Language/Marathi/Grammar/Subject-Object-Verb
Introduction
Marathi is an Indo-Aryan language spoken primarily in the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the official language and co-official language in the Maharashtra and Goa states, respectively. Marathi has a rich and diverse literature, including poetry, novels, and plays. Understanding basic Marathi sentence structure is crucial to communicating in the language. In this lesson, we will cover the Subject-Object-Verb (SOV) sentence pattern, common sentence structures, and sentence examples.
Subject-Object-Verb (SOV)
The most common sentence structure in Marathi follows the SOV pattern. This means that the subject comes first, followed by the object, and then the verb.
Here is an example sentence using the SOV pattern:
| Marathi | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| राम | Rām | Ram |
| आंब्याची | āmbyācī | mango |
| खातो. | khāto | eats |
Translation: Ram eats mango.
As demonstrated in the example sentence, the subject (Ram) is followed by the object (mango) and then the verb (eats). This sentence structure is common in Marathi, and it's essential to understand the order in which sentence elements should appear.
Sentence Structure Examples
Let's take a closer look at different sentence structures in Marathi:
Simple Sentences
Simple sentences contain only one clause and express a single idea. Here are some examples:
- तुम्ही घरीच आहात. (Tumhī gharch āhāt.) - You are at home.
- मला पण तुम्हाला आवडतो. (Malā paṇ tumhālā āvaḍtō.) - I also like you.
- तुम्हाला ते पुस्तक आवडली का? (Tumhālā tē pustak āvaḍlī kā?) - Did you like that book?
All of the simple sentence examples above follow the SOV pattern.
Compound Sentences
A compound sentence contains two or more independent clauses, which can be joined using conjunctions like आणि (āṇi) meaning “and”, किंवा (kiṁvā) meaning “or”, and पण (paṇ) meaning “but”.
Here are some examples:
- तू झोपलेला अस तर काय करु शकतो? पण उठायचं नाही आहे. (Tū jhōplēlā as tar kāy karu śakatō? Paṇ uṭhāyach nāhī āhē.) - What can you do if you are sleeping? But you can’t wake up.
- मी नाश्ता केला. तर जूस प्यायला जाऊ शकतो. (Mī nāshtā kēlā. Tar jūs pyāyalā jāū śakatō.) - I had breakfast. Then I can go to drink juice.
The example sentences above have two independent clauses joined by the conjunction “and” and “but”, respectively.
Complex Sentences
A complex sentence contains one independent clause and one or more dependent clauses, which can be joined using conjunctions like जेव्हा (jēvhā) meaning “when”, पासून (pāsūn) meaning “since”, and की (kī) meaning “that”.
Here are some examples:
- मी स्कूल पासून कमी कमी अभ्यास करत आहे कारण नंतर विविध प्रवाह चालावे लागत असते. (Mī skūl pāsūn kamī kamī abhyās karat āhē kāraṇ nantara vividha pravāh cālāvē lāgat astē.) - I study less and less from school because various streams are flowing afterwards.
- त्यांच्या हाताला शिवाय ते नेहमी फक्त नोंद ठेवतो की तो काम करावा लागेल. (Tyānchyā hātālā śivāy tē nēhmī fakta nōṇd ṭhēvatō kī tō kām karāvā lāgēl.) - Without their help, he always makes a note that he has to do the work.
The example sentences above have one independent clause and one dependent clause joined by the conjunction “since”.
Gender Agreement in Subject-Object-Verb Sentences
Marathi is a gendered language, so gender agreement is crucial in Marathi sentences. The subject, object, and verb must agree with each other in terms of gender.
Here are some examples:
| Marathi | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| माझा | Mājhā | My |
| शळा | śaḷā | Sister |
| खेळते | khēḷatē | Play |
Translation: My sister plays.
In the example sentence above, the subject (sister) is feminine, so the verb (plays) is also in the feminine form.
Practice Exercise
Construct simple sentences using the SOV sentence structure. Use the following words:
1. मी (mī) - I 2. तुम्ही (tumhī) - you (formal) 3. साप (sāp) - snake 4. मोठा (mōṭhā) - big 5. चांदण्या (cāṇḍaṇyā) - sugar
Here are some examples:
- मी वाचतो आहे. (Mī vāchatō āhē.) - I am reading.
- तुम्ही पुस्तक वाचतो आहात. (Tumhī pustak vāchatō āhāt.) - You are reading a book.
- साप जंगलात आहे. (Sāp jangalāt āhē.) - Snake is in the jungle.
- मोठी शाळा आहे. (Mōṭhī śāḷā āhē.) - There is a big school.
- चांदण्या मिठ्या आहे. (Cāṇḍaṇyā mithyā āhē.) - Sugar is sweet.
Conclusion
Marathi follows a Subject-Object-Verb (SOV) sentence structure pattern. Understanding basic sentence patterns and practicing constructing simple sentences is essential to being able to communicate effectively in Marathi. Keep practicing and familiarizing yourself with different sentence structures to build your Marathi language skills.