-त -त

While Continuing an Action

Level 5Sounds Like ta -ta

Both actions have the same subject, and the doubled form answers the question how or while doing what.

How It Works

The -त form is the stem of the verb plus -त: बोल- becomes बोलत, चाल- becomes चालत. Said twice, it works like an adverb. It tells you what the subject was doing the whole time the main verb happened.

VerbDoubled formMeaning
बोलणेबोलत बोलतwhile talking
चालणेचालत चालतwalking along
हसणेहसत हसतlaughing as one goes

The doubled form never changes for gender or number. Only the main verb agrees: ती चालत चालत गेली, तो चालत चालत गेला.

It fits an action that takes time, such as walking or reading. For a quick action, use -ून: उठून गेला.

The two halves share one subject. When the subjects differ, use असताना after the -त form instead: ती गात असताना मी झोपलो.

The form with a long ending, बोलता बोलता, means the same and is just as common in writing.

Use the pattern for the way something unfolds: a long walk, a conversation that took time, a story told with laughter.

Examples (5)

  1. बोलत बोलत आम्ही स्टेशनला पोहोचलो.

    Chatting all the way, we reached the station.

    बोलत बोलत gives the manner of the journey.

  2. वाचत वाचत मी कधी झोपले, ते कळलेच नाही.

    I never knew when I fell asleep while reading. A woman is speaking.

    The reading went on until sleep came; झोपले shows a woman.

  3. गाणे गुणगुणत गुणगुणत आजी भाजी निवडत होत्या.

    Humming a tune the whole time, Grandmother was sorting the vegetables.

    The action in -त -त runs alongside the progressive निवडत होत्या.

  4. हसत हसत त्याने सगळी गोष्ट सांगितली.

    Laughing all the way through, he told the whole story.

    हसत हसत says how he told it.

  5. चालत चालत मी शनिवारवाड्यापर्यंत आलो.

    I walked all the way to Shaniwarwada. A man is speaking.

    चालत चालत shows a long walk; आलो shows a man.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the Hindi ending -ते in the doubled form.

    बोलते बोलते आम्ही स्टेशनला पोहोचलो.
    बोलत बोलत आम्ही स्टेशनला पोहोचलो.

    Marathi ends the doubled form in -त, or in -ता (बोलता बोलता). The ending -ते is Hindi.

  • Using the doubled form for two different subjects.

    ती गाणे गात गात मी झोपलो.
    ती गात असताना मी झोपलो.

    -त -त needs one subject for both actions. A second subject needs असताना.

How It Connects

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

-त -तLevel 5While Continuing an Action

Learn This First

Doing while doing doubles -त.