Ven Narada Thera - An Elementary Pali Course Lesson IV

Exercise 4-A: Translate into English.

1. Saku.naa rukkhesu vasanti.

birds / on trees / dwell

The birds dwell on trees.


2. Kassako ma~nce supati.

farmer / on bed / sleeps

The farmer sleeps on the bed.


3. Maya.m magge na kii.laama.

we / on road / do not play

We do not play on the road.


4. Naraa loke uppajjanti.

people / in world / are born

People are born in the world.


5. Maggika, kuhi.m tva.m gacchasi?

traveller / where? / you / go

Traveller, where are you going?


6. Aama sadaa te na ugga.nhanti.

yes / always / they / not / learn

Yes, they are not always learning.


7. Macchaa ta.laake kii.lanti.

fish / in pond / play

The fish (pl.) play in the pond.


8. Kuto tva.m aagacchasi? … Janaka aha.m idaani aaraamasmaa aagacchaami.

whence? / you / come / father / I / now / from temple / come

Whence come you? … Father, I am coming from the temple now.

Where are you coming from? … Father, I am coming from the temple now.


9. Kassakaa sabbadaa gaamesu na vasanti.

farmers / everyday / in villages / do not dwell

The farmers do not dwell in the villages everyday.


10. Kasmaa tumhe ma~ncesu na supatha?

why / you / on beds / do not sleep

Why do you not sleep on the beds?


11. Maya.m sama.nehi saddhi.m* aaraame vasaama.

we / with ascetics / in temple / dwell

We dwell in the temple with the ascetics.


12. Macchaa ta.laakesu ca samuddesu ca uppajjanti.

fish / in ponds and / in seas and / are born

The fish (pl.) are born in the ponds and seas.


13. Aha.m aakaase suriya.m passaami, na ca canda.m.

I / in sky / sun / see / but not / moon

I see the sun in the sky, but not the moon.


14. Ajja vaa.nijo aapa.ne vasati.

today / merchant / in shop / dwells

Today the merchant dwells in the shop.


15. Kasmaa tumhe daarakehi saddhi.m magge kii.latha?

why? / you / with children / on road / play

Why do you play on the road with the children?


16. Aama, idaani so* 'pi gacchati, aham** 'pi gacchaami.

yes / now / he too / goes / I too / go

Yes, now he is going and I am going too.


17. Maggikaa maggesu vicaranti.

travellers / on roads / wander

The travellers wander on the roads.


18. Kassakaa, kadaa tumhe puna idha aagacchatha?

farmers / when? / you / again / here / come

Farmers, when are you coming here again?


19. Aacariya, sabbadaa maya.m Buddha.m vandaama.

teacher / everyday / we / Buddha / salute

Teacher, we salute the Buddha everyday.


20. Vaa.nijaa maggikehi saddhi.m rathehi gaamesu vicaranti.

merchants / with travellers / by chariots / in villages / go about

The merchants, with the travellers, go about in the villages by chariots.


* The words 'saha' and 'saddhi.m' are indeclinables. They are used only to express the meaning of accompaniment. One exception is when "talking" or "discussing" with a person, there is no need for 'saha' and 'saddhi.m'. [See Warder's Lesson 8 for more details.]


** so + api = so'pi.


*** The vowel following a niggahita (.m) is often dropped, and the niggahita is changed into the nasal of the group consonant that immediately follows; e.g. aha.m + api = aham'pi.


Exercise 4-B: Translate into Pali.

1. He is playing on the road.

so / kii.lati / magge

So magge kii.lati.


2. The farmers live in the villages.

kassakaa / vasanti / gaamesu

Kassakaa gaamesu vasanti.


3. I do not see birds in the sky.

aha.m / na passaami / saku.ne / aakaasamhi

Aha.m aakaasamhi saku.ne na passaami.


4. The Buddhas are not born in the world everyday.

Buddhaa / na uppajjanti / lokasmi.m / sabbadaa

Buddhaa sabbadaa lokasmi.m na uppajjanti.


5. Travellers, from where are you coming now?

maggikaa / kuto? / tumhe / aagacchatha / idaani

Maggikaa, tumhe kuto idaani aagacchatha?


6. We see fishes in the ponds.

maya.m / passaama / macche / ta.laakesu

Maya.m ta.laakesu macche passaama.


7. O farmers, when do you come here again?

kassakaa / kadaa? / tumhe / aagacchatha / idha / puna

Kassakaa, kadaa tumhe puna idha aagacchatha?


8. The travellers are wandering in the world.

maggikaa / vicaranti / loke

Maggikaa loke vicaranti.


9. We do not see the sun and the moon in the sky now.

maya.m / na passaama / suriya.m ca / canda.m ca / aakaasamhi / idaani

Idaani maya.m aakaasamhi suriya.m ca canda.m ca na passaama.


10. Why do not ascetics live always in the mountains?

kasmaa? / sama.naa / vasanti / sadaa / pabbatesu

Kasmaa sama.naa sadaa pabbatesu na vasanti?


11. Yes, father, we are not playing in the garden today.

aama / janaka / maya.m / na kii.lanti / aaraame / ajja

Aama janaka, maya.m ajja aaraame na kii.laama.


12. Why do not the sick sleep on beds?

kasmaa? / gilaanaa / na supanti / ma~ncesu

Kasmaa gilaanaa ma~ncesu na supanti?


13. O merchants, where are you always wandering?

vaa.nijaa / kuhi.m? / tumhe / sadaa / vicaratha

Vaa.nijaa, kuhi.m sadaa tumhe vicaratha?


14. Children, you are always playing with the dogs in the tank.

daarakaa / tumhe / sadaa / kii.latha / sunakehi saddhi.m / ta.laake

Daarakaa, sadaa tumhe sunakehi saddhi.m ta.laake kii.latha.


15. Teachers and pupils are living in the monastery now.

aacariyaa ca / sissaa ca / vasanti / aaraame / idaani

Aacariyaa ca sissaa ca idaani aaraame vasanti.


16. Yes, they are also going.

aama / te / api / gacchanti

Aama, te'pi gacchanti.