Want to Learn Marathi? Here Are 5 Great Ways to Begin

Curious about learning Marathi but not sure where to begin? Whether you’re planning a trip to Maharashtra, want to connect with Marathi-speaking friends or family, or are just passionate about Indian languages, this starter’s guide to the Marathi language will walk you through everything you need to get going.

Let’s start with a few essential fact every Marathi learner should know.

→Sign Up Now: Free Trial Tamil Lesson With a Native Teacher!←

Key Facts about the Marathi Language

• Marathi is an Indo-Aryan language with over 83 million speakers.
• It is the third most spoken language in India, after Hindi and Bengali.
• Marathi is the official language of Maharashtra, a state that includes cities like Mumbai and Pune.
• It is closely related to Hindi, Gujarati, and Konkani, but remains distinct.
• Marathi uses the Devanagari script, the same script used for Hindi and Sanskrit.

Ready to dive in? Here’s how you can learn the Marathi Language:

1. Learn the Marathi Alphabet

Marathi uses the Devanagari script, which is phonetic—each symbol corresponds to a sound. While it shares the script with Hindi, Marathi includes a few extra sounds and distinct pronunciation rules, so it’s worth learning with Marathi in mind.

Here’s a breakdown of the key components:

Learn Marathi Vowels

These are standalone vowel characters used when vowels appear at the beginning of a syllable or word.

• अ – a as in cup (Example: Amrut – nectar)

• आ – aa as in car (Example: Aam – mango)

• इ – i as in bit (Example: Ilaj – treatment)

• ई – ee as in see (Example: Eeshwar – God)

• उ – u as in put (Example: Udya – tomorrow)

• ऊ – oo as in moon (Example: Oon – wool)

• ए – e as in bed (Example: Ek – one)

• ऐ – ai as in aisle (Example: Aika – listen)

• ओ – o as in go (Example: Om – sacred sound)

• औ – au as in cow (Example: Aushadh – medicine)

• अं – nasalised an (Example: Ang – body part)

• अः – voiceless ah, mostly in Sanskrit (rare)

Learn Marathi Consonants

Marathi consonants include 36 core letters. Here’s a simplified list with approximate English sounds:

• क – ka (as in kite) – Kamal (lotus)

• ख – kha (aspirated k) – Khar (salty)

• ग – ga (as in go) – Ganapati (Ganesha)

• घ – gha (aspirated g) – Ghar (house)

• ङ – nga (as in sing) – Anga (body)

• च – cha (as in chop) – Chaha (tea)

• छ – chha (stronger cha) – Chhatri (umbrella)

• ज – ja (as in jam) – Jara (a little)

• झ – jha (aspirated j) – Jhenda (flag)

• ञ – nya (soft nya) – Gnyaan (knowledge)

• ट – retroflex ta – Tappa (stamp)

• ठ – aspirated retroflex tha – Thamba (stop)

• ड – retroflex da – Danda (stick)

• ढ – aspirated retroflex dha – Dhol (drum)

• ण – retroflex na – Nana (maternal grandfather)

• त – ta (as in tap) – Taat (father)

• थ – tha (aspirated) – Thokla (hit it)

• द – da (as in dust) – Daan (donation)

• ध – dha (aspirated d) – Dhol (again)

• न – na (as in net) – Nadi (river)

• प – pa (as in pen) – Paani (water)

• फ – pha (aspirated p) – Phool (flower)

• ब – ba (as in bat) – Batata (potato)

• भ – bha (aspirated b) – Bhaasha (language)

• म – ma (as in man) – Maati (soil)

• य – ya (as in yes) – Yash (fame)

• र – ra (rolled r) – Raat (night)

• ल – la (as in log) – Lagn (wedding)

• व – va/wa (soft v) – Vaat (path)

• श – sha (as in shut) – Shabd (word)

• ष – retroflex shha – Shikshan (education)

• स – sa (as in sun) – Surya (sun)

• ह – ha (as in hat) – Hawa (air)

• ळ – retroflex la – Maazha (mine)

• क्ष – ksha (combined k + sh) – Kshama (forgiveness)

• ज्ञ – gnya (complex sound) – Gnyaneshwar (name)

Do really want to learn Marathi? Focusing on pronunciation from the start helps avoid bad habits. Familiarise yourself with the sounds and the language and how to write them and you’ll be on the right path!

2. Learn Basic Marathi Vocabulary

Building your vocabulary is one of the most rewarding steps in learning Marathi. By learning essential words used in greetings, family, food, and daily routines, you’ll be able to form simple sentences, ask for what you need, and understand basic conversations. Start with common everyday categories. Below are some of the most useful sets for beginners.

Greetings and Essentials

• नमस्कार – Hello

• धन्यवाद – Thank you

• कृपया – Please

• माफ करा – Sorry / Excuse me

• हो – Yes

• नाही – No

Family Words

• आई – Mother

• बाबा – Father

• भाऊ – Brother

• बहीण – Sister

• आजी – Grandmother

• आजोबा – Grandfather

Food and Drink

• पाणी – Water

• भात – Rice

• पोळी – Roti / Bread

• भाजी – Vegetable dish

• दूध – Milk

• साखर – Sugar

Days of the Week

• रविवार – Sunday

• सोमवार – Monday

• मंगळवार – Tuesday

• बुधवार – Wednesday

• गुरुवार – Thursday

• शुक्रवार – Friday

• शनिवार – Saturday

Numbers: 0 to 10

• शून्य – 0

• एक – 1

• दोन – 2

• तीन – 3

• चार – 4

• पाच – 5

• सहा – 6

• सात – 7

• आठ – 8

• नऊ – 9

• दहा – 10

Use flashcards or sticky notes around your home to reinforce these words. That way, you’ll see them often and remember them more easily as part of your daily routine!

4. Listen to Marathi Music

Music is one of the easiest and most enjoyable ways to get used to the rhythm, pronunciation, and flow of a new language. Listening to Marathi songs helps you pick up vocabulary in context, train your ear to hear subtle pronunciation differences, and remember sentence structures more easily.

Start by listening to songs slowly and following along with the lyrics. Look up unfamiliar words and try singing along to improve your accent and fluency. You’ll begin to recognise repeated phrases, verb forms, and cultural expressions used in everyday conversations.

To get started, check out our Spotify Marathi playlist curated by native teachers, designed specifically for learners. It includes classic hits and modern pop—all with clear pronunciation and simple vocabulary that are ideal for beginners.

Whether you’re commuting, cooking, or relaxing at home, playing Marathi music in the background helps you stay immersed in the language throughout your day.

5. Take a Customised Marathi Course

While self-study tools are useful, nothing compares to having a teacher who adapts the material to your goals, level, and learning style. Taking a customised Marathi course gives you the structure and support you need to make consistent progress.

You can choose between online lessons, in-person classes, one-to-one tutoring, or small group sessions. Each option has its own advantages:

• Online courses allow you to learn from anywhere, with flexible scheduling and access to experienced native-speaking teachers.
• In-person lessons are ideal if you want a more immersive experience or prefer face-to-face interaction. We offer tailor-made Marathi lessons in London and other major cities.
• One-to-one sessions are fully personalised, focusing on your exact needs—whether that’s conversation, grammar, or pronunciation.
• Small group classes offer interactive learning and social motivation while still giving you plenty of speaking time.

→Sign Up Now: Free Trial Tamil Lesson With a Native Teacher!←

Whether you’re learning for travel, work, or personal interest, working with a qualified teacher helps you stay accountable, motivated, and confident. At Language Trainers, we connect you with native Marathi tutors who build lessons around the topics that matter to you—from daily life and regional culture to formal writing and workplace communication. So, what are you waiting for? Contact Language Trainers today and get a free trial online lesson!