मात्र

However

Level 4Sounds Like mātra

मात्र is a separate word, written with a space before it.

How It Works

मात्र comes right after the word that differs. Take बाकी सगळे आले, तो मात्र आला नाही: the word before मात्र is तो, so the sentence tells you about him: everyone else came, and he did not.

First partSecond part with मात्र
दिवसा खूप गरम होते.रात्री मात्र गारवा असतो.
मी चहा घेतो.माझी पत्नी मात्र कॉफी घेते.
सई मराठी चांगले बोलते.लिहिताना मात्र तिला अडचण येते.

Write मात्र as its own word, with a space before it. It does not join the word like -ही does.

The two parts are often split by a comma or a semicolon. You can also open the second part with पण: सई येते, पण तिचा भाऊ मात्र येत नाही. पण links the two parts, and मात्र points at the one that differs.

मात्र is common in everyday talk and in news. A report may say: शहरात पाऊस थांबला; ग्रामीण भागात मात्र जोर कायम आहे. (The rain has stopped in the city, but it continues in the villages.)

Examples (5)

  1. बाकी सगळे आले, तो मात्र आला नाही.

    Everyone else came, but he did not.

    मात्र after तो sets him apart from the others.

  2. सई मराठी चांगले बोलते, लिहिताना मात्र तिला अडचण येते.

    Sai speaks Marathi well, but she has trouble when writing.

    मात्र after लिहिताना sets writing against speaking.

  3. दिवसा खूप गरम होते; रात्री मात्र गारवा असतो.

    It gets very hot in the day, but at night it is cool.

    मात्र after रात्री sets the night against the day.

  4. मी सकाळी लवकर उठतो; माझी पत्नी मात्र उशिरा उठते.

    I get up early in the morning, but my wife gets up late. A man is speaking.

    मात्र after माझी पत्नी sets her habit against his.

  5. मी रोज बसने जाते; माझा भाऊ मात्र रिक्षाने जातो.

    I go by bus every day, but my brother goes by rickshaw. A woman is speaking.

    मात्र after माझा भाऊ sets his way against hers.

Common Mistakes

  • Joining मात्र to the word before it, as if it were -ही.

    बाकी सगळे आले, तोमात्र आला नाही.
    बाकी सगळे आले, तो मात्र आला नाही.

    मात्र is a separate word. -ही and -च join the word before them. मात्र does not.

How It Connects

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

मात्रLevel 4However

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But contrasts.

Words in This Pattern

मात्र