अ- / अन- / बे- / ना-
Negative Prefixes
The prefix joins the word with no space, and the new word is used like any other word.
How It Works
Marathi has two families of negative prefixes, and each family goes with its own kind of word.
| Prefix | Used with | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| अ- | Sanskrit words that begin with a consonant | अशक्य (impossible), असत्य (false), अयोग्य (unfit) |
| अन- | Sanskrit words that begin with a vowel | अनावश्यक (unnecessary), अनुचित (improper), अनेक (many) |
| बे- | Persian-Arabic words and a few others | बेकार (useless), बेचव (tasteless), बेसावध (unaware) |
| ना- | Persian-Arabic words | नापसंत (disliked), नाराज (displeased), नापास (failed) |
The prefix and the word are written together with no space. The new word works like any other. अशक्य and अनोळखी stay the same before every noun: अनोळखी माणूस, अनोळखी बाई, अनोळखी मूल.
Do not swap the families for ordinary words: शक्य takes अ-, never बे-. A few Sanskrit-derived words also take बे-, as in बेसावध. If a word is new to you, check which prefix it takes in a dictionary.
अनोळखी is a mixed case. ओळख is an everyday Marathi word, and अन- joins it to make अनोळखी (unknown).
Examples (5)
- त्या अटी पूर्ण करणे आपल्याला अशक्य आहे.
It is impossible for us to meet those conditions.
अ- turns शक्य (possible) into अशक्य.
- रस्त्यावर एक अनोळखी माणूस उभा होता.
An unknown man was standing on the road.
अन- joins ओळखी to give the opposite.
- ही बॅग आता बेकार झाली आहे.
This bag has become useless now.
बे- turns कार (use) into बेकार.
- त्याला ती कल्पना नापसंत होती.
He disliked that idea.
ना- turns पसंत (liked) into नापसंत.
- अनावश्यक खर्च टाळावा.
Unnecessary spending should be avoided.
अन- is used because आवश्यक begins with a vowel.
Common Mistakes
Using the wrong prefix family with a Sanskrit word.
बेशक्यअशक्यशक्य is a Sanskrit word and takes अ-.
Choosing अ- before a vowel.
अआवश्यक खर्च टाळावा.अनावश्यक खर्च टाळावा.Before a vowel the prefix is अन-.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Prefixes negate.
Related Patterns
- -पणा / -ता / -त्वMaking Abstract Nouns
These endings also build new words, and they pair with the prefixes.
Level 5 - -शिवाय / -विनाWithout
These postpositions express without, a different way to negate.
Level 3 - Sanskrit Words and Their Marathi Forms
This entry explains the Sanskrit and Marathi forms of words.
Level 6
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Words in This Pattern
Practice अ- / अन- / बे- / ना- in Bubblegum
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