In the word 'फुलाला' (phulālā), which case ending type does the suffix 'ला' (lā) belong to?

Appeared in: DHS 2018 shift 1st

Explanation

The word 'फुलाला' (phulālā) is formed by adding the suffix 'ला' (lā) to the noun 'फुल' (phul), meaning flower.
In Marathi grammar, the suffix 'ला' (lā) is used to denote both the Dvitiya Vibhakti (Accusative case) and the Chaturthi Vibhakti (Dative case).
Since the Dative case is not provided as an option, the Accusative case is the correct classification for the suffix 'ला' in this context.

Option A: The Nominative case (Prathama Vibhakti) does not use any suffix; the noun remains in its base form, which would be 'फुल' (phul).
Option C: The Ablative case (Panchami Vibhakti) indicates separation and uses the suffixes 'ऊन' (ūn) or 'हून' (hūn), forming words like 'फुलाहून' (phulāhūn).
Option D: The Locative case (Saptami Vibhakti) indicates location and uses suffixes like 'त' (t), 'ई' (ī), or 'आ' (ā), forming words like 'फुलात' (phulāt).

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Identification of Marathi noun case endings (Vibhakti) as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
For nurses working in Marathi-speaking regions, understanding basic grammar helps in communicating clearly with patients and their families, especially when explaining instructions or gathering patient history.
Correctly using cases can prevent misunderstandings. For example, telling someone to give medicine 'to the patient' (रुग्णाला) versus 'from the patient' (रुग्णाहून) is a critical distinction in a clinical setting.
What if? If the word was 'फुलात' (phulāt), the case would be Locative, meaning 'in the flower'. This changes the entire meaning from the flower being the object of an action to being the location of something.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the base word and the suffix in the given word. Here, the word is 'फुलाला' (phulālā), the base is 'फुल' (phul), and the suffix is 'ला' (lā).
Recall the table of Marathi Vibhakti (cases) and their corresponding suffixes.
Check which case(s) use the identified suffix 'ला' (lā). You'll find it's used for both Dvitiya (Accusative) and Chaturthi (Dative).
Examine the given options. The options are Nominative, Accusative, Ablative, and Locative.
Since Dative is not an option, select Accusative as the correct answer.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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Practise the full DHS 2018 shift 1st

Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.