-त / -मध्ये
In or Inside
-त is shorter, and -मध्ये is common after loanwords like कॉलेज.
How It Works
Use these endings for the place where something is or happens.
| Place | With the ending | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| घर | घरात | in the house |
| शाळा | शाळेत | at school |
| कॉलेज | कॉलेजमध्ये | in college |
| बाटली | बाटलीत, बाटलीमध्ये | in the bottle |
A feminine noun in -आ changes before -त: शाळा becomes शाळेत. Most masculine nouns in -आ change too (रस्ता becomes रस्त्यात), but चहा does not (चहात). A masculine or neuter noun that ends in a consonant takes -ात: घर becomes घरात, and कपाट becomes कपाटात. Most feminine nouns that end in a consonant take -एत: बँक becomes बँकेत.
Both endings are correct for बाटली, and बाटलीत is the shorter one. Loanwords such as कॉलेज and ऑफिस usually take -मध्ये, and speech also has the short form, as in ऑफिसात. Both endings are joined to the word.
Use the same endings for a class, a crowd or the weather: वर्गात, गर्दीत, पावसात.
Examples (5)
- आम्ही घरात आहोत.
We are in the house.
-त joins घर as घरात.
- मी शाळेत आहे.
I am at school.
-त joins शाळा, which becomes शाळेत.
- सई कॉलेजमध्ये आहे.
Sai is in college.
-मध्ये joins कॉलेज.
- पाणी बाटलीमध्ये आहे.
The water is in the bottle.
-मध्ये joins बाटली.
- पुस्तके कपाटात आहेत.
The books are in the cupboard.
-त joins कपाट as कपाटात.
Common Mistakes
Leaving शाळा unchanged before -त.
मुले शाळात आहेत.मुले शाळेत आहेत.शाळा becomes शाळे before -त.
Using the Hindi word for in.
आम्ही घर में आहोत.आम्ही घरात आहोत.Marathi uses -त and joins it.
How It Connects
Learn This First
In and inside attach to the oblique form.
Related Patterns
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.