद्व, तत्पुरुष, कर्मधारय, बहुव्रीहि, अव्ययीभाव) with examples.
By the World MCQ Forum India Editorial Team · 27 October 2026 · 2 min read
Sandhi (संधि) and samas (समास) questions appear in almost every exam with a Hindi section. They look technical, but each type follows one simple rule. This guide explains the rules in plain language, with the standard examples that exams use.
Sandhi: joining sounds
Sandhi happens when two words join and the sounds at the meeting point change. To split a word (संधि-विच्छेद), you reverse the change.
Swar sandhi (स्वर संधि): two vowels meet
| Type | Rule | Example |
|---|---|---|
| दीर्घ (Dirgha) | Two similar vowels merge into a long one: अ/आ + अ/आ = आ | विद्या + आलय = विद्यालय |
| गुण (Guna) | अ/आ + इ/ई = ए; अ/आ + उ/ऊ = ओ | सूर्य + उदय = सूर्योदय |
| वृद्धि (Vriddhi) | अ/आ + ए/ऐ = ऐ; अ/आ + ओ/औ = औ | सदा + एव = सदैव |
| यण (Yan) | इ/ई + a different vowel → य्; उ/ऊ + a different vowel → व् | इति + आदि = इत्यादि |
Memory tip: Guna gives ए and ओ; Vriddhi “grows” them into ऐ and औ.
Vyanjan sandhi (व्यंजन संधि): a consonant is involved
A consonant changes because of the sound next to it. The classic example: जगत् + नाथ = जगन्नाथ, where त् becomes न् before न.
Visarg sandhi (विसर्ग संधि): the visarga (ः) changes
The visarga turns into another sound. Example: मनः + रथ = मनोरथ, where ः becomes ओ.
Samas: joining words into one
In samas, two or more words combine into a shorter compound and the connecting words disappear. To identify the type, ask which part is the main one (प्रधान).
| Type | Which part is main? | Example and meaning |
|---|---|---|
| अव्ययीभाव (Avyayibhav) | The first part, an indeclinable word | यथाशक्ति = according to ability |
| तत्पुरुष (Tatpurush) | The second part; a case word (का, के, से…) disappears | राजपुत्र = son of the king |
| कर्मधारय (Karmadharay) | Adjective + noun, or comparison | नीलकमल = the lotus that is blue |
| द्विगु (Dvigu) | The first part is a number | चौराहा = a meeting of four roads |
| द्वंद्व (Dvandva) | Both parts are main; “और” disappears | माता-पिता = mother and father |
| बहुव्रीहि (Bahuvrihi) | Neither: together they point to someone else | दशानन = the one with ten heads (Ravan) |
The trap to watch for: some words can be read two ways. नीलकंठ means “blue throat” (कर्मधारय), but as a name for Lord Shiva, “the one whose throat is blue”, it becomes बहुव्रीहि. If the compound refers to a third person or thing, choose बहुव्रीहि.
A three-step method for exam questions
- Split the word. Write the two parts and the connecting word (का, और, के अनुसार…).
- Find the main part. Is it the first part, the second, both, or neither?
- Check for a number or an adjective. A number points to द्विगु, an adjective to कर्मधारय.
Practise
Test yourself with our संधि, समास और व्याकरण MCQs, written in Hindi with explanations. Then build vocabulary with the पर्यायवाची शब्द and विलोम शब्द sets.