This quiz asks 25 questions about lifelong traits, such as your frame, skin, hair, appetite, sleep, temperament and response to weather, and shows which of the three doshas your answers lean towards. It gives you a percentage for vata, pitta and kapha, a short description of that constitution as the tradition describes it, and a few gentle daily habits.
It is a rough guide for reading and reflection. The classical texts assess a person’s constitution through a detailed examination by a trained practitioner, and a questionnaire cannot do that. Please treat the result as a starting point for learning, not as a diagnosis.
What prakriti means
In Ayurveda, prakriti is a person’s natural constitution, said to be set at conception and to stay the same through life. The Charaka Samhita and the Ashtanga Hridayam describe it as a particular mix of the three doshas, vata, pitta and kapha, each of which stands for a group of qualities. Vata is described as light, dry, cold and moving. Pitta is described as hot, sharp and intense. Kapha is described as heavy, cool, smooth and steady.
The texts describe seven types: three where one dosha leads (vata, pitta or kapha), three where two share the lead (vata-pitta, pitta-kapha and vata-kapha) and one balanced type where all three are close. This quiz sorts your answers into those same seven groups.
Prakriti is different from vikriti, which the tradition uses for how the doshas are at present, for instance after a stressful month. That is why the quiz asks you to answer for most of your life, not for this week. Many people find their first result changes when they answer again in a calmer or more stressful period, which is itself a sign that a short quiz is picking up mood and circumstances as well as constitution.
How the quiz works
Each question has three answers, one for each dosha. The answers follow the classical descriptions of the three constitutions: a slim frame, dry skin and light sleep point to vata, a medium frame, warm skin and a strong appetite point to pitta, and a sturdy frame, smooth skin and deep sleep point to kapha. Each answer you choose adds one point to that dosha. You may leave a question blank if no answer fits, but at least 15 must be answered.
Your percentages are simply the share of your answered questions that pointed to each dosha. If one dosha leads the next by 14 points or more, the result is that dosha as predominant. If the highest and lowest are within 12 points of each other, the result is the balanced type. Otherwise it is the dual type made of your top two. These cut-offs are our own simple choice for a short quiz. They are not found in the classical texts, and other teachers draw the lines differently.
The result page lists your counts and percentages so that you can see exactly how it was reached. Everything is calculated in your browser, and your answers are not sent to us or stored.
What the result can and cannot tell you
A result such as “pitta predominant” is a description of tendencies that the tradition associates with that type. It does not say anything about your health, and it is not a prediction. Two people with the same result can be quite different, and the same person can score differently on different days.
The modern research picture is limited. Some small studies have looked at whether prakriti types relate to measurable traits, and the research is early and not strong enough to say that the types predict anything about health. We mention this so that the quiz is read as an introduction to a traditional idea, not as a scientific test.
If a result makes you curious, the best next step is to read the doshas section, which explains each constitution in more detail, and the food guides and daily routine guides, which describe the habits the tradition links with each type. The daily routine planner turns a dosha type into a suggested timetable for your city, and the seasonal routine tool shows the season you are in.
Using the result sensibly
Treat the habits on the result page as ideas about regular meals, sleep and movement. They are general wellbeing habits, not treatment, and nothing here replaces the advice of your doctor. Do not change or stop any medicine, and do not change your diet if a doctor has set one for you, because of a quiz. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, have a long-term condition or are caring for a child, check any change to food or exercise with your doctor first.
If you want a proper assessment of your constitution, see a registered Ayurvedic practitioner (BAMS in India). Please also read the method and sources page for how we write about the tradition, and the medical disclaimer. See a doctor for any health concern, and a registered Ayurvedic practitioner for Ayurvedic treatment.
Frequently asked questions
↳ How accurate is an online prakriti quiz?
Only roughly. Online quizzes, including this one, work from self-reported traits and a simple scoring rule, while the classical texts describe an examination by a practitioner. Treat the result as a conversation starter and not a measurement.
↳ Can my prakriti change over time?
The tradition teaches that prakriti is fixed at birth, while the current state of the doshas, called vikriti, changes with season, age, food and stress. Your quiz result can therefore change if you answer for how you feel lately, which is why the questions ask about most of your life.
↳ What if my result is a dual or balanced type?
The texts describe both. A dual type shares the qualities of two doshas, and teachers often suggest following the habits of whichever seems stronger in the season. A balanced result can also mean the quiz could not separate your answers.
↳ Does my result mean I should follow a special diet?
No. The habits shown are general ideas from the tradition, not a diet plan or treatment. If you want to change what you eat for a health reason, talk to your doctor or a registered dietitian first.
↳ Is my data stored when I take the quiz?
No. The scoring runs in your browser and your answers are not sent anywhere. The only thing we ask for is your email address the first time you use any tool, as the tools page explains.