Understanding Marathi Grammar

Understanding Marathi Grammar

Marathi is among the twenty-two official languages recognized by the Government of India. Its roots trace back to Proto-Dravidian languages, specifically Proto-South Dravidian, which is considered the ancestral tongue of all South Dravidian languages. As a result, some Dravidians may find certain aspects of Marathi easier to learn due to shared characteristics in their grammars.

One notable feature of Marathi grammar is its system of noun and verb conjugations based on gender and number. For example, the masculine singular form of a verb would take the suffix "-ta," while its feminine singular counterpart uses "-tu." When describing objects, Marathi employs postpositions rather than prepositions; hence, "with" becomes "ke" when indicating instrumentality, and "of" becomes "achi" when expressing possession.

In addition, Marathi syntax follows a Subject-Object-Verb (SOV) order, similar to many other Indo-European languages. However, word order can vary depending on the context and emphasis required in a sentence. Like other languages within the region, such as Malayalam, Telugu, and Tamil, Marathi also features the distinctive Dravidian conjunctions like "e" and "ka." Consequently, mastery of Marathi requires familiarization with both Dravidian constructions and the unique features of this Western Indian language.