Sanskrit is an ancient Indo-Aryan language that has had a significant influence on many modern languages, including Romani, Russian, and English. Here’s a schematic representation of how these languages relate to Sanskrit:
Sanskrit is a member of the larger Indo-European language family, which includes languages such as Greek, Latin, and Slavic languages. Romani, which is spoken by the Roma people (Gypsies), is a language that evolved from an ancestral language known as Domari, which has been heavily influenced by Sanskrit. Russian, as well as other Slavic languages, has also been influenced by Sanskrit, particularly in terms of vocabulary. Finally, English has borrowed a significant number of words from Sanskrit, particularly in the areas of religion, philosophy, and science.

Here are some similar words.
English Word | Transliterated Sanskrit | Devanagari Sanskrit | Detailed Meaning |
---|---|---|---|
ass | āsa | आस | seat, the lower part of the body, behind, posteriors |
attic | aṭṭaka | अट्टक | an apartment on the roof |
bumble bee | bambhara | बम्भर | a bee |
char | cūr | चूर | to burn |
cruel | krūra | क्रूर | cruel, fierce, ferocious, pitiless, harsh |
dumb | ḍimbha | डिम्भ | an idiot, an infant |
estate | astatāti | अस्तताति | home |
genuine | jenya | जेन्य | genuine, true |
hunter | hantṛ | हंतृ | a slayer, killer |
cook | kuka | कुक | a cook |
litter | lita | लित | broken, torn asunder, scattered, dispersed, destroyed |
little | liṭya | लिट्य | to be little |
look | lok | लोक | to see, behold, perceive |
mad | mad | मद | to rejoice, be glad, exult, delight or revel in, be drunk (also fig.) |
mass | masa | मास | measure, weight |
meet | mith | मिथ | to unite, pair, couple, meet (as friend or antagonist) |
money | maṇi | मणि | jewel, gem, pearl (also fig.) |
omen | oman | ओमन | help, protection |
overlook | avalok | अवलोक | to look upon or at, view, behold, see, notice, observe |
owl | ālu | आलु | an owl |
pence | paṇasa | पणस | a commodity, an article of sale or commerce |
posh | poṣa | पोष | thriving, prosperity, abundance, wealth, growth, increase |
press | preṣ | प्रेष | to drive on, urge, impel, send forth |
proud | prauḍha | प्रौढ | proud, arrogant, confident, bold, audacious, impudent |
rite | rīti | रीति | general course or way, usage, custom, practice, method, manner |
sad | sāda | साद | sinking down, exhaustion, weariness |
saint | santa | सन्त | true, real, actual, genuine, sincere, honest, truthful, faithful, pure, virtuous, good, successful, effectual, valid |
scale | sakala | सकल | consisting of parts, divisible |
English Word | Transliterated Sanskrit | Devanagari Sanskrit | Meaning |
---|---|---|---|
shallow | śarāva | शराव | a shallow cup, dish, plate, platter |
shock | śoka | शोक | sorrow, affliction, anguish, pain, trouble, grief for |
Sir | sūri | सूरि | a learned man, sage |
smart | samartha | समर्थ | very strong or powerful, competent, capable of, able to |
spy | spaś | स्पश् | one who looks or beholds, a watcher, spy |
stale | sthālika | स्थालिक | the smell of faeces |
stupor, stupid | sthāpita | स्थापित | caused or made to stand, fixed |
swear | svṛ | स्वृ | (also written {svar}) to utter a sound, sound, resound |
jump | jhampa | झम्प | a jump |
urge | ūrj | ऊर्ज् | to strengthen, invigorate |
use | yuj | युज् | to make ready, prepare, arrange, fit out, set to work, use, employ |
wax | vakṣ | वक्ष् | to grow, increase, be strong or powerful |
win | van | वन् | to conquer, win, become master of, possess |
wish | vaś | वश् | to desire, wish, long for, be fond of, like |
toll | tul | तुल् | to lift up, raise |
toss | tas | तस् | to throw |
union | yūni | यूनि | connection, union |
urgent | ūrjita | ऊर्जित | endowed with strength or power, important |
vest | veṣṭ | वेष्ट् | to dress, to wrap up, envelop, enclose, surround, cover, invest, beset |
wage | vāja | वाज | the prize of a race or of battle, booty, gain, reward |
wagon | vahana | वहन | a square chariot with a pole |
varnish | varṇ | वर्ण् | to paint, colour, dye |
wed | voḍha | वोढ | led home married |
zebra | śabara | शबर | variegated, brindled |