-ai, -o, and -au Nouns
Introduction
The noun classes below are extremely rare. In total, these classes include about four nouns. These four nouns can still make new compounds, but on the most fundamental level, there are only four nouns to consider.
-ai
Only one noun ends in -ai. That noun is rai, a masculine word that means "wealth". Note the similarity between rai and words like "riches" and "royal."
The normal stem is -ai (rai), but ā (rā) is used in front of endings that start with consonants.
| रै | Singular | Dual | Plural |
|---|---|---|---|
| Case 1 (subject) | राः rāḥ |
रायौ rāyau |
रायः rāyaḥ |
| Case 2 (object) | रायम् rāyam |
रायौ rāyau |
रायः rāyaḥ |
| Case 3 ("with") | राया rāyā |
राभ्याम् rābhyām |
राभिः rābhiḥ |
| Case 4 ("for") | राये rāye |
राभ्याम् rābhyām |
राभ्यः rābhyaḥ |
| Case 5 ("from") | रायः rāyaḥ |
राभ्याम् rābhyām |
राभ्यः rābhyaḥ |
| Case 6 ("of") | रायः rāyaḥ |
रायोः rāyoḥ |
रायाम् rāyām |
| Case 7 ("in") | रायि rāyi |
रायोः rāyoḥ |
रासु rāsu |
| Case 8 (address) | राः rāḥ |
रायौ rāyau |
रायः rāyaḥ |
-o
Two nouns end in -o. The first is go, which means "bull" when in the masculine gender and "cow" when in the feminine. The second is dyo, a feminine word that means "sky."
The normal stem is -o. But cases 1, 2, and 8 use -au, and the case 2 singular and plural use -ā. The singular forms of cases 5 and 6 both use -s instead of -os.
| गो | Singular | Dual | Plural |
|---|---|---|---|
| Case 1 (subject) | गौः gauḥ |
गावौ gāvau |
गावः gāvaḥ |
| Case 2 (object) | गाम् gām |
गावौ gāvau |
गाः gāḥ |
| Case 3 ("with") | गवा gavā |
गोभ्याम् gobhyām |
गोभिः gobhiḥ |
| Case 4 ("for") | गवे gave |
गोभ्याम् gobhyām |
गोभ्यः gobhyaḥ |
| Case 5 ("from") | गोः goḥ |
गोभ्याम् gobhyām |
गोभ्यः gobhyaḥ |
| Case 6 ("of") | गोः goḥ |
गवोः gavoḥ |
गवाम् gavām |
| Case 7 ("in") | गवि gavi |
गवोः gavoḥ |
गोषु goṣu |
| Case 8 (address) | गौः gauḥ |
गावौ gāvau |
गावः gāvaḥ |
-au
Only one noun ends in -au: nau, a feminine noun that means "ship." Note the similarity between nau and words like "navy" or "nautical." This noun uses the regular endings.
| नौ | Singular | Dual | Plural |
|---|---|---|---|
| Case 1 (subject) | नौः nauḥ |
नावौ nāvau |
नावः nāvaḥ |
| Case 2 (object) | नावम् nāvam |
नावौ nāvau |
नावः nāvaḥ |
| Case 3 ("with") | नावा nāvā |
नौभ्याम् naubhyām |
नौभिः naubhiḥ |
| Case 4 ("for") | नावे nāve |
नौभ्याम् naubhyām |
नौभ्यः naubhyaḥ |
| Case 5 ("from") | नावः nāvaḥ |
नौभ्याम् naubhyām |
नौभ्यः naubhyaḥ |
| Case 6 ("of") | नावः nāvaḥ |
नावोः nāvoḥ |
नावाम् nāvām |
| Case 7 ("in") | नावि nāvi |
नावोः nāvoḥ |
नौषु nauṣu |
| Case 8 (address) | नौः nauḥ |
नावौ nāvau |
नावः nāvaḥ |