Learning a new language can be an exciting yet challenging endeavor. Marathi, the official language of the Indian state of Maharashtra, is spoken by over 83 million people worldwide. For those who are just starting to learn Marathi, having a foundational vocabulary is essential. This article aims to introduce you to some basic Marathi words that will help you get started on your language learning journey. From greetings and common phrases to numbers and essential verbs, this guide will provide you with a solid base to build upon.
Common Greetings and Phrases
Greetings are the simplest way to start a conversation and are essential in any language. Here are some common Marathi greetings and phrases:
1. **Namaskar** (नमस्कार) – Hello
2. **Shubha sakal** (शुभ सकाळ) – Good morning
3. **Shubha sandhya** (शुभ संध्या) – Good evening
4. **Shubha ratri** (शुभ रात्री) – Good night
5. **Dhanyavad** (धन्यवाद) – Thank you
6. **Krupaya** (कृपया) – Please
7. **Ho** (हो) – Yes
8. **Nahi** (नाही) – No
9. **Kasā āhāt?** (कसा आहात?) – How are you? (to a male)
10. **Kashi āhēs?** (कशी आहेस?) – How are you? (to a female)
11. **Mi thik āhe** (मी ठीक आहे) – I am fine
12. **Tujha nav kay āhe?** (तुझे नाव काय आहे?) – What is your name?
13. **Majha nav … āhe** (माझं नाव … आहे) – My name is …
14. **Tu kuthun āhlā?** (तू कुठून आला?) – Where are you from? (to a male)
15. **Tu kuthun āhli?** (तू कुठून आली?) – Where are you from? (to a female)
Essential Verbs
Verbs form the backbone of any language. Here are some essential Marathi verbs that beginners should know:
1. **Āhe** (आहे) – To be
2. **Jāne** (जाणे) – To go
3. **Yene** (येणे) – To come
4. **Khāne** (खाणे) – To eat
5. **Pine** (पिणे) – To drink
6. **Bolne** (बोलणे) – To speak
7. **Vāchne** (वाचणे) – To read
8. **Lihine** (लिहिणे) – To write
9. **Karne** (करणे) – To do
10. **Shikne** (शिकणे) – To learn
11. **Samajne** (समजणे) – To understand
12. **Pahane** (पाहणे) – To see
13. **Aikne** (ऐकणे) – To hear
14. **Chalne** (चालणे) – To walk
15. **Uthne** (उठणे) – To get up
Numbers
Knowing numbers is crucial, whether you’re shopping, traveling, or just learning to count. Here are the Marathi numbers from 1 to 10:
1. **Ek** (एक) – One
2. **Don** (दोन) – Two
3. **Teen** (तीन) – Three
4. **Chār** (चार) – Four
5. **Pāch** (पाच) – Five
6. **Sāh** (सहा) – Six
7. **Sāt** (सात) – Seven
8. **Āṭh** (आठ) – Eight
9. **Nau** (नऊ) – Nine
10. **Dahā** (दहा) – Ten
Days of the Week
Knowing the days of the week is another useful set of vocabulary. Here they are in Marathi:
1. **Ravivār** (रविवार) – Sunday
2. **Somvār** (सोमवार) – Monday
3. **Mangalvār** (मंगळवार) – Tuesday
4. **Budhvār** (बुधवार) – Wednesday
5. **Guruvar** (गुरुवार) – Thursday
6. **Shukravār** (शुक्रवार) – Friday
7. **Shanivār** (शनिवार) – Saturday
Basic Adjectives
Adjectives help in describing nouns and are very handy. Here are some basic Marathi adjectives:
1. **Chhān** (छान) – Good/Nice
2. **Vait** (वाईट) – Bad
3. **Mothā** (मोठा) – Big
4. **Lāhan** (लहान) – Small
5. **Sundar** (सुंदर) – Beautiful
6. **Ugāch** (उगाच) – Useless
7. **Mithā** (मिठा) – Sweet
8. **Teekhat** (तिखट) – Spicy
9. **Thand** (थंड) – Cold
10. **Garam** (गरम) – Hot
Common Nouns
Nouns are the building blocks of sentences. Here are some common Marathi nouns:
1. **Manus** (माणूस) – Person
2. **Mulga** (मुलगा) – Boy
3. **Mulgi** (मुलगी) – Girl
4. **Kutra** (कुत्रा) – Dog
5. **Māzi** (माझी) – Cat
6. **Ghar** (घर) – House
7. **Shālā** (शाळा) – School
8. **Pustak** (पुस्तक) – Book
9. **Paṇi** (पाणी) – Water
10. **Anna** (अन्न) – Food
Basic Questions
Being able to ask questions is fundamental when you are learning a new language. Here are some basic Marathi questions:
1. **Kāya?** (काय?) – What?
2. **Kuthe?** (कुठे?) – Where?
3. **Kadhi?** (कधी?) – When?
4. **Kon?** (कोण?) – Who?
5. **Kiti?** (किती?) – How much/many?
6. **Ka?** (का?) – Why?
7. **Kasā?** (कसा?) – How? (to a male)
8. **Kashi?** (कशी?) – How? (to a female)
Pronouns
Pronouns are important as they replace nouns to avoid repetition. Here are some basic Marathi pronouns:
1. **Mi** (मी) – I
2. **Tu** (तू) – You (informal)
3. **Āpana** (आपण) – You (formal)
4. **To** (तो) – He
5. **Ti** (ती) – She
6. **Te** (ते) – It
7. **Āmhī** (आम्ही) – We
8. **Tey** (ते) – They
Colors
Colors are often used to describe objects and surroundings. Here are some Marathi words for colors:
1. **Lāl** (लाल) – Red
2. **Nīl** (निळा) – Blue
3. **Hirva** (हिरवा) – Green
4. **Pivḷā** (पिवळा) – Yellow
5. **Kāḷā** (काळा) – Black
6. **Pandhrā** (पांढरा) – White
7. **Kesari** (केसरी) – Orange
8. **Jāmbhlā** (जांभळा) – Purple
9. **Tapkiri** (तपकिरी) – Brown
10. **Rang** (रंग) – Color
Useful Expressions
Finally, here are some useful expressions that you can use in everyday conversations:
1. **Mala samajla** (मला समजलं) – I understand
2. **Mala nahi samajla** (मला नाही समजलं) – I don’t understand
3. **Mala marathi yet nahi** (मला मराठी येत नाही) – I don’t know Marathi
4. **Zara thambā** (जरा थांबा) – Wait a moment
5. **He kay ahe?** (हे काय आहे?) – What is this?
6. **Mala mahit nahi** (मला माहित नाही) – I don’t know
7. **Krupaya mala madat kara** (कृपया मला मदत करा) – Please help me
8. **Āni** (आणि) – And
9. **Pan** (पण) – But
10. **Mi thik āhe** (मी ठीक आहे) – I am fine
By learning these basic words and phrases, you will be well on your way to building a strong foundation in Marathi. The key to mastering any language is practice and exposure. Try to use these words in daily conversations, listen to Marathi music, watch Marathi films, and engage with native speakers whenever possible. Happy learning!
