Marathi is an Indo-European language spoken by the people of Maharashtra, India, and is one of the official languages in West India. Given that Marathi is not spoken as much as languages like Hindi and Bengali, finding a place that offers official Marathi courses outside of India can be difficult. However, that doesn't mean there aren't other ways. If you are interested in learning Marathi, a good way to start is by recognizing simple words, phrases and grammatical structures. Then, you can strengthen your understanding of the language by reading Marathi writings, watching movies and TV shows in Marathi, and having casual conversations with native Marathi speakers.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Recognizing the Ground Rules
Step 1. Memorize the main person pronouns
Personal pronouns are very important in Marathi-in fact, 20% of everyday conversation usually consists of personal pronouns. Pronouns are also a good place to start learning the language. The most common personal pronouns in Marathi are:
- mi (me)
- that (you)
- to (he (male))
- ti (she (female))
- te [male]/ yes [female] (them)
- aamhi / aapan (us)
- Keep in mind that Marathi has a difference between the male and female forms of personal pronouns.
- There is also a third gender neutral situation for most nouns called neutral words which usually end in "e". In neutral words, a noun such as the masculine "ghoda" (horse) becomes "ghode," without a specific gender.
Step 2. Learn the indirect object form for each personal pronoun
The indirect object in a sentence receives the direct object or its consequences. For example, in the sentence "The cashier handed me the receipt," the direct object is "I." When used in the indirect object form, the main personal pronouns become:
- mala (me)
- tula (you)
- tyala (he (male))
- tila (she (female))
- aamhala (us)
- te / tyana (them).
Step 3. Understand the correct sentence structure
In Marathi, the subject of the sentence comes first, followed by the object, and finally the verb. To say "I speak Marathi," for example, you would say "mi marathi bolto." Composing sentences in this way will establish a direct connection between the two things the verb is connected to.
Other examples of subject-object-verb structures include “tine tyala patra lihile” (“He wrote him a letter”) and “to ingarji baolato” (“He speaks English”)
Step 4. Identify common nouns
These words refer to objects, places, directions, ideas, and anything that can be the subject or object of a sentence. There are so many nouns to learn, and they will get more complicated as your understanding of the language develops. For now, concentrate on learning basic words, such as:
- "man" (purush)
- "woman" (stri)
- "cat" (maanjr)
- "home" (ghr)
- "shoes" (but)
- “breakfast” (nyaahaari)
Step 5. Master some core phrases
When learning a new language, it can be helpful to start with practical statements and questions that you might use on a daily basis. “Tu kasa ashes,” for example, means “How are you?” You may also want to say “mazha nav Carol ahe” (“My name is Carol”), or “mi America hon alo” (“I am from America”). Other useful phrases include:
- " namaskar " ("Hello")
- " yeto " [male]/" yete " [female] ("Goodbye")
- " thumhala bhetun anandha jhala " ("Nice to meet you")
- " abhari ahe " ("Thank you")
- "I'm sorry" ("Sorry")
- " mala samajatha nahi " ("I don't understand")
- “punha sanga” (“Say one more time please”)
- “Sanas Kuthe huh?” (“Where is the toilet?”)
Step 6. Learn the Marathi alphabet
Marathi uses the Devanagari alphabet to produce consonants and vowels into writing. There are 33 main consonants and 9 vowels, resulting in 297 sounds that can be paired and combined to make longer words. The complete alphabet is as follows (the letters in brackets indicate the IAST transliteration into Indonesian):
- ("a")
- ("ā")
- ("i")
- "ī")
- ("u")
- ("ū")
- ("ṛ")
- ("ṝ")
- ("ḷ")
- ("ḹ")
- ("e")
- ("ai")
- ("o")
- ("au")
- ("aṃ")
- ("aḥ")
- / ("ê")
- ("ô")
- ("ka")
- ("kha")
- ("ga")
- ("gha")
- ("ṅa")
- ("ha")
- ("ca")
- ("cha")
- ("ja")
- ("jha")
- ("ña")
- ("yes")
- ("śa")
- ("ṭa")
- ("ṭha")
- ("ḍa")
- ("ḍha")
- ("ṇa")
- ("ra")
- ("ṣa")
- ("ta")
- ("tha")
- ("da")
- ("dha")
- ("na")
- ("la")
- ("sa")
- ("pa")
- ("pha")
- ("ba")
- ("bha")
- ("mama")
- ("va")
- The Devanagari alphabet is written from left to right in a horizontal line, like many European languages. This will make it easier for people who are familiar with the Western version of reading and writing.
- Each distinct vowel sound indicates how a word is pronounced. For example, “aṃ” indicates nasal inflection, while the sound “ah” should be made with a slightly heavy breath at the end of a syllable.
Method 2 of 3: Learn from Traditional Sources
Step 1. Sign up for a Marathi class in your area
If you live in a place with a large Indian population, you may be able to find someone who teaches Marathi. A list of foreign language courses offered at your local university or community is a great place to start. That said, formal instruction is the best way to learn because it will allow you to stick to a regular curriculum and interact directly with people who speak the language.
- Use the power of the internet to find Marathi courses near you by searching for the keyword “Marathi” and the name of your city.
- Watch for ads in newspapers, flyers, and social media groups that advertise private courses.
Step 2. Find a teacher online
Websites like italki and VerbalPlanet will help students get to know private tutors over the internet. Courses are usually conducted via Skype, which will give you the opportunity to put what you know into practice in a live conversation with your teacher. The live chat format can also be useful as it introduces the essential elements of reading and writing.
- You can find courses that are made for one student or for a group, depending on the website or service you use.
- Massive Open Online Courses (or MOOCs) are another possible option. The open access and unlimited class sizes provided by this web-based platform make it possible for everyone interested to take lessons in the comfort of their own home.
Step 3. Purchase a printed Marathi language book
Self-study from a book is the next best option if you can't find a class to attend. The foreign language sections of most bookstores are filled with printed books with dialects from around the world, and it's possible Marathi might be in between. With printed books, you can study at your own pace and acquire the basics of the language in digestible lesson units.
- One benefit of language textbooks is that the content is usually described in a logical order so that it is easy to follow without the help of a teacher.
- Try to study at least 1-2 chapters or lessons each week, or whenever your schedule allows.
Step 4. Look up words and phrases on the internet
The Internet has been useful in generating extensive language databases for little or no cost, including free resources such as FluentU and Livemocha. Compare several sites until you find one that provides Marathi. The lesson plans on these sites are created by fluent native speakers and designed to be accessible to people learning at all levels.
Sites like these are especially useful when you need to look up the meaning of a word or find a way to quickly say a sentence
Method 3 of 3: Polishing Your Language Comprehension Skills
Step 1. Watch movies and TV shows in Marathi
The Marathi have a thriving film industry, and this production can serve as a useful learning tool in its own right. To make sure you absorb what you see, start with a program aimed at a young audience and work your way up from there. Pay close attention to the dialogue and see how many words and phrases you can remember.
- If you can, turn on subtitles in your native language. Seeing the dialogue written will help you make the connection between what you hear and the meaning on the screen.
- Movies often show ordinary people in normal situations, which means you can see how the language is used in everyday life.
Step 2. Listen to Marathi music
Plug in headphones and listen to Bela Shende or Raja Hasan while exercising or on the way home from school. Due to its uncomplicated lyrical structure and repetitive style, popular music can help improve language skills without feeling like a burden. Another advantage of using music as a study aid is that you can pause and repeat the song whenever you enter a section you don't understand.
- Maharashtra has produced many famous playback singers for Indian films, so much so that the music of the region contains vocals sung in Marathi.
- You can find recordings of many famous Marathi artists on websites like YouTube.
Step 3. Read the short text in Marathi
Buy a newspaper or magazine printed in Marathi and try to interpret it as much as you can. It is a good exercise to see the many symbols of the Marathi alphabet. As your understanding increases, you can move on to more difficult material such as novels or engineering essays.
- Focus on the title, synopsis, and other short sentences in your initial effort not to feel overwhelmed.
- Children's books and lullabies are great materials to brush up on your basic knowledge of Marathi grammar.
Step 4. Talk to a friend who speaks Marathi
Ask someone fluent in Marathi if he or she would be willing to help you practice by having a short conversation. He will be able to adapt to your level of ability, help you with pronunciation, and subtly correct your mistakes. When it comes to learning to speak an unfamiliar language, there's nothing better than hands-on experience.
- Many Indians speak more than one dialect. Maybe your friend has a good understanding of the Marathi language, even if he is not from Maharashtra.
- If you don't know anyone who speaks Marathi personally, try finding friends online with whom you can chat via Skype or FaceTime.
Tips
- It is generally much easier to learn to speak Marathi before learning to read and write it.
- Marathi is a language very rich in history and usage. Speaking, reading, or writing effectively can take years.
- Setting the display language on your phone, tablet or computer to Marathi can provide a more realistic learning experience once you become proficient.
