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Learn Marathi

Devanagari, three genders and verbs that sometimes agree with the object.

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Marathi is the main language of Maharashtra, including Mumbai and Pune, and is an Indo-Aryan language written in Devanagari. It adds sounds and letters like the retroflex ळ, and some affricates have two pronunciations depending on the word. Marathi has three genders, including neuter, and attaches postpositions directly to nouns, as in gharāt (in the house). In past transitive sentences the verb can agree with the object rather than the subject. Learnr builds a personalized Marathi course and teaches it in short, interactive lessons.

How to learn Marathi, step by step

Learn Devanagari with Marathi sounds. If you know Hindi script, focus on what differs, like ळ and ऱ. If not, learn consonants by mouth position and vowel signs by shape. Read short words aloud until each letter maps cleanly to a sound.
Practice retroflex and affricate sounds. Marathi distinguishes dental and retroflex consonants, and च and ज can sound like ts and dz in some words or ch and j in others. Listen to native audio and repeat words in pairs to train your ear.
Learn gender with every noun. Marathi has masculine, feminine and neuter nouns, and adjectives and verbs agree with them. Learn each noun with its gender and a short phrase, such as a demonstrative pronoun or adjective, to make it stick.
Attach postpositions to nouns. Postpositions join the noun, often in an oblique form: ghar becomes gharāt (in the house) and mulāne refers to the boy as agent. Practice changing nouns into these forms for common situations like places and people.
Understand past tense agreement. In past transitive sentences like tyāne pustak vāchle (he read the book), the verb agrees with the neuter object instead of the subject. Compare present and past sentences to see the shift. Daily Learnr lessons reinforce these patterns.
Listen to Marathi media. Marathi films, songs, theatre and news broadcasts show how people actually speak. Speak with Marathi speakers when you can, since everyday speech differs from formal written Marathi.

What you'll learn

Read Devanagari as used for Marathi, including ळ
Pronounce retroflex sounds and the two kinds of ch and j
Use masculine, feminine and neuter forms correctly
Attach postpositions to nouns in their oblique forms
Handle everyday conversations in Mumbai, Pune and beyond

What's inside your Marathi course

A sample path Learnr builds for Marathi. Your real course adapts to your goal and level.

1. Devanagari and Marathi sounds
2. Greetings and simple sentences
3. Gender, plurals and adjectives
4. Present tense and postpositions
5. Past tense and object agreement
6. Future tense and conversation practice

How long does it take to learn Marathi?

With 30 to 60 minutes daily, many learners reach basic conversation in about 6 to 12 months and confident everyday use in two years. Knowledge of Hindi or another Indo-Aryan language shortens the time significantly.

What you need before you start

No prior language is required. Learning Devanagari early helps, and any Hindi or Gujarati background provides useful vocabulary and grammar parallels.

Common mistakes to avoid

Assuming Marathi works exactly like Hindi and translating directly, which produces wrong verb forms and vocabulary.
Forgetting neuter gender and using masculine or feminine forms for every noun, which confuses agreement in past tense sentences.
Pronouncing ळ as a plain l, which changes words and makes your speech sound unnatural.

How Learnr builds your course

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Marathi questions, answered

Is Marathi hard if I know Hindi?

Hindi helps with script and vocabulary, but Marathi has its own grammar, including a neuter gender and different verb endings. Expect a head start rather than instant understanding.

Is Marathi written in the same script as Hindi?

Both use Devanagari, but Marathi includes letters and conventions specific to its sounds, such as ळ. Learning the differences takes only a short time if you already read Hindi.