-ताना

While an Action Happens

Level 3Sounds Like tānā

The main verb gives what happens during that time.

How It Works

-ताना says that two things happen at the same time. The verb with -ताना gives the background, and the main verb gives what happens.

VerbWith -ताना
जाणेजाताना
वाचणेवाचताना
जेवणेजेवताना
करणेकरताना

-ताना never changes for gender or number. The main verb takes its normal agreement: घरी जाताना मी तिला भेटले (a woman).

For an action that is going on as the background, add असताना to the -त form: ती पुस्तक वाचत असताना फोन वाजला. (The phone rang while she was reading a book.)

असताना also works with a place or a state: मी पुण्यात असताना रोज मिसळ खायचो. (While I was in Pune, I ate misal every day.)

The main verb can be a command or a habit: काम करताना फोन बंद ठेवा.

Examples (5)

  1. घरी जाताना मी तिला भेटले.

    I met her while going home. A woman is speaking.

    जाताना gives the background, and भेटले shows a woman.

  2. मराठी वाचताना शब्द लिहून ठेवा.

    Note down words while reading Marathi.

    वाचताना gives the time of the action.

  3. तो जेवताना बोलत नाही.

    He does not speak while eating.

    जेवताना tells when he does not speak.

  4. काम करताना फोन बंद ठेवा.

    Keep the phone switched off while working.

    करताना gives the time of the command.

  5. ती पुस्तक वाचत असताना फोन वाजला.

    The phone rang while she was reading a book.

    असताना follows the -त form of वाचणे.

Common Mistakes

  • Adding an extra nasal.

    घरी जातांना मी तिला भेटले.
    घरी जाताना मी तिला भेटले.

    The standard spelling has no nasal dot: जाताना.

How It Connects

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

-तानाLevel 3While an Action Happens

Learn This First

While uses the present stem.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.