Basic Vocabulary for Telling Time in Marathi

Before diving into sentence construction, it is important to familiarize yourself with the essential Marathi words related to time. Here are some key terms:

• वेळ (Vel) – Time
• तास (Taas) – Hour
• मिनिट (Minute) – Minute
• सेकंद (Second) – Second
• सकाळ (Sakal) – Morning
• दुपारी (Dupari) – Afternoon
• सायंकाळ (Sayankaal) – Evening
• रात्र (Raatr) – Night
• वाजले (Vajle) – O’clock / struck (used to indicate time)
• आधी (Aadhi) – Before
• नंतर (Nantar) – After
• सकाळी (Sakali) – In the morning (used for time reference)
• रात्री (Raatri) – At night

Understanding these basic words will help you form coherent sentences while telling time in Marathi.

How to Tell Time in Marathi: Hours and Minutes

Telling time in Marathi generally follows a structure similar to English but with distinct vocabulary and phrasing.

Expressing the Hour

To express the hour, Marathi speakers typically use the word “वाजले” (vajle) after the number indicating the hour. For example:

• 3 वाजले (Teen vajle) – It is 3 o’clock
• 7 वाजले (Saat vajle) – It is 7 o’clock

The word “वाजले” literally means “struck” or “has struck,” referring to the clock striking the hour.

Expressing Minutes

To express minutes past the hour, Marathi uses the format:

[hour] वाजले [minutes] मिनिटे

For example:

• 3 वाजले 15 मिनिटे (Teen vajle pandrah minute) – It is 3:15
• 7 वाजले 30 मिनिटे (Saat vajle tees minute) – It is 7:30

In casual conversation, “मिनिटे (minute)” might be shortened or omitted, especially with common expressions like half past or quarter past.

Using Quarter and Half in Marathi Time

Just like in English, Marathi has specific terms for quarter and half:

• पंधरा (Pandhara) – Fifteen (used for quarter)
• साडे (Saade) – Half past (literally means “half plus”)

Examples:

• 3 वाजले साडे तीन (Teen vajle saade teen) – It is 3:30 (half past three)
• 4 वाजले पंधरा मिनिटे (Char vajle pandhra minute) – It is 4:15 (quarter past four)
• 5 वाजले साडे पाच (Paanch vajle saade paanch) – It is 5:30

Talking About Time Before and After the Hour

Marathi uses the words “आधी” (aadhi) for “before” and “नंतर” (nantar) for “after” when telling time relative to the hour.

Minutes Before the Hour

When referring to minutes before the hour, the structure is:

[next hour] वाजण्यापूर्वी [minutes] मिनिटे

For example:

• साडे तीन वाजण्यापूर्वी पाच मिनिटे (Saade teen vajnyapurvi paanch minute) – 5 minutes before 3:30 (i.e., 3:25)
• चार वाजण्यापूर्वी दहा मिनिटे (Char vajnyapurvi daha minute) – 10 minutes before 4 o’clock (i.e., 3:50)

Minutes After the Hour

For minutes after the hour, you can say:

[hour] वाजून [minutes] मिनिटे

Examples:

• तीन वाजून पंधरा मिनिटे (Teen vajun pandhara minute) – 3:15
• चार वाजून तीस मिनिटे (Char vajun tees minute) – 4:30

Indicating Time of Day in Marathi

To provide clarity about the time of day, Marathi uses specific words added after the time expression:

• सकाळी (Sakali) – In the morning
• दुपारी (Dupari) – In the afternoon
• सायंकाळी (Sayankali) – In the evening
• रात्री (Raatri) – At night

For example:

• सकाळी ७ वाजले (Sakali saat vajle) – 7 o’clock in the morning
• दुपारी १२ वाजले (Dupari bawaad vajle) – 12 o’clock noon
• सायंकाळी ६ वाजले (Sayankali saat vajle) – 6 o’clock in the evening
• रात्री ९ वाजले (Raatri naav vaje) – 9 o’clock at night

Adding these words is very helpful, especially because Marathi commonly uses a 12-hour clock format.

Asking the Time in Marathi

To inquire about the current time, you can use several polite and common phrases:

• वेळ किती झाली? (Vel kiti jhali?) – What time is it?
• सकाळी किती वाजले? (Sakali kiti vajle?) – What time is it in the morning?
• तुमच्याकडे वेळ आहे का? (Tumchyakade vel aahe ka?) – Do you have the time?

These questions are frequently used in everyday conversations.

Practical Examples of Telling Time in Marathi

Here are some practical sentences to help you understand and practice telling time:

English	Marathi	Pronunciation
It is 2 o’clock	दोन वाजले	Don vajle
It is 5:15	पाच वाजले पंधरा मिनिटे	Paanch vajle pandhra minute
It is 8:30 in the evening	सायंकाळी आठ वाजले साडे आठ	Sayankali aath vajle saade aath
Quarter to nine	नऊ वाजण्यापूर्वी पंधरा मिनिटे	Nau vajnyapurvi pandhra minute
Half past four	चार वाजले साडे चार	Char vajle saade char

Understanding the 24-Hour Format in Marathi

While Marathi predominantly uses the 12-hour clock for everyday conversation, the 24-hour format is also used, especially in formal settings such as transportation schedules, military, or official documents.

• For 24-hour times, numbers from 13 to 24 are pronounced as they are, followed by the word “वाजले” (vajle).
• For example, 14:00 (2 PM) would be said as चौदा वाजले (Choda vajle).
• However, in casual conversation, it’s more common to convert to the 12-hour format with appropriate time of day indicators.

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Telling Time in Marathi

Learning a new language always comes with challenges. Here are some tips to avoid common mistakes when telling time in Marathi:

• Don’t omit “वाजले” (vajle): This word is essential to indicate that you are telling time.
• Use correct numbers for minutes: Practice Marathi numbers to avoid confusion, especially between similar-sounding numbers.
• Remember time of day indicators: Without words like “सकाळी” or “रात्री,” your time expression might be ambiguous.
• Practice pronunciation: Marathi has distinct sounds that are important for clarity.

How Talkpal Can Help You Master Telling Time in Marathi

Learning to tell time in a new language is easier with the right tools. Talkpal offers interactive lessons, quizzes, and native speaker conversations that help you practice real-life scenarios. Here’s how Talkpal enhances your Marathi learning experience:

• Interactive Exercises: Engage with time-telling exercises that reinforce vocabulary and grammar.
• Audio Support: Listen to native Marathi speakers pronouncing numbers and time phrases to improve your accent.
• Real Conversations: Practice asking and telling time in simulated dialogues to build confidence.
• Progress Tracking: Monitor your learning curve and focus on areas needing improvement.

Using Talkpal alongside this guide will accelerate your ability to confidently tell time in Marathi.

Conclusion

Mastering how to tell time in Marathi is a foundational step toward fluency and cultural integration. By learning the core vocabulary, understanding sentence structures, and practicing with tools like Talkpal, you can confidently discuss time in everyday situations. Whether you are scheduling meetings, catching trains, or chatting with friends, telling time accurately and naturally in Marathi enhances your communication skills and enriches your language learning journey. Remember to practice consistently, use time of day indicators, and immerse yourself in real conversations to make your Marathi time-telling skills second nature.