-नंतर / -आधी
Before and After Something
Alone, आधी means first and नंतर means later: आधी चहा, नंतर जेवण.
How It Works
Use them with an event or a meal. The word tells the order of two things.
| Word | After | Before |
|---|---|---|
| जेवण | जेवणानंतर | जेवणाआधी |
| शाळा | शाळेनंतर | शाळेआधी |
| परीक्षा | परीक्षेनंतर | परीक्षेआधी |
| सण | सणानंतर | सणाआधी |
Free-standing आधी and नंतर tell the order of two actions: आधी हात धुवा, नंतर जेवा.
A question can use the same ending: जेवणानंतर काय करता? (What do you do after the meal?) and शाळेआधी कुठे जाता? (Where do you go before school?).
A time of day works too: दुपारनंतर means after noon, and संध्याकाळनंतर means after the evening. Both endings stay right after the noun, and the sentence then goes on with its own verb: सुट्टीनंतर शाळा सुरू होते (school starts after the holidays).
For an action word like after eating, use the verb forms from Level 3, such as -ल्यावर.
Examples (5)
- जेवणानंतर मी चहा पितो.
After the meal I drink tea. A man is speaking.
जेवणानंतर says what comes first.
- परीक्षेआधी मुले खूप अभ्यास करतात.
The children study a lot before the exam.
परीक्षेआधी says when they study.
- शाळेनंतर मी आजीकडे जाते.
After school I go to my grandmother's place. A woman is speaking.
शाळेनंतर gives the time I go.
- आधी हात धुवा, नंतर जेवा.
First wash your hands, then eat.
आधी and नंतर stand alone to order two actions.
- सणाआधी बाजारात खूप गर्दी असते.
Before a festival, there is a big crowd in the market.
सणाआधी gives the time of the crowd.
Common Mistakes
Writing the ending as a separate word.
जेवण नंतर मी चहा पितो.जेवणानंतर मी चहा पितो.-नंतर joins the noun.
Keeping the plain noun.
शाळानंतर ती आजीकडे जाते.शाळेनंतर ती आजीकडे जाते.The noun takes its joining shape: शाळा becomes शाळे-.
How It Connects
Learn This First
After and before attach to the oblique form.
Related Patterns
- -पूर्वी / -नीAgo and Later
-पूर्वी and -नी count time back or forward from now.
Level 2 - -ल्यावरAfter an Action
-ल्यावर says after doing something.
Level 3 - -ण्यापूर्वी / -ल्यानंतरBefore and After Doing Something
-ण्यापूर्वी and -ल्यानंतर say before or after doing something.
Level 4 - मग / नंतरThen and Next
मग and नंतर say then and next.
Level 2
Words in This Pattern
Practice -नंतर / -आधी in Bubblegum
Poppy, your AI tutor, writes Marathi lessons at your level. Tap any grammar point in a lesson to see its full explanation.
