In previous lessons, we have learned about prepositions.

Learn Prepositions in Marathi
Preposition “TO” in Marathi
Working with nouns – Prepositions in Marathi
Prepositions with Verbs

I observed that some learners face difficulty in selecting one of two prepositions when there is a subtle difference in the meaning of them. Some prepositions sound similar but they have different meanings.

Here I am trying to explain some of such prepositions. If you find any other preposition confusing, then let me know by commenting on the post or sending me an email. I will try to discuss them here.

Note: This is an advanced topic in Marathi learning, so early learners can skip this topic and revisit afterward, lest you get bogged by the complexity.

Similar sounding prepositions

1: मध्ये (madhye) & मधून (madhUn)
मध्ये (madhye) means “inside”.
मधून (madhUn) means “from inside”.

Keep tea-spoon inside the drawer and take out the table-spoon from (from inside) the drawer -> टि-स्पून ड्रॉवर मध्ये ठेव आणि टेबल स्पून ड्रॉवर मधून बाहेर काढ. (Ti-spUn “drawer” madhye Thev ANi Tebal spUn “drawer” madhUn bAher kADh)

मधला(madhalA) is adjective which means middle or one within. e.g.
Middle stump -> मधला स्टंप (madhalA sTaMp)
Characters from (in) Mahabharat -> महाभारतामधली पात्रे (mahAbhAratAmadhalI pAtre)

2: कडे (kaDe) & कडून (kaDUn)
कडे (kaDe) means “to” or “towards”
कडून (kaDUn) means “from”
So कडून (kaDUn) indicates source of movement & कडे (kaDe) indicates destination.

The throne was passed from king to prince after the king’s death -> राजाच्या मृत्यूनंतर सिंहासन राजाकडून राजपुत्राकडे गेले. (rAjAchyA mRutyUnaMtar siMhAsan rAjAkaDUn rAjaputrAkaDe gele.)

Sun travels from the east towards the west ->सूर्य पूर्वेकडून पश्चिमेकडे प्रवास करतो (sUrya pUrvekaDUn paSchimekaDe pravAs karato)

Prepositions having similar meaning but subtle difference

1:  पासून (pAsUn) & कडून(kaDUn)
Both prepositions mean “from” in English. But कडून(kaDUn) indicates the direction of movement whereas पासून (pAsUn) indicates a starting point. Generally, the prepositions are used in pairs as पासून-पर्यंत (pAsUn-paryaMt) & कडून-कडे (kaDUn-kaDe).
पासून-पर्यंत (pAsUn-paryaMt) indicates the whole span whereas कडून-कडे (kaDUn-kaDe) indicates the only movement from one place to other.

Distance between Mumbai & Pune is 149KM -> मुंबईपासून पुण्यापर्यंतचे अंतर 149 KM आहे (muMbaIpAsUn puNyAparyaMtache aMtar 149 KM Ahe)

It takes 3hrs to come to my place from his place -> त्याच्याकडून माझ्याकडे यायला तीन तास लागतात (tyAchyAkaDUn mAjhyAkaDe yAyalA tIn tAs lAgatAt)

Sometimes पासून (pAsUn) & कडून(kaDUn) are used interchangeably but when talking about time, we always use पासून-पर्यंत (pAsUn-paryaMt)

From yesterday till today -> कालपासून आजपर्यंत (kAlapAsUn AjaparyMt)

From the beginning of time till the end of the universe -> काळाच्या सुरुवातीपासून विश्वाच्या अंतापर्यंत (kALAchyA suruvAtIpAsUn vishvAchyA aMtAparyaMt)

We don’t say, कालकडून (kAlakaDUn), मागच्या वर्षाकडून (mAgachyA varShAkaDUn) etc.

2: हून (hUn) , तून (tUn), वरून(varUn) & कडून (kaDUn)
All have the same meaning as “from”. But usage is different.
हून (hUn) is generally used when talking about the journey from a place like a city name, village, etc.

He came from London yesterday -> तो काल लंडनहून आला (to kAl laMDanahUn AlA)

I will get food grain sacks from my native place -> माझ्या गावाहून मला धान्याची पोती मिळतील. (mAjhyA gAvAhUn malA dhAnyAchI potI miLatIl)

तून (tUn) is generally used to indicate “from inside” the place. Which is similar to मधून(madhUn) which is seen above

I will get an agriculture-tax from the village. -> मला गावातून शेतसारा मिळेल (malA gAvAtUn shetasArA miLel)
OR
मला गावामधून शेतसारा मिळेल (malA gAvAmadhUn shetasArA miLel)

Call me once you are back from school. -> शाळेतून परत आल्यावर मला फोन कर (shALetUn parat AlyAvar malA phona kar)
OR

शाळेमधून परत आल्यावर मला फोन कर (shALemadhUn parat AlyAvar malA phona kar)

When the proper name ends with अ(a) sound we prefer using मधून(madhUn) over तून (tUn).
e.g.
He got elected from London and I from mumbai -> तो लंडनमधून निवडून आला आणि मी मुंबईतून/मुंबईमधून (to laMDanamadhUn nivaDUn AlA ANi mI muMbaItUn/muMbaImadhUn)
Notice that I did not say, लंडनतून(laMDanatUn) but for Mumbai I could use both ways.

वरून(varUn) is more like “via” in English.
e.g.
Train to Delhi will go via your city -> दिल्लीला जाणारी गाडी तुझ्या शहरावरून जाईल (dillIlA jANArI mAjhI gADI tujhyA shaharAvarUn jAIl)

So if you travel to someplace, then in a related sentence we will use वरून(varUn)

What did you bring from (via) Delhi? ->  दिल्लीवरून काय आणलेस? (dillIvarUn kAy ANales ?)

I brought a lot of sweets from Delhi. -> मी दिल्लीवरून खूप मिठाई आणली (mI dillIvarUn khUp miThAI ANalI )

कडून (kaDUn) is used in other cases

I did not get any help from him -> मला त्याच्याकडून काही मदत मिळाली नाही (malA tyAchyAkaDUn kAhI madat miLAlI nAhI)

The world was astonished by the response from India -> भारताकडून मिळालेल्या प्रतिसादामुळे जग चकित झाले (bhAratAkaDUn miLAlelyA pratisAdAmuLe jag chakit jhAle)

3: ला(lA) & other cases
ला(lA) is used to indicate the destination.
I am going to the office -> मी ऑफिसला चाललो आहे (mI ~ophisalA chAlalo Ahe)
She has gone to school ->ती शाळेला गेली आहे (tI shALelA gelI Ahe)
They are traveling to Paris by ship -> ते जहाजाने पॅरिसला प्रवास करत आहेत (te jahAjAne p~arisalA pravAs karat Ahet)

For school, we also use शाळेत(shALet).
She has gone to school ->ती शाळेत गेली आहे (tI shALet gelI Ahe)
For home we use only घरी(gharI)
I am going to home -> मी घरी चाललो आहे (mI gharI chAlalo Ahe)
We don’t say मी घरला चाललो आहे (mI gharalA chAlalo Ahe) in standard Marathi. You can find such a sentence in some dialects of Marathi.

3: मधे(madhe) , मध्ये(madhye) , त(t)

All these preposition have same meaning i.e. in, among. It can be used interchangeably. Like any preposition, these are appended to “samanyroop form” of Marathi word.

Pot ->माठ(mATh)       In a pot -> माठामधे(mAThAmadhe) माठामध्ये(mAThAmadhye0  माठात(mAThAt)
Jar -> बरणी (baraNI) In a jar ->  बरणीमधे(baraNImadhe),  बरणीमध्ये(baraNImadhye) बरणीत(baraNIt)
Leaf -> पान(pAn)        In a leaf -> पानामधे(pAnAmadhe) पानामध्ये(pAnAmadhye) पानात(pAnAt)

It is observed that, for English words, मधे(madhe) , मध्ये(madhye) are appended to word as it is. And  त(t) is appended to “samanyroop form” of English word. Making this form sounds very weird for English words so we prefer मधे(madhe) / मध्ये(madhye) with English word.

e.g. Notice the third form

Office -> ऑफिस(ophis)     In a office ->       ऑफिसमधे(ophisamadhe), ऑफिसमध्ये(ophisamadhye), ऑफिसात (ophisAt)

Bus -> बस(bas)                   In a bus ->           बसमधे(basamadhe) बसमध्ये(basamadhye), बशीत(bashIt)

Speaker -> स्पीकर(spIkar) In a speaker ->   स्पीकरमधे(spIkaramadhe), स्पीकरमध्ये(spIkaramadhye), स्पीकरात(spIkarAt)

meeting -> मीटिंग(mITiMg) In a meeting -> मीटिंगमधे(mITiMgamadhe), मीटिंगमध्ये(mITiMgamadhye), मीटिंगीत(mITiMgIt)