Marathi, an Indo-Aryan language spoken predominantly by the people of Maharashtra, India, is known for its rich cultural heritage and complex linguistic structure. One of the fundamental aspects of learning Marathi, or any language for that matter, is understanding prepositions. Prepositions are words that link nouns, pronouns, or phrases to other words within a sentence. They help in expressing various relations such as direction, place, time, and manner. In Marathi, prepositions are known as “shabda yogi avyaya” (शब्द योगी अव्यय).
Let’s delve into some commonly used Marathi prepositions and their meanings, which will aid you in enhancing your understanding and fluency in Marathi.
Prepositions of Place
1. मध्ये (Madhye) – In, Inside
The preposition “मध्ये” (madhye) is used to indicate location within something.
Example:
– Marathi: मी खोलीमध्ये आहे.
– English: I am in the room.
2. वर (Var) – On
“वर” (var) is used to denote that something is on top of something else.
Example:
– Marathi: पुस्तक टेबलवर आहे.
– English: The book is on the table.
3. खाली (Khali) – Under, Below
The preposition “खाली” (khali) is used to express that something is beneath or underneath something.
Example:
– Marathi: मांजर खुर्चीखाली आहे.
– English: The cat is under the chair.
4. जवळ (Javal) – Near, Close to
“जवळ” (javal) is used to indicate proximity.
Example:
– Marathi: शाळा माझ्या घराजवळ आहे.
– English: The school is near my house.
5. मध्ये (Madhye) – Between, Among
“मध्ये” (madhye) can also be used to denote the position between or among things.
Example:
– Marathi: ती दोन झाडांमध्ये उभी आहे.
– English: She is standing between two trees.
Prepositions of Direction
1. कडे (Kade) – Towards
“कडे” (kade) is used to show movement in the direction of something.
Example:
– Marathi: मी बाजाराकडे जात आहे.
– English: I am going towards the market.
2. पासून (Pasun) – From
“पासून” (pasun) indicates the starting point of a movement or action.
Example:
– Marathi: ती पुण्यापासून आली आहे.
– English: She has come from Pune.
3. पर्यंत (Paryant) – Up to, Until
“पर्यंत” (paryant) denotes the endpoint of a movement or time.
Example:
– Marathi: मी स्टेशनपर्यंत चाललो.
– English: I walked up to the station.
Prepositions of Time
1. मध्ये (Madhye) – During, In
“मध्ये” (madhye) is also used to indicate a period within which something happens.
Example:
– Marathi: उन्हाळ्याच्या सुट्ट्यांमध्ये मी गावाला जातो.
– English: I go to the village during the summer holidays.
2. नंतर (Nantar) – After
“नंतर” (nantar) is used to express that something happens following a specific event or time.
Example:
– Marathi: जेवणानंतर मी झोपतो.
– English: I sleep after eating.
3. आधी (Adhi) – Before
“आधी” (adhi) indicates that something happens prior to a specific event or time.
Example:
– Marathi: शाळेआधी मी अभ्यास करतो.
– English: I study before school.
Prepositions of Manner
1. प्रमाणे (Pramane) – Like, According to
“प्रमाणे” (pramane) is used to express similarity or accordance.
Example:
– Marathi: तुझ्या प्रमाणे मी देखील काम करेन.
– English: I will work like you.
2. सोबत (Sobat) – With
“सोबत” (sobat) denotes accompaniment.
Example:
– Marathi: मी माझ्या मित्रासोबत सिनेमा पाहिला.
– English: I watched a movie with my friend.
3. शिवाय (Shivay) – Without
“शिवाय” (shivay) is used to express the absence of something.
Example:
– Marathi: तो माझ्याशिवाय गेला.
– English: He went without me.
Prepositions of Cause or Reason
1. मुळे (Mule) – Because of, Due to
“मुळे” (mule) indicates the cause or reason for something.
Example:
– Marathi: पावसामुळे रस्ता ओला झाला.
– English: The road became wet because of the rain.
2. करिता (Karita) – For
“करिता” (karita) is used to denote the purpose or reason behind an action.
Example:
– Marathi: मी तुझ्या करिता हे केले.
– English: I did this for you.
Prepositions of Relationship
1. चे (Che), ची (Chi), चा (Cha) – Of
“चे” (che), “ची” (chi), and “चा” (cha) are possessive prepositions used to show belonging or relationship, and they change based on gender and number.
Example:
– Marathi: तो रामचा मित्र आहे. (Masculine)
– English: He is Ram’s friend.
– Marathi: ती सुमनची वहिनी आहे. (Feminine)
– English: She is Suman’s sister-in-law.
– Marathi: हे मुलांचे खेळ आहेत. (Plural)
– English: These are the children’s games.
2. बरोबर (Barobar) – Along with
“बरोबर” (barobar) is used to indicate accompaniment or partnership.
Example:
– Marathi: मी तुझ्या बरोबर येतो.
– English: I am coming along with you.
Commonly Confused Prepositions
1. साठी (Sathi) vs. करिता (Karita)
Both “साठी” (sathi) and “करिता” (karita) mean “for” but are used in slightly different contexts. “साठी” (sathi) is more general, while “करिता” (karita) is often used in a more formal or specific context.
Example:
– Marathi: ही भेट तुझ्या साठी आहे.
– English: This gift is for you.
– Marathi: मी तुझ्या करिता हे पत्र लिहिले.
– English: I wrote this letter for you.
2. मध्ये (Madhye) vs. दरम्यान (Darmyan)
“मध्ये” (madhye) and “दरम्यान” (darmyan) both mean “during” or “in,” but “दरम्यान” (darmyan) is often used to indicate a more specific period within a larger timeframe.
Example:
– Marathi: मी सुट्टीमध्ये प्रवास केला.
– English: I traveled during the vacation.
– Marathi: मी वर्गाच्या दरम्यान अभ्यास केला.
– English: I studied during the class.
Conclusion
Understanding and effectively using prepositions is crucial for achieving fluency in Marathi. These small but significant words help to convey precise meanings and relationships between different parts of a sentence. By familiarizing yourself with these commonly used Marathi prepositions and their meanings, you can enhance your ability to communicate more accurately and effectively in Marathi.
As you continue your journey in learning Marathi, practice using these prepositions in various sentences and contexts. This will not only help you remember their meanings but also improve your overall language proficiency. Happy learning!
