Word Order and Emphasis

Level 6Sounds Like vākyaracanā āṇi bhara

Endings show who does what, so Marathi lets speakers and writers reorder many sentences for feeling.

How It Works

Marathi case endings (-ला, -ने, -चा) and verb endings show the roles in a sentence. That makes word order flexible. The standard order is the default, and a speaker moves a word when the feeling calls for it.

Plain orderEmphatic orderEffect
मी आलो.आलो मी!the arrival comes first
बाबा एकदाचे आले.आले एकदाचे बाबा!relief that Dad is here
ही जागा खूप सुंदर आहे.खूप सुंदर आहे ही जागा!admiration
तुझे काम झाले का?झाले का तुझे काम?an eager question

When the verb or the adjective moves to the front, the subject trails behind. It still agrees: आले बाबा, आलो मी, थकले मी.

The gender of the speaker still shows. थकले मी आता is a woman, and थकलो मी आता is a man.

The particles -च and -ही add the same kind of focus without moving anything: हे काम मीच केले.

Use this style in speech, dialogue and expressive writing. Notices and news use the plain order.

Examples (5)

  1. आलो मी!

    Here I am! A man is speaking.

    The verb comes first, and आलो shows a man.

  2. थकले मी आता.

    I am tired now. A woman is speaking.

    The verb comes first, and थकले shows a woman.

  3. आले एकदाचे बाबा!

    Dad has come at last!

    आले stands first and takes the respectful plural.

  4. खूप सुंदर आहे ही जागा!

    How beautiful this place is!

    The adjective comes first, and the subject comes last.

  5. झाले का तुझे काम?

    Is your work done?

    The verb and का come first, and तुझे काम follows.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the Hindi word मैं.

    आलो मैं!
    आलो मी!

    मैं is Hindi. Marathi writes मी.

  • Dropping the ending when a word moves.

    झाले का तू काम?
    झाले का तुझे काम?

    A moved word keeps its ending, so तुझे stays.

How It Connects

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

Word Order and EmphasisLevel 6

Learn This First

Word order is changed for emphasis.