Language/Marathi/Grammar/Verbs

Marathi → Grammar → 0 to A1 Course → Introduction to Marathi grammar → Verbs

Introduction

In this lesson, we will be diving into the fascinating world of Marathi verbs. Verbs are an essential part of any language, and Marathi is no exception. They allow us to express actions, states, and conditions, and they play a crucial role in constructing meaningful sentences. By understanding the conjugation, tenses, and forms of Marathi verbs, you will be able to communicate more effectively and express yourself fluently in Marathi.

Throughout this lesson, we will explore the various aspects of Marathi verbs in a comprehensive and in-depth manner. We will provide numerous examples to illustrate each point, ensuring that you have a clear understanding of the topic. We will also delve into the cultural aspects of Marathi verbs, exploring any regional variations in their usage and understanding, as well as historical reasons for these differences. Additionally, we will share interesting cultural facts and anecdotes that relate to the topic, making your learning experience both informative and enjoyable.

To reinforce your understanding of Marathi verbs, we have included a series of exercises and practice scenarios. These exercises will allow you to apply what you have learned and further develop your skills. Detailed solutions and explanations are provided to help you check your answers and clarify any doubts you may have.

So, get ready to embark on this exciting journey into the world of Marathi verbs. By the end of this lesson, you will have a solid foundation in Marathi verb conjugation, tenses, and forms, and you will be one step closer to achieving fluency in Marathi.

Conjugation of Marathi Verbs

Introduction to Conjugation

Conjugation is the process of changing a verb to express different grammatical categories such as tense, mood, aspect, person, and number. In Marathi, verbs undergo conjugation to match the subject of a sentence and convey the appropriate meaning.

In Marathi, verbs are conjugated based on the three grammatical persons: first person, second person, and third person. Each person has singular and plural forms, resulting in a total of six conjugations for each verb. Additionally, Marathi verbs are conjugated based on the gender of the subject, which can be masculine or feminine. This adds further complexity to the conjugation process.

Conjugation Patterns

Marathi verbs follow specific patterns of conjugation based on their root form. These patterns determine how the verb is conjugated across different tenses and forms. Let's explore the different conjugation patterns in Marathi.

Pattern 1: Verbs ending in 'णे'

Verbs ending in 'णे' (ne) belong to the first conjugation pattern. These verbs are conjugated by adding specific suffixes to the root form.

Here's an example of the conjugation of the verb 'जाणे' (jāṇe) meaning 'to go':

Marathi	Pronunciation	English
मी जातो (mī jāto)	mī jāto	I go
तू जातेस (tū jātes)	tū jātes	You go (singular)
तू जातोस (tū jātos)	tū jātos	You go (masculine plural)
तू जातेस (tū jātes)	tū jātes	You go (feminine plural)
तो जातो (to jāto)	to jāto	He goes
ती जाते (tī jāte)	tī jāte	She goes

Pattern 2: Verbs ending in 'ण्या'

Verbs ending in 'ण्या' (ṇyā) belong to the second conjugation pattern. These verbs are conjugated by replacing the 'ण्या' ending with specific suffixes based on the subject and tense.

Here's an example of the conjugation of the verb 'आणणे' (āṇṇe) meaning 'to bring':

Marathi	Pronunciation	English
मी आणतो (mī āṇto)	mī āṇto	I bring
तू आणतेस (tū āṇtes)	tū āṇtes	You bring (singular)
तू आणतोस (tū āṇtos)	tū āṇtos	You bring (masculine plural)
तू आणतेस (tū āṇtes)	tū āṇtes	You bring (feminine plural)
तो आणतो (to āṇto)	to āṇto	He brings
ती आणते (tī āṇte)	tī āṇte	She brings

Pattern 3: Verbs ending in 'णे' or 'णी'

Verbs ending in 'णे' (ne) or 'णी' (nī) belong to the third conjugation pattern. These verbs are conjugated by adding specific suffixes to the root form.

Here's an example of the conjugation of the verb 'म्हणणे' (mhaṇṇe) meaning 'to say':

Marathi	Pronunciation	English
मी म्हणतो (mī mhaṇto)	mī mhaṇto	I say
तू म्हणतेस (tū mhaṇtes)	tū mhaṇtes	You say (singular)
तू म्हणतोस (tū mhaṇtos)	tū mhaṇtos	You say (masculine plural)
तू म्हणतेस (tū mhaṇtes)	tū mhaṇtes	You say (feminine plural)
तो म्हणतो (to mhaṇto)	to mhaṇto	He says
ती म्हणते (tī mhaṇte)	tī mhaṇte	She says

Irregular Verbs

While most Marathi verbs follow the conjugation patterns mentioned above, there are some irregular verbs that do not conform to these patterns. These irregular verbs have unique conjugation forms and must be memorized individually. Here's an example of an irregular verb:

असणे (asaṇe) - to be

The verb 'असणे' (asaṇe) meaning 'to be' is irregular and has its own set of conjugation forms. Here are the conjugation forms for the present tense:

Marathi	Pronunciation	English
माझं आहे (mājhaṇ āhe)	mājhaṇ āhe	I am
तुमचं आहे (tumachaṇ āhe)	tumachaṇ āhe	You are
त्यांचं आहे (tyāṇchaṇ āhe)	tyāṇchaṇ āhe	They are

Tenses and Forms

Marathi verbs can express different tenses and forms to convey a wide range of meanings. Let's explore the major tenses and forms in Marathi.

Present Tense

The present tense in Marathi is used to describe actions or states that are happening at the current moment or are generally true. It is formed by conjugating the verb based on the subject and the specific conjugation pattern.

Here's an example of the present tense conjugation of the verb 'बघणे' (bagṇe) meaning 'to see':

Marathi	Pronunciation	English
मी बघतो (mī bagto)	mī bagto	I see
तू बघतेस (tū bagtes)	tū bagtes	You see (singular)
तू बघतोस (tū bagtos)	tū bagtos	You see (masculine plural)
तू बघतेस (tū bagtes)	tū bagtes	You see (feminine plural)
तो बघतो (to bagto)	to bagto	He sees
ती बघते (tī bagte)	tī bagte	She sees

Past Tense

The past tense in Marathi is used to describe actions or states that have already happened in the past. It is formed by conjugating the verb based on the subject and adding specific suffixes to the root form.

Here's an example of the past tense conjugation of the verb 'आले' (āle) meaning 'to come':

Marathi	Pronunciation	English
मी आलो (mī ālo)	mī ālo	I came
तू आलेस (tū āles)	tū āles	You came (singular)
तू आलेस (tū āles)	tū āles	You came (masculine plural)
तू आलेस (tū āles)	tū āles	You came (feminine plural)
तो आला (to ālā)	to ālā	He came
ती आली (tī ālī)	tī ālī	She came

Future Tense

The future tense in Marathi is used to describe actions or states that will happen in the future. It is formed by conjugating the verb based on the subject and adding specific suffixes to the root form.

Here's an example of the future tense conjugation of the verb 'करणे' (karaṇe) meaning 'to do':

Marathi	Pronunciation	English
मी करेन (mī karen)	mī karen	I will do
तू करेस (tū kares)	tū kares	You will do (singular)
तू करेस (tū kares)	tū kares	You will do (masculine plural)
तू करेस (tū kares)	tū kares	You will do (feminine plural)
तो करेल (to karel)	to karel	He will do
ती करेली (tī karelī)	tī karelī	She will do

Imperative Form

The imperative form in Marathi is used to give commands or make requests. It is formed by conjugating the verb based on the subject and adding specific suffixes to the root form.

Here's an example of the imperative form conjugation of the verb 'बोलणे' (bolaṇe) meaning 'to speak':

Marathi	Pronunciation	English
बोल (bol)	bol	Speak (to one person)
बोला (bolā)	bolā	Speak (to multiple people)

Forms of the Verb

In addition to the various tenses, Marathi verbs can take different forms to express different meanings. Let's explore some common forms of Marathi verbs.

Progressive Form

The progressive form in Marathi is used to indicate an ongoing action or state. It is formed by combining the present tense of the verb 'असणे' (asaṇe) meaning 'to be' with the present participle form of the main verb.

Here's an example of the progressive form of the verb 'करणे' (karaṇe) meaning 'to do':

Marathi	Pronunciation	English
माझं करत आहे (mājhaṇ karat āhe)	mājhaṇ karat āhe	I am doing
तुमचं करत आहे (tumachaṇ karat āhe)	tumachaṇ karat āhe	You are doing
त्यांचं करत आहे (tyāṇchaṇ karat āhe)	tyāṇchaṇ karat āhe	They are doing

Infinitive Form

The infinitive form in Marathi is the base form of a verb, typically denoted by the 'ते' (te) ending. It is used to refer to the verb in its most basic form, without any tense or subject.

Here's an example of the infinitive form of the verb 'जाणे' (jāṇe) meaning 'to go':

Marathi	Pronunciation	English
जाणे (jāṇe)	jāṇe	to go

Cultural Insights

Marathi, being the official language of Maharashtra, has a rich cultural heritage associated with its verbs. The usage and understanding of verbs in Marathi can vary across different regions of Maharashtra, and there may be historical reasons behind these variations.

One interesting cultural aspect of Marathi verbs is the influence of Marathi literature on the language. Marathi literature has a long and illustrious history, with famous authors and poets contributing to the development and enrichment of the language. The usage of verbs in Marathi literature often reflects the cultural and social nuances of the time period in which they were written.

Marathi verbs also play a significant role in traditional Marathi music and dance forms. Music and dance are integral parts of Marathi culture, and various verbs are used in the lyrics and movements of traditional Marathi songs and dances. For example, the Lavani dance style, known for its energetic and vibrant movements, often incorporates verbs that depict actions such as dancing, singing, and expressing emotions.

Exercises

Now, let's put your knowledge of Marathi verbs to the test with some exercises. Choose the appropriate verb form for each sentence and check your answers below.

1. मी हवंडायला ________ (jāto / jātalā). 2. तू कोणतं पुस्तक ________ (वाचतो / वाचतोस). 3. त्यांनी काम ________ (केले / केलेस). 4. तो कुठं ________ (गेलं / गेलेलं)? 5. ती कुठं ________ (आली / आलेली)?

Answers: 1. मी हवंडायला जातो (jāto). 2. तू कोणतं पुस्तक वाचतोस (vāchatos). 3. त्यांनी काम केले (kele). 4. तो कुठं गेलं (gelā). 5. ती कुठं आलेली (ālelī).

Solutions

1. मी हवंडायला जातो (jāto). 2. तू कोणतं पुस्तक वाचतोस (vāchatos). 3. त्यांनी काम केले (kele). 4. तो कुठं गेलं (gelā). 5. ती कुठं आलेली (ālelī).

Explanation: 1. The subject is first person singular, so the verb form 'जातो' (jāto) is used. 2. The subject is second person singular, so the verb form 'वाचतोस' (vāchatos) is used. 3. The subject is third person plural, so the verb form 'केले' (kele) is used. 4. The subject is third person singular, so the verb form 'गेलं' (gelā) is used. 5. The subject is third person singular, so the verb form 'आलेली' (ālelī) is used.

Conclusion

Congratulations on completing this comprehensive lesson on Marathi verbs! Throughout this lesson, we have explored the conjugation, tenses, and forms of Marathi verbs, providing numerous examples and exercises to enhance your understanding.

Remember to practice using Marathi verbs in various contexts to reinforce your learning. As you continue your Marathi language journey, you will encounter more verbs and their conjugations. Embrace the beauty and intricacies of Marathi verbs, and use them to express yourself fluently in Marathi.

Keep up the good work, and stay tuned for the next lesson in our "Complete 0 to A1 Marathi Course"!

Table of Contents - Marathi Course - 0 to A1

• Course Presentation

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Basic Greetings and Introductions

• Greetings
• Introductions

  ---

Basic Sentence Structure

• Subject-Object-Verb
• Negation

  ---

Numbers and Time

• Numbers 1-20
• Telling Time

  ---

Nouns and Pronouns

• Nouns
• Pronouns

  ---

Common Verbs and Adjectives

• Common Verbs
• Common Adjectives

  ---

Questions and Answers

• Question Words
• Answering Questions

  ---

Food and Dining

• Food Vocabulary
• Dining Phrases

  ---

Marathi Festivals and Traditions

• Festivals
• Traditions

  ---

Travel and Transportation

• Transportation Vocabulary
• Accommodation Vocabulary

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Prepositions and Conjunctions

• Prepositions
• Conjunctions

  ---

Family and Relationships

• Family Members
• Relationship Phrases

  ---

Marathi Literature and Cinema

• Literature
• Cinema

Sources

• Marathi grammar - Wikipedia
• Marathi Verbs | POLYMATH.ORG
• Marathi Verbs - First Person Singular, Present... - Survive to Read

Other Lessons

• Future Tense
• Conditional Mood
• Adverbs
• Gender
• Causative verbs
• Adjectives
• Nouns
• Give your Opinion
• Compound words