What does "do" mean in Marathi, in "what are you doing?", "I did my homework" or "do it now"?
The Marathi verb is करणे (karaṇe), "to do, to make." It is one of the busiest words in the language. It is the verb of work and of everything done on purpose:
- मी काम करतो (mī kām karato), "I work," literally "I do work" - तू काय करतोस? (tū kāy karatos?), "what are you doing?" - मी गृहपाठ केला (mī gṛhapāṭh kelā), "I did my homework"
You have met करणे many times already. In Lesson 12 it gave करायला, "to do." In Lesson 14, ताई परीक्षेसाठी अभ्यास करते, "my elder sister is studying for the exam," and आईवडील खूप कष्ट करतात, "parents work very hard." In Lesson 13, मी नक्की करीन, "I will certainly do it."
करणे makes new verbs. Much of the time करणे is joined to a noun or an adjective, and the pair means one thing. English often has a single verb where Marathi says "do X":
- काम करणे (kām karaṇe), "to work" (do work) - अभ्यास करणे (abhyās karaṇe), "to study" (do study) - स्वयंपाक करणे (svayaṃpāk karaṇe), "to cook" (do cooking) - मदत करणे (madat karaṇe), "to help" (do help) - साफ करणे (sāph karaṇe), "to clean" (make clean) - पूर्ण करणे (pūrṇa karaṇe), "to finish" (make complete)
So करणे translates English "do" and "make," and also many English verbs that have no "do" in them at all.
English "do" that Marathi does not say. English uses "do" to build questions and negatives: "Do you know?", "I don't know." Marathi never uses करणे for this. A question is made with का (kā) at the end, and a negative with नाही (nāhī): तुला माहीत आहे का? (tulā māhīt āhe kā?), "do you know?"; मला माहीत नाही (malā māhīt nāhī), "I don't know." करणे is used only when something is really being done.
The past is irregular. The stem of करणे is कर- (kar-), and most forms are regular: करतो, करते, करतात, करेल, करायला. The past tense, however, is के- (ke-): केला (kelā), केली (kelī), केले (kele). Like every transitive verb in the past, it agrees with the thing done, not with the doer (Lesson 13, Rule 3): मी अभ्यास केला, "I studied" (अभ्यास is masculine); मी चूक केली, "I made a mistake" (चूक is feminine); मी काम केले, "I did the work" (काम is neuter).
On the origin of the word. करणे comes from the Sanskrit root कृ (kṛ), "to do, make," whose present is करोति (karoti). The same root gives many learned Marathi words: कार्य (kārya), "task, work," कर्म (karma), "deed, action," and कृती (kṛtī), "act, deed." The irregular past के- is usually traced to the Sanskrit past participle कृत (kṛta), "done."
A note on the script. करणे is written क + र + ण + े. ण (ṇa) is the retroflex n, with the tip of the tongue curled back; it is not the dental न (na). Every dictionary form of a Marathi verb ends in -णे (-ṇe). In speech the inherent a of र is dropped: karaṇe is said KAR-ne.
- करणे (karaṇe), "to do, to make"; stem कर- (kar-) - Present: मी करतो/करते, तू करतोस/करतेस, तो करतो, ती करते, आम्ही करतो, तुम्ही करता, ते करतात - Past (irregular): केला, केली, केले, agreeing with the thing done: मी काम केले - Future: करीन, करशील, करेल, करू, कराल, करतील - Noun or adjective + करणे makes a verb: काम करणे, मदत करणे, साफ करणे - English question and negative "do" is not करणे: तुला माहीत आहे का?
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15.1a मी I काम work करतो do
15.1b mī (MEE) I kām (KAAM) work-N.SG karato (KAR-to) do-PRES.1SG.M
15.2a तू you काय what करतोस do
15.2b tū (TOO) you-SG kāy (KAAY) what karatos (KAR-tos) do-PRES.2SG.M
15.3a आई mother स्वयंपाक cooking करते does
15.3b āī (AA-ee) mother-F.SG svayaṃpāk (SVA-yam-paak) cooking-M.SG karate (KAR-te) do-PRES.3SG.F
15.4a मुले children अभ्यास study करतात do
15.4b mule (MU-le) child-N.PL abhyās (ABH-yaas) study-M.SG karatāt (KAR-taat) do-PRES.3PL
15.5a मी I गृहपाठ homework केला did
15.5b mī (MEE) I gṛhapāṭh (GRU-ha-paath) homework-M.SG kelā (KE-laa) do-PAST.M.SG
15.6a ताईने elder-sister आज today घरातली of-the-house सगळी all कामे jobs केली did
15.6b tāīne (TAA-ee-ne) elder-sister-ERG āj (AAJ) today gharātalī (GHA-raat-lee) house-LOC-ADJ.N.PL sagaḷī (SAG-lee) all-N.PL kāme (KAA-me) work-N.PL kelī (KE-lee) do-PAST.N.PL
15.7a बाबांनी Dad मला to-me मदत help केली did
15.7b bābāṃnī (BAA-baan-nee) father-OBL.HON-ERG malā (MA-laa) I-DAT madat (MA-dat) help-F.SG kelī (KE-lee) do-PAST.F.SG
15.8a उद्या tomorrow आम्ही we गावाला to-village जाण्याची of-going तयारी preparation करू will-do
15.8b udyā (UD-yaa) tomorrow āmhī (AAM-hee) we gāvālā (GAA-vaa-laa) village-OBL-to jāṇyācī (JAAN-yaa-chee) go-INF.OBL-GEN.F tayārī (ta-YAA-ree) preparation-F.SG karū (KA-roo) do-FUT.1PL
15.9a तू you हे this काम work कधी when करणार going-to-do आहेस are
15.9b tū (TOO) you-SG he (HE) this-N.SG kām (KAAM) work-N.SG kadhī (KA-dhee) when karaṇār (KAR-naar) do-FUT.PTCP āhes (AA-hes) is-2SG.AUX
15.10a आजीने grandmother मला to-me रोज daily व्यायाम exercise करायला to-do सांगितले told
15.10b ājīne (AA-jee-ne) grandmother-ERG malā (MA-laa) I-DAT roj (ROJ) daily vyāyām (VYAA-yaam) exercise-M.SG karāyalā (ka-RAAY-laa) do-INF sāṃgitale (SAANG-it-le) tell-PAST.N.SG
15.11a जो who माणूस person मेहनत hard-work करतो does त्याला to-him यश success मिळते comes
15.11b jo (JO) which-REL.M.SG māṇūs (MAA-noos) person-M.SG mehanat (MEH-nat) hard-work-F.SG karato (KAR-to) do-PRES.3SG.M tyālā (TYAA-laa) he-DAT yaś (YASH) success-N.SG miḷate (MIL-te) be-got-PRES.3SG
15.12a जेवण meal झाल्यावर after-being-over आम्ही we सगळे all मिळून together घर house स्वच्छ clean करतो do
15.12b jevaṇ (JE-van) meal-N.SG jhālyāvar (JHAAL-yaa-var) become-PAST.PTCP.OBL-on āmhī (AAM-hee) we sagaḷe (SAG-le) all-M.PL miḷūn (MI-loon) join-CONJ.PTCP ghar (GHAR) house-N.SG svaccha (SVACH-chha) clean karato (KAR-to) do-PRES.1PL
15.13a तू you मला to-me फोन phone केला done असतास had-been तर then मी I लगेच at-once आलो come असतो would-have
15.13b tū (TOO) you-SG malā (MA-laa) I-DAT phon (PHON) phone-call-M.SG kelā (KE-laa) do-PAST.M.SG asatās (AS-taas) be-COND.2SG tar (TAR) then mī (MEE) I lagec (LA-gech) at-once ālo (AA-lo) come-PAST.1SG.M asato (AS-to) be-COND.1SG.M
15.14a आपण we काय what बोलतो say यापेक्षा than-this काय what करतो do हे this जास्त more महत्त्वाचे important आहे is
15.14b āpaṇ (AA-pan) we-INCL kāy (KAAY) what bolato (BOL-to) speak-PRES.1PL yāpekṣā (YAA-pek-shaa) this-OBL-than kāy (KAAY) what karato (KAR-to) do-PRES.1PL he (HE) this-N.SG jāsta (JAAS-ta) more mahattvāce (ma-HAT-tvaa-che) importance-GEN.N.SG āhe (AA-he) is-3SG
15.15a आईने mother सांगितलेले told काम work पूर्ण complete करूनच only-after-doing सोहम Soham खेळायला to-play गेला went
15.15b āīne (AA-ee-ne) mother-ERG sāṃgitalele (SAANG-it-le-le) tell-PAST.PTCP.N.SG kām (KAAM) work-N.SG pūrṇa (POOR-na) complete karūnac (ka-ROO-nach) do-CONJ.PTCP-EMPH soham (SO-ham) Soham kheḷāyalā (khe-LAAY-laa) play-INF gelā (GE-laa) go-PAST.3SG.M
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15.1 मी काम करतो. — mī kām karato. — "I work."
15.2 तू काय करतोस? — tū kāy karatos? — "What are you doing?"
15.3 आई स्वयंपाक करते. — āī svayaṃpāk karate. — "Mother cooks."
15.4 मुले अभ्यास करतात. — mule abhyās karatāt. — "The children study."
15.5 मी गृहपाठ केला. — mī gṛhapāṭh kelā. — "I did my homework."
15.6 ताईने आज घरातली सगळी कामे केली. — tāīne āj gharātalī sagaḷī kāme kelī. — "Today my elder sister did all the housework."
15.7 बाबांनी मला मदत केली. — bābāṃnī malā madat kelī. — "Dad helped me."
15.8 उद्या आम्ही गावाला जाण्याची तयारी करू. — udyā āmhī gāvālā jāṇyācī tayārī karū. — "Tomorrow we will get ready to go to the village."
15.9 तू हे काम कधी करणार आहेस? — tū he kām kadhī karaṇār āhes? — "When are you going to do this job?"
15.10 आजीने मला रोज व्यायाम करायला सांगितले. — ājīne malā roj vyāyām karāyalā sāṃgitale. — "Grandmother told me to exercise every day."
15.11 जो माणूस मेहनत करतो, त्याला यश मिळते. — jo māṇūs mehanat karato, tyālā yaś miḷate. — "Whoever works hard succeeds."
15.12 जेवण झाल्यावर आम्ही सगळे मिळून घर स्वच्छ करतो. — jevaṇ jhālyāvar āmhī sagaḷe miḷūn ghar svaccha karato. — "After the meal we all clean the house together."
15.13 तू मला फोन केला असतास, तर मी लगेच आलो असतो. — tū malā phon kelā asatās, tar mī lagec ālo asato. — "If you had phoned me, I would have come at once."
15.14 आपण काय बोलतो यापेक्षा काय करतो हे जास्त महत्त्वाचे आहे. — āpaṇ kāy bolato yāpekṣā kāy karato he jāsta mahattvāce āhe. — "What we do matters more than what we say."
15.15 आईने सांगितलेले काम पूर्ण करूनच सोहम खेळायला गेला. — āīne sāṃgitalele kām pūrṇa karūnac soham kheḷāyalā gelā. — "Soham went out to play only after finishing the job Mother had given him."
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15.1 मी काम करतो.
15.2 तू काय करतोस?
15.3 आई स्वयंपाक करते.
15.4 मुले अभ्यास करतात.
15.5 मी गृहपाठ केला.
15.6 ताईने आज घरातली सगळी कामे केली.
15.7 बाबांनी मला मदत केली.
15.8 उद्या आम्ही गावाला जाण्याची तयारी करू.
15.9 तू हे काम कधी करणार आहेस?
15.10 आजीने मला रोज व्यायाम करायला सांगितले.
15.11 जो माणूस मेहनत करतो, त्याला यश मिळते.
15.12 जेवण झाल्यावर आम्ही सगळे मिळून घर स्वच्छ करतो.
15.13 तू मला फोन केला असतास, तर मी लगेच आलो असतो.
15.14 आपण काय बोलतो यापेक्षा काय करतो हे जास्त महत्त्वाचे आहे.
15.15 आईने सांगितलेले काम पूर्ण करूनच सोहम खेळायला गेला.
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Rule 1. The stem is कर-. Remove -णे from करणे and कर- (kar-) is left. All the forms except the past are built on it.
Rule 2. The present. The present tense says what one does regularly, and in speech also what one is doing now (15.2). It agrees with the doer:
- मी करतो (m.) / करते (f.) (mī karato / karate), "I do" - तू करतोस (m.) / करतेस (f.) (tū karatos / karates), "you do" - तो करतो (to karato), "he does"; ती करते (tī karate), "she does"; ते करते (te karate), "it does" - आम्ही करतो (āmhī karato), "we do"; आपण करतो (āpaṇ karato), "we (you and I) do" (15.14) - तुम्ही करता (tumhī karatā), "you (plural, polite) do" - ते / त्या / ती करतात (karatāt), "they do" (15.4)
The negative is करत नाही (karat nāhī): मी काम करत नाही, "I don't work." For "is doing," say करत आहे (karat āhe), and for "was doing," करत होता / होती / होते (15.16–15.19).
Rule 3. The past: केला, केली, केले. The past tense is irregular, built on के-. As with every transitive verb in the past, the doer is in the ergative and the verb agrees with the thing done (Lesson 13, Rule 3). मी, तू, आम्ही and तुम्ही take no ending; तो becomes त्याने, ती becomes तिने, a noun takes -ने (आईने, ताईने), and a respectful plural takes -नी (बाबांनी, 15.7).
- masculine singular: केला: मी गृहपाठ केला (15.5); सोहमने चहा केला (15.26) - feminine singular: केली: बाबांनी मला मदत केली (15.7); सोहमने खोली साफ केली (15.29) - neuter singular: केले: आजीने कौतुक केले (15.27) - masculine plural: केले - feminine plural: केल्या: ताईने घड्या केल्या (15.20) - neuter plural: केली: ताईने सगळी कामे केली (15.6)
With तू as the doer, the verb adds -स: तू काम केलेस, "you did the work" (15.30); in a compound tense the -स goes on the helping verb: तू फोन केला असतास, "if you had phoned" (15.13).
Rule 4. The future.
- मी करीन (mī karīn), "I will do" - तू करशील (tū karaśīl), "you will do" - तो / ती / ते करेल (karel), "he / she / it will do" - आम्ही करू (āmhī karū), "we will do" (15.8) - तुम्ही कराल (tumhī karāl), "you will do" - ते करतील (te karatīl), "they will do"
For "am going to do," use करणार + आहे: तू हे काम कधी करणार आहेस? (15.9).
Rule 5. Commands and suggestions. कर (kar), "do!" to one person you know well (15.25); करा (karā) to more than one, or politely. "Don't!" is करू नकोस (karū nakos) or करू नका (karū nakā). मी काय करू? (mī kāy karū?), "what shall I do?" (15.24). करावे (karāve) means "one should do": it is the form in the literary citation below.
Rule 6. The other forms you know.
- करायला (karāyalā), "to do" (Lesson 12): व्यायाम करायला सांगितले (15.10) - करण्यासाठी (karaṇyāsāṭhī), "in order to do" (Lesson 14) - करून (karūn), "having done": पूर्ण करूनच, "only after finishing" (15.15) - करत (karat), "doing," in करत आहे / करत होता
Rule 7. Noun or adjective + करणे. This is the commonest use of the verb. The noun stays in its plain form, and in the past the verb agrees with it:
- काम करणे, "to work": मी काम केले - अभ्यास करणे, "to study"; स्वयंपाक करणे, "to cook"; व्यायाम करणे, "to exercise" - मदत करणे, "to help": the person helped is in the dative: मला मदत केली (15.7) - फोन करणे, "to phone": मला फोन केला (15.13) - कौतुक करणे, "to praise": त्याचे कौतुक केले (15.27) - साफ करणे, स्वच्छ करणे, "to clean" (15.12, 15.18); तयार करणे, "to make ready"; पूर्ण करणे, "to finish" (15.15)
A few foods are "done" in Marathi: पोहे करणे, चहा करणे, "to make poha, to make tea" (15.17, 15.26).
Rule 8. No "do" in questions and negatives. English "Do you…?" and "I don't…" are not करणे. Use का for the question and नाही for the negative: तुला चहा आवडतो का? "do you like tea?"; मला चहा आवडत नाही, "I don't like tea."
- A regular past. मी काम करले ✗, मी करलो ✗. Say मी काम केले ✓. - Making the past agree with the doer. ताईने काम केली ✗ (काम is neuter). Say ताईने काम केले ✓. But ताईने मदत केली ✓, because मदत is feminine. - मीने. मीने केले ✗. मी takes no ergative ending: मी केले ✓. - करणे for English auxiliary "do." तू करतोस माहीत? ✗. Say तुला माहीत आहे का? ✓. - Forgetting -स with तू in the past. तू काम केले ✗. Say तू काम केलेस ✓.
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करणे is among the most frequent verbs in Marathi, in every register. In formal and learned Marathi it often gives way to Sanskrit-derived nouns with करणे or with other verbs: प्रयत्न करणे, "to try," सुरू करणे, "to begin," विचार करणे, "to think." Everyday speech shortens some forms: काय करतोयस? (kāy karatoyas?) for काय करत आहेस?, "what are you doing?"
Every Marathi schoolchild knows the proverb करावे तसे भरावे (karāve tase bharāve), "as you do, so you pay," the Marathi "as you sow, so shall you reap." Even more famous is a line attributed to the seventeenth-century saint Samarth Ramdas: केल्याने होत आहे रे, आधी केलेचि पाहिजे (kelyāne hot āhe re, ādhī keleci pāhije), "it comes about by doing; first, you must do." It is written on school walls, quoted in speeches and set as an essay topic. In it, केल्याने means "by doing," and केलेचि is an old form of केलेच, "the doing itself."
- काय करतोस? / काय करतेस? (kāy karatos? / kāy karates?), "what are you doing? what do you do?" - काय करू? (kāy karū?), "what shall I do?" - काही हरकत नाही, मी करतो (kāhī harakat nāhī, mī karato), "no problem, I'll do it" - घाई करू नका (ghāī karū nakā), "don't hurry" - कृपया मदत करा (kṛpayā madat karā), "please help" - मला फोन कर (malā phon kar), "give me a call"
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The citation is from the मनाचे श्लोक (Manāce Śloka), "Verses to the Mind," by Samarth Ramdas (समर्थ रामदास, 1608–1681), the saint and teacher of Maharashtra and the author of the दासबोध. The Manache Shlok are 205 short verses, each addressed to the mind, मना, as to a friend who must be taught to live well. Generations of Marathi children have learned them by heart. This is the second verse, the first after the opening invocation. It is a rule of life in four lines, and its last word is the lesson's verb: करावे, "one should do." The text follows the Marathi Wikisource transcription; other printings agree in wording, though some add or drop the anusvara (ं) on the final vowels (भावें करावें).
F.1a मना O-mind सज्जना O-good-one भक्तिपंथेचि by-devotion's-path-alone जावें one-should-go
F.1b manā (MA-naa) mind-VOC sajjanā (SAJ-ja-naa) good-person-VOC bhaktipaṃtheci (BHAK-ti-pan-the-chi) devotion-path-INST-EMPH jāveṃ (JAA-ve) go-OPT
F.2a तरी then श्रीहरी Shri-Hari पाविजेतो is-reached स्वभावें naturally
F.2b tarī (TA-ree) then śrīharī (SHREE-ha-ree) Shri-Hari pāvijeto (PAA-vi-je-to) reach-PASS.3SG.M svabhāveṃ (SVA-bhaa-ve) nature-INST
F.3a जनीं among-people निंद्य blameworthy तें that सर्व all सोडूनि having-let-go द्यावें one-should-give
F.3b janīṃ (JA-nee) people-LOC niṃdya (NIN-dya) blameworthy teṃ (TE) that-N.SG sarva (SAR-va) all soḍūni (SO-doo-ni) leave-CONJ.PTCP dyāveṃ (DYAA-ve) give-OPT
F.4a जनीं among-people वंद्य praiseworthy ते that सर्व all भावे with-heart करावे one-should-do
F.4b janīṃ (JA-nee) people-LOC vaṃdya (VAN-dya) praiseworthy te (TE) that-N.SG sarva (SAR-va) all bhāve (BHAA-ve) feeling-INST karāve (ka-RAA-ve) do-OPT
मना सज्जना भक्तिपंथेचि जावें। तरी श्रीहरी पाविजेतो स्वभावें॥ जनीं निंद्य तें सर्व सोडूनि द्यावें। जनीं वंद्य ते सर्व भावे करावे॥२॥
manā sajjanā bhaktipaṃtheci jāveṃ tarī śrīharī pāvijeto svabhāveṃ janīṃ niṃdya teṃ sarva soḍūni dyāveṃ janīṃ vaṃdya te sarva bhāve karāve
"O mind, good friend, go by the path of devotion alone; then Shri Hari is reached as a matter of course. Whatever people hold blameworthy, give it all up; whatever people hold worthy of honour, do it all with your whole heart."
— Samarth Ramdas, मनाचे श्लोक, verse 2 (Marathi Wikisource). Translation: Latinum Institute, kept close to the Marathi.
मना सज्जना भक्तिपंथेचि जावें। तरी श्रीहरी पाविजेतो स्वभावें॥ जनीं निंद्य तें सर्व सोडूनि द्यावें। जनीं वंद्य ते सर्व भावे करावे॥२॥
- करावे (F.4). The lesson's verb in its "should" form: the stem कर- + -आवे. It does not name a doer; it states what ought to be done: "(it) should be done, one should do." The same ending runs through the whole verse: जावें, "one should go," द्यावें, "one should give." Modern Marathi still uses it: काय करावे ते कळत नाही, "I don't know what one should do." - The anusvara on जावें, द्यावें, स्वभावें. Older Marathi wrote a nasal sign on many final -e and -ā vowels. Modern spelling has dropped it: जावे, द्यावे. Read them as जावे, द्यावे. - मना सज्जना (F.1). The vocative: मन, "mind," becomes मना, "O mind!" Every verse of the work begins or turns on this address. - सोडूनि द्यावें (F.3). सोडूनि is the old form of सोडून, "having left." सोडून देणे, "to give up," is still everyday Marathi: ती सवय सोडून दे, "give up that habit." - भक्तिपंथेचि (F.1). -चि is the old form of the emphatic -च, "only, alone" (as in करूनच, 15.15): "by the path of devotion alone." - जनीं (F.3, F.4). "Among people," the old locative of जन, "people," with the ending -ईं. Modern Marathi would say लोकांमध्ये. - निंद्य … वंद्य (F.3, F.4). Two Sanskrit words that rhyme: "to be blamed" and "to be honoured." The last two lines are a pair: give up the one, do the other.
Ramdas wrote the Manache Shlok in the भुजंगप्रयात metre, twelve syllables to the line, short-long-long four times over, and in this verse all four lines end on the same rhyme, -आवें. The beat makes them easy to chant and remember, and for three centuries they have been recited at home in the evening and taught in schools. This verse puts the whole teaching in its last line: devotion is not only a feeling, it is something one does, सर्व भावे करावे, "do it all with your whole heart." The saying in Section E, केल्याने होत आहे रे, belongs to the same teacher and the same conviction.
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15.16a शनिवारी on-Saturday सकाळी in-the-morning घरात in-house प्रत्येकजण everyone काहीतरी something करत doing होता was
15.16b śanivārī (SHA-ni-vaa-ree) Saturday-LOC sakāḷī (sa-KAA-lee) morning-LOC gharāt (GHA-raat) house-LOC pratyekajaṇ (PRAT-yek-jan) each-person-M.SG kāhītarī (KAA-hee-ta-ree) something karat (KA-rat) do-PROG hotā (HO-taa) be-PAST.3SG.M
15.17a आई mother स्वयंपाकघरात in-kitchen पोहे poha करत making होती was
15.17b āī (AA-ee) mother-F.SG svayaṃpākagharāt (SVA-yam-paak-gha-raat) kitchen-LOC pohe (PO-he) poha-M.PL karat (KA-rat) do-PROG hotī (HO-tee) be-PAST.3SG.F
15.18a बाबा Dad गाडी car साफ clean करत making होते was
15.18b bābā (BAA-baa) father-M.HON gāḍī (GAA-dee) car-F.SG sāph (SAAPH) clean karat (KA-rat) do-PROG hote (HO-te) be-PAST.3PL.HON
15.19a आजी grandmother देवाची of-god पूजा worship करत doing होती was
15.19b ājī (AA-jee) grandmother-F.SG devācī (DE-vaa-chee) god-GEN.F pūjā (POO-jaa) worship-F.SG karat (KA-rat) do-PROG hotī (HO-tee) be-PAST.3SG.F
15.20a ताईने elder-sister कपड्यांच्या of-clothes घड्या folds केल्या did
15.20b tāīne (TAA-ee-ne) elder-sister-ERG kapaḍyāṃcyā (KAP-dyaan-chyaa) clothes-OBL.PL-GEN.F.PL ghaḍyā (GHAD-yaa) fold-F.PL kelyā (KEL-yaa) do-PAST.F.PL
15.21a सोहम Soham मात्र however काहीच nothing-at-all करत doing नव्हता was-not
15.21b soham (SO-ham) Soham mātra (MAA-tra) however kāhīc (KAA-heech) anything-EMPH karat (KA-rat) do-PROG navhatā (NAV-ha-taa) be-NEG.PAST.3SG.M
15.22a तो he पलंगावर on-bed पडून lying आळस laziness करत doing होता was
15.22b to (TO) he palaṃgāvar (pa-LANG-aa-var) bed-OBL-on paḍūn (PA-doon) fall-CONJ.PTCP āḷas (AA-las) laziness-M.SG karat (KA-rat) do-PROG hotā (HO-taa) be-PAST.3SG.M
15.23a आई mother म्हणाली said सोहम Soham जरा a-little मदत help कर do ना won't-you
15.23b āī (AA-ee) mother mhaṇālī (MHA-naa-lee) say-PAST.3SG.F soham (SO-ham) Soham-VOC jarā (JA-raa) a-little madat (MA-dat) help-F.SG kar (KAR) do-IMP.2SG nā (NAA) PARTICLE
15.24a सोहम Soham म्हणाला said मी I काय what करू shall-do
15.24b soham (SO-ham) Soham mhaṇālā (MHA-naa-laa) say-PAST.3SG.M mī (MEE) I kāy (KAAY) what karū (KA-roo) do-SUBJ.1SG
15.25a आई mother हसून smiling म्हणाली said आजीसाठी for-grandmother चहा tea कर make
15.25b āī (AA-ee) mother hasūn (HA-soon) laugh-CONJ.PTCP mhaṇālī (MHA-naa-lee) say-PAST.3SG.F ājīsāṭhī (AA-jee-saa-thee) grandmother-for cahā (CHA-haa) tea-M.SG kar (KAR) do-IMP.2SG
15.26a सोहमने Soham पहिल्यांदाच for-the-very-first-time स्वतः himself चहा tea केला made
15.26b sohamane (SO-ham-ne) Soham-ERG pahilyāṃdāc (PA-hil-yaan-daach) first-time-EMPH svataḥ (SVA-tah) oneself cahā (CHA-haa) tea-M.SG kelā (KE-laa) do-PAST.M.SG
15.27a चहात in-tea साखर sugar जरा a-little जास्त too-much झाली became पण but आजीने grandmother त्याचे his खूप much कौतुक praise केले did
15.27b cahāt (CHA-haat) tea-LOC sākhar (SAA-khar) sugar-F.SG jarā (JA-raa) a-little jāsta (JAAS-ta) more jhālī (JHAA-lee) become-PAST.F.SG paṇ (PAN) but ājīne (AA-jee-ne) grandmother-ERG tyāce (TYAA-che) he-GEN.N.SG khūp (KHOOP) very-much kautuk (KAU-tuk) praise-N.SG kele (KE-le) do-PAST.N.SG
15.28a आजी grandmother म्हणाली said जे which काम work आपण we मनापासून from-the-heart करतो do ते that कधीच ever वाया to-waste जात going नाही not
15.28b ājī (AA-jee) grandmother mhaṇālī (MHA-naa-lee) say-PAST.3SG.F je (JE) which-REL.N.SG kām (KAAM) work-N.SG āpaṇ (AA-pan) we-INCL manāpāsūn (ma-NAA-paa-soon) heart-OBL-from karato (KAR-to) do-PRES.1PL te (TE) that-N.SG kadhīc (KA-dheech) ever-EMPH vāyā (VAA-yaa) waste jāt (JAAT) go-PRES nāhī (NAA-hee) not-NEG
15.29a त्यानंतर after-that सोहमने Soham स्वतःहून of-his-own-accord आपली his-own खोलीसुद्धा room-too साफ clean केली made
15.29b tyānaṃtar (TYAA-nan-tar) that-OBL-after sohamane (SO-ham-ne) Soham-ERG svataḥhūn (SVA-tah-hoon) oneself-from āpalī (AAP-lee) own-F.SG kholīsuddhā (KHO-lee-sud-dhaa) room-F.SG-also sāph (SAAPH) clean kelī (KE-lee) do-PAST.F.SG
15.30a संध्याकाळी in-the-evening बाबा Dad म्हणाले said आज today तू you खरंच really छान fine काम work केलेस did
15.30b saṃdhyākāḷī (SAN-dhyaa-kaa-lee) evening-LOC bābā (BAA-baa) father-M.HON mhaṇāle (MHA-naa-le) say-PAST.3PL.HON āj (AAJ) today tū (TOO) you-SG kharaṃc (KHA-rach) truly-EMPH chān (CHHAAN) fine kām (KAAM) work-N.SG keles (KE-les) do-PAST.N.SG.2SG
15.16 शनिवारी सकाळी घरात प्रत्येकजण काहीतरी करत होता. — śanivārī sakāḷī gharāt pratyekajaṇ kāhītarī karat hotā. — "On Saturday morning everyone in the house was doing something."
15.17 आई स्वयंपाकघरात पोहे करत होती. — āī svayaṃpākagharāt pohe karat hotī. — "Mother was making poha in the kitchen."
15.18 बाबा गाडी साफ करत होते. — bābā gāḍī sāph karat hote. — "Dad was cleaning the car."
15.19 आजी देवाची पूजा करत होती. — ājī devācī pūjā karat hotī. — "Grandmother was doing her puja."
15.20 ताईने कपड्यांच्या घड्या केल्या. — tāīne kapaḍyāṃcyā ghaḍyā kelyā. — "My elder sister folded the clothes."
15.21 सोहम मात्र काहीच करत नव्हता. — soham mātra kāhīc karat navhatā. — "Soham, though, was doing nothing at all."
15.22 तो पलंगावर पडून आळस करत होता. — to palaṃgāvar paḍūn āḷas karat hotā. — "He was lying on the bed, lazing about."
15.23 आई म्हणाली, "सोहम, जरा मदत कर ना." — āī mhaṇālī, "soham, jarā madat kar nā." — "Mother said, 'Soham, give us a bit of help, won't you?'"
15.24 सोहम म्हणाला, "मी काय करू?" — soham mhaṇālā, "mī kāy karū?" — "Soham said, 'What shall I do?'"
15.25 आई हसून म्हणाली, "आजीसाठी चहा कर." — āī hasūn mhaṇālī, "ājīsāṭhī cahā kar." — "Mother smiled and said, 'Make some tea for Grandma.'"
15.26 सोहमने पहिल्यांदाच स्वतः चहा केला. — sohamane pahilyāṃdāc svataḥ cahā kelā. — "For the very first time, Soham made tea by himself."
15.27 चहात साखर जरा जास्त झाली, पण आजीने त्याचे खूप कौतुक केले. — cahāt sākhar jarā jāsta jhālī, paṇ ājīne tyāce khūp kautuk kele. — "The tea was a little too sweet, but Grandma praised him warmly."
15.28 आजी म्हणाली, "जे काम आपण मनापासून करतो, ते कधीच वाया जात नाही." — ājī mhaṇālī, "je kām āpaṇ manāpāsūn karato, te kadhīc vāyā jāt nāhī." — "Grandma said, 'Work we do with all our heart is never wasted.'"
15.29 त्यानंतर सोहमने स्वतःहून आपली खोलीसुद्धा साफ केली. — tyānaṃtar sohamane svataḥhūn āpalī kholīsuddhā sāph kelī. — "After that, Soham cleaned his room too, without being asked."
15.30 संध्याकाळी बाबा म्हणाले, "आज तू खरंच छान काम केलेस!" — saṃdhyākāḷī bābā mhaṇāle, "āj tū kharaṃc chān kām keles!" — "In the evening Dad said, 'You really did a fine job today!'"
15.16 शनिवारी सकाळी घरात प्रत्येकजण काहीतरी करत होता.
15.17 आई स्वयंपाकघरात पोहे करत होती.
15.18 बाबा गाडी साफ करत होते.
15.19 आजी देवाची पूजा करत होती.
15.20 ताईने कपड्यांच्या घड्या केल्या.
15.21 सोहम मात्र काहीच करत नव्हता.
15.22 तो पलंगावर पडून आळस करत होता.
15.23 आई म्हणाली, "सोहम, जरा मदत कर ना."
15.24 सोहम म्हणाला, "मी काय करू?"
15.25 आई हसून म्हणाली, "आजीसाठी चहा कर."
15.26 सोहमने पहिल्यांदाच स्वतः चहा केला.
15.27 चहात साखर जरा जास्त झाली, पण आजीने त्याचे खूप कौतुक केले.
15.28 आजी म्हणाली, "जे काम आपण मनापासून करतो, ते कधीच वाया जात नाही."
15.29 त्यानंतर सोहमने स्वतःहून आपली खोलीसुद्धा साफ केली.
15.30 संध्याकाळी बाबा म्हणाले, "आज तू खरंच छान काम केलेस!"
- "Was doing": करत होता / होती / होते (15.16–15.19). The progressive past agrees with the doer, because it is not a simple transitive past: आई … करत होती, बाबा … करत होते (respectful plural), प्रत्येकजण … करत होता. Its negative is करत नव्हता (15.21). - "Did": केला / केली / केले / केल्या (15.20, 15.26, 15.27, 15.29, 15.30). The simple past agrees with the thing done: घड्या (feminine plural) केल्या; चहा (masculine) केला; कौतुक (neuter) केले; खोली (feminine) केली. The doer takes -ने: ताईने, सोहमने, आजीने. With तू the verb ends in -स: तू काम केलेस. - The family at work. Each person "does" something different, and each is a noun or adjective + करणे: पोहे करणे, साफ करणे, पूजा करणे, घड्या करणे, आळस करणे, मदत करणे, कौतुक करणे. - कर ना (15.23). ना after a command softens it: "do help, won't you?" - मी काय करू? (15.24). करू with मी asks for instructions: "what shall I do?" With आम्ही, करू is the future: "we will do" (15.8). - त्याचे कौतुक केले (15.27). The person praised is in the genitive: "(she) did his praise." - जे … ते (15.28). The relative pair from Lesson 13: जे काम … ते, "which work …, that." - स्वतः, स्वतःहून (15.26, 15.29). स्वतः, "oneself"; स्वतःहून, "of one's own accord," "without being told." - The places and customs. पोहे, flattened rice cooked with onion, turmeric and mustard seed, is Maharashtra's favourite breakfast. पूजा is the morning worship at the family shrine, often done by the grandparents.
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- करणे [kəɾəɳe]: KAR-ne. The a of र is not said in speech, though the romanization writes it. - ण [ɳ] is the retroflex n: curl the tip of the tongue back to the roof of the mouth. It is not the dental न [n̪]. - र [ɾ] is a single tap of the tongue, as in Spanish pero, never the English r. - The short a of क is the neutral [ə], like the a of English "about."
- करतो [kəɾt̪o], KAR-to; करते [kəɾt̪e], KAR-te; करतात [kəɾt̪aːt̪], KAR-taat. The त is dental, tongue against the teeth. - केला, केली, केले [keːlaː, keːliː, keːle]: KE-laa, KE-lee, KE-le. The e is long and pure, as in French été, without the glide of English "day." - केल्या [keːljaː]: KEL-yaa, with ल and य said together. - करीन [kəɾiːn], ka-REEN; करशील [kəɾʃiːl], KAR-sheel; करेल [kəɾel], ka-REL. - करू [kəɾuː], KA-roo; करून [kəɾuːn], ka-ROON.
- ऋ in गृहपाठ and कृपया. Marathi says ऋ as "ru": GRU-ha-paath, KRU-pa-yaa. - च्छ in स्वच्छ. A double ch with breath on the second: SVACH-chha. - ळ (ḷ). सकाळी, सगळी, मिळून, आळस: the retroflex l, with the tongue curled back. - त्त्व in महत्त्वाचे. Double dental t followed by v: ma-HAT-tvaa-che. - Visarga in स्वतः. A light breath after the vowel: SVA-tah. - The old anusvara in the citation. जावें, द्यावें are read as जावे, द्यावे in modern recitation: JAA-ve, DYAA-ve. - Intonation. A question word carries the question without rising much: मी काय करू? A yes-no question with का rises on का: तुला माहीत आहे का? ↗
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