When learning Marathi, one might come across words that seem similar but have distinct meanings and uses. Two such words are माझी (majhi) and माझे (maze). Both relate to the English word “my” but are used differently depending on the context. Understanding the nuances of these words can significantly enhance your proficiency in Marathi.

To start, let’s break down the grammatical roles and contexts in which these words are used.

माझी (majhi)

माझी is a possessive adjective in Marathi. It is used to indicate possession and is specifically used with feminine singular nouns. In Marathi, nouns have genders (masculine, feminine, and neuter), and the possessive adjectives must agree with the gender and number of the noun they are describing.

माझी – This is used for feminine singular nouns.

हे माझी वहिनी आहे. (He majhi vihini aahe.)

In this sentence, वहिनी (vihini) means “sister-in-law” and is a feminine singular noun. Hence, the possessive adjective माझी is used.

Other Examples:

माझी आई (majhi aai) – My mother
माझी आई खूप चांगली आहे. (Majhi aai khup changli aahe.)

माझी मैत्रीण (majhi maitrin) – My female friend
माझी मैत्रीण शाळेत आहे. (Majhi maitrin shalet aahe.)

माझी सायकल (majhi saaykal) – My bicycle
माझी सायकल तुटली आहे. (Majhi saaykal tutli aahe.)

माझे (maze)

माझे can function as both a possessive adjective and a possessive pronoun in Marathi. It is used to indicate possession with neuter singular nouns and also with plural nouns of any gender. This versatility makes माझे an essential word to master.

माझे – This is used for neuter singular nouns and plural nouns of any gender.

हे माझे पुस्तक आहे. (He maze pustak aahe.)

In this sentence, पुस्तक (pustak) means “book” and is a neuter singular noun. Hence, the possessive adjective माझे is used.

Other Examples:

माझे घर (maze ghar) – My house
माझे घर मोठे आहे. (Maze ghar mothe aahe.)

माझे मित्र (maze mitra) – My friends
माझे मित्र येणार आहेत. (Maze mitra yenar aahet.)

माझे कपडे (maze kapde) – My clothes
माझे कपडे धुवायचे आहेत. (Maze kapde dhvayache aahet.)

Comparison and Usage

Understanding when to use माझी (majhi) versus माझे (maze) is crucial for accurate communication in Marathi. The choice between these two words depends on the gender and number of the noun being possessed.

माझी is used exclusively with feminine singular nouns:
माझी बहीण (majhi bahin) – My sister

माझे is used with neuter singular nouns and plural nouns of any gender:
माझे घर (maze ghar) – My house (neuter singular)
माझे मित्र (maze mitra) – My friends (plural)

Common Mistakes to Avoid

One common mistake learners make is using माझी and माझे interchangeably without considering the gender and number of the noun they are referring to. This can lead to confusion and grammatical errors.

For instance, saying:
हे माझी पुस्तक आहे. (He majhi pustak aahe.)
is incorrect because पुस्तक (pustak) is a neuter singular noun and should use माझे.

The correct sentence would be:
हे माझे पुस्तक आहे. (He maze pustak aahe.)

Conversely, saying:
माझे आई (maze aai)
is incorrect because आई (aai) is a feminine singular noun and should use माझी.

The correct sentence would be:
माझी आई (majhi aai)

Practice Exercises

To solidify your understanding of माझी and माझे, try these practice exercises. Replace the blank with the correct form of “my” in Marathi.

1. _______ बहीण शाळेत आहे. (My sister is at school.)
माझी बहीण शाळेत आहे. (Majhi bahin shalet aahe.)

2. _______ मित्र उद्या येणार आहेत. (My friends are coming tomorrow.)
माझे मित्र उद्या येणार आहेत. (Maze mitra udya yenar aahet.)

3. _______ घर खूप मोठे आहे. (My house is very big.)
माझे घर खूप मोठे आहे. (Maze ghar khup mothe aahe.)

4. _______ सायकल नवीन आहे. (My bicycle is new.)
माझी सायकल नवीन आहे. (Majhi saaykal naveen aahe.)

Additional Vocabulary

Let’s look at some additional vocabulary to expand your grasp of possessive adjectives in Marathi.

माझा (maza) – My (used for masculine singular nouns)
माझा भाऊ (maza bhau) – My brother
माझा भाऊ खूप हुशार आहे. (Maza bhau khup hushar aahe.)

तुझा (tuzha) – Your (used for masculine singular nouns)
तुझा मित्र (tuzha mitra) – Your friend
तुझा मित्र कुठे आहे? (Tuzha mitra kuthe aahe?)

तुझी (tuzhi) – Your (used for feminine singular nouns)
तुझी वहिनी (tuzhi vahini) – Your sister-in-law
तुझी वहिनी घरी आहे. (Tuzhi vahini ghari aahe.)

तुझे (tuzhe) – Your (used for neuter singular and plural nouns)
तुझे घर (tuzhe ghar) – Your house
तुझे घर सुंदर आहे. (Tuzhe ghar sundar aahe.)

त्याचा (tyacha) – His (used for masculine singular nouns)
त्याचा भाऊ (tyacha bhau) – His brother
त्याचा भाऊ खेळत आहे. (Tyacha bhau khelat aahe.)

तिचा (ticha) – Her (used for masculine singular nouns)
तिचा भाऊ (ticha bhau) – Her brother
तिचा भाऊ अभ्यास करत आहे. (Ticha bhau abhyas karat aahe.)

त्याची (tyachi) – His (used for feminine singular nouns)
त्याची वहिनी (tyachi vahini) – His sister-in-law
त्याची वहिनी गावाला गेली आहे. (Tyachi vahini gavala geli aahe.)

तिची (tichi) – Her (used for feminine singular nouns)
तिची मैत्रीण (tichi maitrin) – Her female friend
तिची मैत्रीण कशी आहे? (Tichi maitrin kashi aahe?)

त्याचे (tyache) – His (used for neuter singular and plural nouns)
त्याचे पुस्तक (tyache pustak) – His book
त्याचे पुस्तक हरवले आहे. (Tyache pustak haravale aahe.)

तिचे (tiche) – Her (used for neuter singular and plural nouns)
तिचे घर (tiche ghar) – Her house
तिचे घर खूप छान आहे. (Tiche ghar khup chhan aahe.)

Conclusion

Mastering the use of possessive adjectives like माझी and माझे is vital for anyone learning Marathi. By understanding the gender and number of the nouns you are referring to, you can use these words correctly and communicate more effectively. Practice regularly with different nouns to get a better grasp of these concepts. Happy learning!