8 Must Know Marathi Grammar Rules For Beginners!

Learning new languages or being inquisitive about them is second nature to humans. We’ve always tried to learn our mother language or other languages through various means such as learning words (nouns, adjectives), small phrases, greetings, etc. The core of which is the grammar of these languages. And it’s the same for Marathi grammar.

Grammar is the base of every language. Some languages have similar grammatical structures, hence they’re easier to relate with, but Indo-Aryan languages like Marathi and Hindi, have different grammatical structures. Like all languages, Marathi grammar also consists of basics like Nouns, Pronouns, Adjectives, Verbs, Sentence structure, etc. Let’s look at them in detail.

8 Basic Marathi Grammar Rules For Beginners

Before diving into specifics, here are some essential Marathi grammar rules every beginner should know:

1. The Marathi sentence structure follows SOV or Subject-Object-Verb order. For example:
   • English: I eat an apple.
   • Marathi: Mi safarchand khaato/khaate (मी सफरचंद खातो/खाते)
     
     
2. Marathi nouns and pronouns have grammatically assigned genders -masculine, feminine, neuter. For example:
   • Boy – Mulga (मुलगा) (masculine)
   • Girl – Mulgi (मुलगी) (feminine)
   • Book – Pustak (पुस्तक) (neuter)
     
     
3. Verbs in Marathi change their forms based on gender and number. For example:
   • I eat (Male speaker) – Mi jevato (मी जेवतो)
   • I eat (Female speaker) – Mi jevate (मी जेवते)
   • He eats – To jevato (तो जेवतो)
   • She eats – Ti jevate (ती जेवते)
     
     
4. Marathi adjectives agree with the noun’s gender and number. For example:
   • Small boy – Chhota mulga (छोटा मुलगा)
   • Small girl – Chhoti mulgi (छोटी मुलगी)
     
     
5. Pronouns in Marathi change according to the formality:
   • You (informal) – Tu (तू)
   • You (formal) – Tumhi (तुम्ही)
     
     
6. Marathi uses postpositions instead of prepositions:
   • English: On the table
   • Marathi: Tebalvar (टेबलवर) – Table + on
     
     
7. Question-sentences are formed by adding ka (का) at the end of the sentence or by changing the intonation. For example:
   • Did you eat? – Tu jevala ka? (तू जेवला का? – informal you)
     
     
8. To make negative sentences, use naahi (नाही) or nako (नको). For example:
   • I don’t eat mangoes – I don’t eat mangoes (मी आंबा खात नाही)
   • I don’t want tea – Malaa chahaa nako aahe (मला चहा नको आहे)

Understanding Marathi Grammar As Part Of Your Language Learning Journey

There is no denial of the fact that a language is not a part of a culture. A culture is built on language. How do you explain a concept of an Indian Baby Shower to someone who isn’t familiar with this tradition? You use language and ultimately grammar to build your sentences. What is grammar built from? It consists of nouns, pronouns, adjectives, verbs, sentence structure.

Imagine learning Marathi grammar in search of your linguistic heritage. All the tales, fables, cultural aspects, the traditions, need to be communicated through language, for which it is extremely important to know the roots of it – Grammar. Let’s look at each part of the speech of Marathi grammar through our cultural lens.

Grammar, also known as Marathi Vyakaran (मराठी व्याकरण) consists of Naam (नाम – Nouns), Sarvanaam (सर्वनाम – Pronouns), Visheshane (विशेषणे – Adjectives), Kriyapade (क्रियापदे – Verbs), and postpositions, yes, another unique feature of Marathi.

Marathi Nouns

We all know what textbooks define nouns as – A name, a place, a thing, or a person, is a noun. It could be a common noun or a proper noun, definite or indefinite, etc. The same “definition” applies to Marathi, but with some additions and exceptions.

Common Nouns In Marathi

Just as the name suggests, common nouns represent general names for people, places, and things. Common nouns are also known as Samanya Naam (सामान्य नाम) in Marathi. These are just generic names for the everyday things we talk about.

Proper Nouns In Marathi

The next set of nouns talk about specific people, places, and things. These nouns are called Vishesh Naam (विशेष नाम) in Marathi. Let’s look at some examples. Of course, these are very specific to people, places, and things as we can see in the following examples.

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नमस्कार namaskar Hello

तू कसा आहेस tu kasaa aahes How are you

माझे नाव आहे majhe naav aahe My name is

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Abstract Nouns In Marathi

The following set of nouns are Abstract Nouns, also known as BhaavVachak Naam (भाववाचक नाम). These nouns represent intangible concepts, feelings, or ideas. These are not concrete nouns. Let’s look at some examples of these nouns.

These nouns are also uncountable or immeasurable. Neither can you touch or feel them physically, nor can you see them clearly. They merely represent a concept.

Collective Nouns In Marathi

The last category in the nouns are Collective Nouns, also known as Samuhvaachak Naam (समूहवाचक नाम). They refer to a group or collection of things or people as a single unit. Let’s understand this with a few examples.

These were the four major categories of Marathi nouns. But there’s more to these nouns. Marathi has Gender, Number, Cases that follow these nouns for verb and adjective agreement.

Cases In Marathi – Vibhakti Pratyay (विभक्ती प्रत्यय)

Marathi cases, known as vibhakti (विभक्ती), are grammatical markers that indicate the function of a noun or pronoun within a sentence. They indicate a relationship between the noun or pronoun and other elements of the sentence.

Unlike English, which has prepositions, Marathi case markers are often seen in the postpositions of nouns, pronouns, or instruments. These suffixes/case markers/Vibhaktis vary depending on the case, gender, and number of the noun.

The importance of cases in Marathi is to construct grammatically correct sentences. It helps to avoid ambiguity and ensures clear communication. The rules for Vibhakti or cases can be complex, and there are variations depending on the noun’s gender, number, and ending.

Let’s look at the 8 cases of Marathi grammar at a glance. Cases are quite an elaborative topic in Marathi, and will require a whole different blog to talk about. So, let’s quickly go through them in a few pointers.

• Nominative – Prathama (प्रथमा):
  • Indicates the subject of the sentence.
  • Often has no suffix.
  • Example: Mulga (मुलगा) – boy (as in “The boy is playing.”)
    
    
• Accusative – Dvitiya (द्वितीया):
  • Indicates the direct object of the verb.
  • Often uses the suffix La ‘-ला’
  • Example: Mulālā मुलाला- to the boy (as in “I saw the boy.”)
    
    
• Instrumental – Tritiya (तृतीया)
  • Indicates the means or instrument used to perform an action.
  • Often uses the suffixes Ne (-ने), Kadun (‘-कडून’), -Muḷe (‘-मुळे’).
  • Example: ‘पेनाने’ (penaane) – with a pen (as in “He wrote with a pen.”)
    
    
• Dative – Chaturthi (चतुर्थी)
  • Often merges with the accusative, and also uses -Laa (‘-ला’)
  • Indicates the indirect object or recipient of an action.
  • Example: Mulaalaa (‘मुलाला’) – to the boy (as in “I gave a book to the boy.”)
    
    
• Ablative – Panchami (पंचमी):
  • Indicates separation or origin.
  • Often uses the suffixes -Hoon or -Toon (‘-हून’ or ‘-तून’), -Madhoon (‘-मधून’).
  • Example: Gharaatoon (‘घरातून’) – from the house (as in “He came from the house.”)
    
    
• Genitive – Shashthi (षष्ठी):
  • Indicates possession or relationship.
  • Often uses the suffixes -cha (‘-चा’), -chi (‘-ची’), -che (‘-चे’).
  • Example: mulaacha (‘मुलाचा’) – the boy’s (as in “the boy’s book.”)
    
    
• Locative – Saptami (सप्तमी):
  • Indicates location or time.
  • Often uses the suffixes -madhye (‘-मध्ये’), -var (‘-वर’), -aat (‘-आत’).
  • Example: gharaat (‘घरात’) – in the house (as in “He is in the house.”)
    
    
• Vocative – Sambodhan (संबोधन):
  • Used to address someone.
  • Often uses no suffix, or adds No (‘-नो’).
  • Example: mulaano (‘मुलानो’) – boys!

Marathi Pronouns

It is a given that nouns are followed by pronouns to be learned when learning a new language. It is true that a consistent practice of repeating the nouns and their inflecting forms helps memorise them better, but imagine you’re writing a short essay about your family, you can’t be repeating the nouns each time you start a new sentence, right?

That’s when pronouns help you. Pronouns are replacements for nouns, helping to avoid repetition and making sentences more concise. They are also essential for smooth communication and vary based on person, gender, and number. Let’s look at two important types of pronouns in Marathi, essential for learning the language.

Pronouns are called Sarvanaam (सर्वनाम) in Marathi. Naam is for noun, Sarvanaam is for pronouns. Sarva + Naam, which means words used for replacing the nouns.

The first type of pronouns are personal pronouns, known as Puruṣavāchak sarvanāme (पुरुषवाचक सर्वनामे) in Marathi. They are referred for people or things.

• Pratham Purushi Sarvanaam (प्रथम पुरुषी सर्वनाम) – First Person Pronouns: Refers to the speaker.
  • I – mi (मी)
  • We – Aamhi (आम्ही)
  • Example: We eat mangoes – Aamhi aambe khaato (आम्ही आंबे खातो)
    
    
• Dwitiya Purushi Sarvanaam (द्वितीय पुरुषी सर्वनाम) – Second Person Pronouns: Refers to the person being spoken to.
  • You (informal, singular) – Tu (तू)
  • You (formal/plural) – Tumhi (तुम्ही)
  • Example: You come home tomorrow – Tu udya ghari ye (तू उद्या घरी ये)
    
    
• Tṛtīy Puruṣi Sarvanaam (तृतीय पुरुष) – Third Person Pronouns: Refers to the person or thing being spoken about.
  • He – To (तो)
  • She – Ti (ती)
  • It/They (neuter) – Te (ते)
  • They (masculine plural) – Te (ते)
  • They (feminine plural) – Tyā (त्या)
  • Example: That boy is smart – To mulga hushaar aahe (तो मुलगा हुशार आहे)
    
    

The next set of pronouns are called Demonstrative pronouns or Darśak Sarvanāme (दर्शक सर्वनामे). These pronouns refer to specific people or things.

• This (masculine) – Ha (हा)
• This (feminine) – Hi (ही)
• This (neuter/plural) – He (हे)
• That (masculine) – To (तो)
• That (feminine) – Ti (ती)
• That (neuter/plural) – Te (ते)
• Those (feminine plural) – Tya (त्या)
• Example: This girl is smart – Hi mulgi hushaar aahe (हि मुलगी हुशार आहे)
  
  

Gender agreement and pronouns: This is an important tip. Marathi pronouns must agree with the nouns they replace in gender and number. For example, if the sentence is Rahul aaj yenaar aahe (राहुल आज येणार आहे – Rahul is coming today), and you want to replace the proper noun Rahul, you will say ‘To’ (तो).

The sentence then becomes, To aaj yenar aahe (तो आज येणार आहे), meaning, He is coming today. We replaced the noun with the pronoun, which agreed with the verb in gender, without losing the meaning.

Maharashtrian people believe in speaking respectfully with each other. They emphasise on using the appropriate pronouns in formal and informal situations, or while talking with elders and youngsters.

The pronoun Tu is more informal and can be used with friends, close family (someone of your age or younger) while the pronoun Tumhi is more formal and is used with elders of the family or strangers to begin with. You may switch to Tu eventually if you and the other person is comfortable, or unless they ask you to switch.

Another interesting fact about pronouns is, they also have cases, which change their endings depending on their function in the sentence. For example, the dative case La (ला) when attached to Tu (तू), becomes Tula (तुला) which means ‘to you’ or ‘for you’.

Marathi Adjectives

“Learning a language is so beautiful”. Would this sentence be as interesting without using the word “beautiful”? Or what if I replace beautiful with words like fun, interesting, knowledgeable, etc.? These adjectives compliment the nouns in the sentence to enhance the impact of it. Adjectives are an essential part of speech in grammar.

Adjectives are called Visheshane (विशेषणे) in Marathi. The word literally means “special words”. Marathi adjectives do not inflect unless they end in an Aa (आ) vowel, in which case they inflect for gender and number.

For example: The adjective Motha (मोठा – big) changes with gender and number.

• Motha mulga (मोठा मुलगा – big boy) becomes Mothi mulgi (मोठी मुलगी – big girl) when the gender changes.
  
  
• Similarly, the number also changes. Motha mulga becomes Mothe mulge (मोठे मुलगे – big boys) and Mothi mulgi becomes Mothya muli (मोठ्या मुली – big girls) when the number is changed. If you notice, the gender also changes with the number.
  
  

Let’s look at some adjectives in Marathi.

These are just a few examples of adjectives of Marathi. There are so many more to learn which are even more interesting. The occurrence of an adjective in a sentence is when it appears before a noun. Just like the example above of Mothi mulgi, where mulgi is a noun and mothi is the adjective.

The pattern in just like English, where the adjective appears before the noun. So, when forming a sentence in Marathi, remember the pattern: Adjective + Noun.

Marathi Verbs

Verbs are one of the most important part of any grammatical structure, the backbone of grammar. We know verbs as “action words” since school. But they are so much more than that. They are the essence of a sentence structure.

Verbs in Marathi indicate actions and change based on tense, gender, and number. Unlike English, Marathi verbs are gender-specific, meaning the verb form changes depending on whether the subject is male or female.

Let’s look at some common Marathi verbs and how they conjugate based on tenses.

• To eat: Khaane (खाणे)
  • Present: I eat – Mi khaato (मी खातो) male, mi khaate (मी खाते) female.
  • Past: I ate – Mi khaalle (मी खाल्ले)
  • Future: I will eat – Mi khaain (मी खाईन)
    
    
• To write – Lihine (लिहिणे)
  • Present: I write – Mi lihito (तो लिहितो)
  • Past: I wrote – Mi lihile (मी लिहिले)
  • Future: I will write – Mi lihin (मी लिहीन)

Common Marathi Prepositions

Unlike English, where prepositions come before a noun (e.g., on the table), Marathi uses postpositions, meaning the equivalent word comes after the noun.

Common Marathi Postpositions & Usage

1. On – Var (वर)
   
   

Example: The book is on the table – पुस्तक टेबलवर आहे. (Pustak ṭēbalavar āhe

2. Under – Khaali (खाली)
   
   

Example: खडू बाकाखाली आहे. (Khadu bākākhālī āhe. – The chalk is under the bench.)

3. In / Between – Madhye (मध्ये)
   
   

Example: शहर भारतामध्ये आहे. (Shahar Bhāratāmadhye āhe. – The city is in India.)

4. For – Saathi (साठी)
   
   

Example: हे पुस्तक तुमच्यासाठी आहे. (He pustak tumchyāsāṭhī āhe. – This book is for you.)

How To Master Basic Marathi Grammar: Essential Tips For Beginners

1. Start with common sentences: Practice everyday phrases like Kase Aahaat? (कसे आहात?), which is “How are you” in Marathi.
   
   
2. Focus on Gender and Verb Forms: When learning new words, always check if they are masculine, feminine, or neuter.
   
   
3. Use language learning tools: The Ling app offers interactive exercises and quizzes to reinforce Marathi grammar naturally. Plus, you can create your own Marathi learning routine by spending 10-15 minutes daily on the app to maintain consistency.
   
   
4. Practice with Native Speakers: Try speaking short sentences with Marathi speakers or join language exchange groups.
   
   
5. Write Simple Sentences Daily: Keep a notebook and write 2-3 Marathi sentences every day to reinforce learning and get used to the Marathi alphabet.

FAQs About Marathi Grammar

1. Who Is The Founder Of Marathi Grammar?

The founder of Marathi grammar is Dadoba Pandurang Tarkhadkar. He wrote Marathi Vyakarana in 1850, which is considered the first systematic and scientific grammar of the Marathi language. His work laid the foundation for modern Marathi grammar and influenced later grammarians like Moro Keshav Damle.

2. What Is “Subject” In Marathi Grammar?

In Marathi, the subject is the doer of the action in a sentence. It usually comes first and agrees with the verb in gender and number. For example, in राम शाळेत जातो (Rām śāḷet jātō – Ram goes to school), राम (Rām) is the subject.

3. What Are The Three Genders In Marathi Grammar?

Marathi has three genders: Masculine (पुल्लिंग – Pullinga), Feminine (स्त्रीलिंग – Streelinga), and Neuter (नपुंसकलिंग – Napunsaklinga). For example, Mulga (मुलगा – Boy) is masculine, Mulgi (मुलगी – Girl) is feminine, and Pustak (पुस्तक – Book) is neuter.

Let’s Summarize Marathi Grammar

Learning Marathi grammar might seem challenging, but with the right approach, it becomes an exciting journey! This guide covers everything a beginner needs—from basic Marathi nouns, pronouns, adjectives, and verbs to more advanced concepts like cases (Vibhakti Pratyay) and prepositions.

We break it down into 8 simple grammar rules to help you grasp the structure of Marathi effortlessly. You’ll learn how to use common and proper nouns, describe things with adjectives, and form correct sentences using verbs and pronouns.

I also shared practical tips to master Marathi grammar efficiently—whether it’s through daily practice, real-life conversations, or using additional resources like the Ling app for interactive learning. You now have a solid foundation to start writing and speaking in Marathi with confidence.

Explore More Marathi Language In An Innovative App!

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