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Marathi · Grammar basics

8 rules that turn words into sentences

Eight rules carry most everyday Marathi. Learn them and you stop repeating phrases — you start making your own sentences.

rulespracticerecap

  1. 1. Word order: the verb comes last

    Marathi is subject → object → verb. English says 'I drink tea'; Marathi says 'I tea drink'.

    • मी चहा पितोMī chahā pitoI drink tea
    • तो पुस्तक वाचतोTo pustak vāchtoHe reads a book
    • आम्ही मुंबईला जातोĀmhī Mumbaīlā jātoWe go to Mumbai

    Common mistake: Putting the verb in the middle, English-style: 'मी पितो चहा' sounds broken.

  2. 2. तू / तुम्ही — respect built into 'you'

    तू is for friends, children and people your age. तुम्ही is the respectful you — elders, strangers, officials, customers. The verb ending changes with it.

    • तू कसा आहेस?Tū kasā āhes?How are you? (friend)
    • तुम्ही कसे आहात?Tumhī kase āhāt?How are you? (respectful)
    • तुम्ही बसाTumhī basāPlease sit (respectful)

    Common mistake: Using तू with an elder or a shopkeeper you've just met — it lands as rude.

  3. 3. Gender changes the verb

    Marathi verbs agree with the speaker's gender in the present tense: a man says पितो / जातो, a woman says पिते / जाते.

    • मी जातोMī jātoI go (man speaking)
    • मी जातेMī jāteI go (woman speaking)
    • ते जातातTe jātātThey go

    Common mistake: Using one ending for everyone — the -ो / -े swap is what makes you sound native.

  4. 4. Postpositions, not prepositions

    Where English puts a word before the noun ('to Pune', 'in the house'), Marathi sticks it on the end: पुण्याला, घरात.

    • मी पुण्याला जातोMī Puṇyālā jātoI go to Pune
    • ती घरात आहेTī gharāt āheShe is in the house
    • हे तुमच्यासाठी आहेHe tumchyāsāṭhī āheThis is for you

    Common mistake: Saying a separate word for 'to' or 'in' — it belongs glued to the noun.

  5. 5. Present tense endings

    Take the verb stem and add the ending for the person: मी -तो/-ते, तू -तोस/-तेस, तो -तो, ती -ते, आम्ही -तो, तुम्ही/ते -तात.

    • मी बोलतोMī boltoI speak
    • तू बोलतोसTū boltosYou speak (friend)
    • तुम्ही बोलताTumhī boltāYou speak (respectful)

    Common mistake: Freezing on one ending — swap the tail, keep the stem.

  6. 6. Past and future, simply

    Past uses -ल- (गेलो, केले); future uses -ईल / -णार (जाईल, जाणार आहे). 'I am going to go' is मी जाणार आहे.

    • मी गेलोMī geloI went
    • मी उद्या जाणार आहेMī udyā jāṇār āheI will go tomorrow
    • तो येईलTo yeīlHe will come

    Common mistake: Using present tense with 'उद्या' (tomorrow) — the verb has to move too.

  7. 7. Asking questions

    Keep the sentence as it is and add a question word — काय (what), कुठे (where), कधी (when), का (why / yes-no), किती (how much). Voice rises at the end.

    • तुमचं नाव काय?Tumchaṁ nāv kāy?What is your name?
    • स्टेशन कुठे आहे?Sṭeśan kuṭhe āhe?Where is the station?
    • किती रुपये?Kitī rupaye?How many rupees?

    Common mistake: Reordering the sentence like English — Marathi keeps the order and just adds the question word.

  8. 8. Saying no

    नाही negates a statement and goes at the end: मला माहीत नाही (I don't know). नको refuses an offer: नको, धन्यवाद.

    • मला मराठी येत नाहीMalā Marāṭhī yet nāhīI don't know Marathi
    • नको, धन्यवादNako, dhanyavādNo thanks
    • तो घरी नाहीTo gharī nāhīHe is not at home

    Common mistake: Using नाही to refuse tea — that's नको. नाही denies a fact, नको declines a thing.