मा
In, On and at
मा follows a noun and shows where something is.
How It Works
मा is a postposition: it comes after the noun and is written with it. One word does the work of three English words.
| Noun + मा | Meaning |
|---|---|
| झोलामा | in the bag |
| टेबुलमा | on the table |
| बजारमा | at the market |
| काठमाडौंमा | in Kathmandu |
It usually goes with छ for where something is, and with बस्नु or बस्छ for where someone lives: हामी काठमाडौंमा बस्छौँ.
Some words do not take मा. With a verb of motion such as जानु, the place you go to often stays bare and comes before the verb: म बजार जान्छु (I go to the market). The words यहाँ and त्यहाँ already mean in a place, so they take no मा.
To be more exact, join भित्र (inside), माथि (above) or मुनि (under) to the noun: झोलाभित्र (inside the bag). Those words come later. Write मा joined to the noun every time: घर मा is a spelling error.
Examples (5)
- किताब झोलामा छ।
The book is in the bag.
मा is joined to झोला and means in.
- किताब टेबुलमा छ।
The book is on the table.
The same मा means on here.
- म बजारमा छु।
I am at the market.
मा shows the place where I am.
- हामी काठमाडौंमा बस्छौँ।
We live in Kathmandu.
मा goes with the verb for living.
- आमा रान्नाघरमा हुनुहुन्छ।
Mother is in the kitchen.
The respectful verb हुनुहुन्छ follows.
Common Mistakes
Writing मा as a separate word.
म घर मा छु।म घरमा छु।मा joins the noun and is written without a space.
How It Connects
Learn This First
मा marks a place, so it needs postpositions and the verb for being somewhere.
Related Patterns
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Practice मा in Bubblegum
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