-ले जाते

Describing What Is Done

Level 5Sounds Like lē jātē

Both words match the thing: बोलली जाते, केल्या जातात.

How It Works

Use the verb's -ले form, then जाते. Both words agree with the thing, not with a doer. इथे मराठी बोलली जाते. (Marathi is spoken here.)

ThingForm
मराठी (f)बोलली जाते
पोळ्या (f, many)केल्या जातात
भात (m)खाल्ला जातो
पत्र (n)पाठवले जाते
मोदक (m, many)केले जातात

The doer is not named, so the sentence tells what happens in general. भात हाताने खाल्ला जातो. (Rice is eaten with the hand.)

When the thing done is a person with -ला, the two words are neuter: मुलांना शिकवले जाते. (Children are taught.)

-ले जाते and -ण्यात येणे both leave out the doer. -ले जाते describes what is done as a habit or a rule, and -ण्यात येणे reports one event in the news.

If you want to name the doer, use -कडून: सईकडून पोळ्या केल्या जातात. Do not use -ने for the doer in the passive.

For the past, use गेले in the place of जाते: पत्र पाठवले गेले. (The letter was sent.) Match गेले, गेली or गेला to the thing, as before.

-ले जाते is a bit formal. In everyday talk, people say what they do with a normal verb: आम्ही इथे मराठी बोलतो.

Examples (5)

  1. इथे मराठी बोलली जाते.

    Marathi is spoken here.

    बोलली जाते matches the feminine word मराठी.

  2. इथे पोळ्या केल्या जातात.

    Chapatis are made here.

    केल्या जातात matches the feminine plural पोळ्या.

  3. भात हाताने खाल्ला जातो.

    Rice is eaten with the hand.

    खाल्ला जातो matches the masculine word भात.

  4. पत्र रोज पाठवले जाते.

    The letter is sent every day.

    पाठवले जाते matches the neuter word पत्र.

  5. गणेशोत्सवात मोदक केले जातात.

    Modaks are made during Ganeshotsav.

    केले जातात matches the masculine plural मोदक.

Common Mistakes

  • Not matching जाते to a plural thing.

    इथे पोळ्या केल्या जाते.
    इथे पोळ्या केल्या जातात.

    पोळ्या is plural, so the helper is जातात.

  • Naming the doer with -ने.

    सईने पोळ्या केल्या जातात.
    सईकडून पोळ्या केल्या जातात.

    Use -कडून for a doer in the passive.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

-ले जातेLevel 5Describing What Is Done

Learn This First

Is done in general combines the past stem with जाणे.