At the outset let me clarify that there is no exact/one-to-one replacement of modal verb “would” in Marathi.
In English, “would” is used in different ways to indicate different shades of meaning. Depending on the type of sentences are formed differently in Marathi.
Generally “would” is used in these type of sentences :
- To talk about the past.
- In place of “Used to” phrase.
- To talk about unreal situations
- Conditional sentences
- For politeness.
Let’s see how sentences are formed differently in Marathi.
To talk about the past
would and wouldn’t are the past tense of will and won’t.
Popular use is in direct and reported speech.
e.g.
(direct speech) Kaushik said, “I will eat“.
(reported speech) Kaushik said that he would eat.
In Marathi sentence will be created as if using “will” instead of “would”.
Kaushik said, “I will eat”. -> कौशिक म्हणाला, “मी खाईन” ( kaushik mhaNAlA,”mI khAIn”)
Kaushik said that he would eat. -> Kaushik said that he will eat. -> कौशिक म्हणाला की तो खाईल ( kaushik mhaNAlA kI to khAIl)
Another example
I thought I would be late so I would have to run. ->I thought I will be late so I will have to run.
मला वाटले मला उशीर होईल म्हणून मला धावावे लागेल ( malA vATale malA ushIr hoIl mhaNUn malA dhAvAve lAgel)
Conditional sentences
e.g.
If you had gone then I would have gone as well.
Had he eaten well you he would have become healthier.
Such sentences are discussed in details in this lesson
Sentence using “If-Then”
To talk about unreal situations
Such sentences are said in Marathi as if saying “If-then” kind of sentence but without saying words if-then i.e.जर-तर. So we can prepare sentences using “would have” instead of “would” and accordingly translate it in Marathi.
Consider the sentence
1: I would love to visit New York
Converting into If-then
If xyz had happened then I would have loved to visit New York ->
जर xyz झाले असते तर मला न्यूयॉर्कला भेट द्यायला आवडली असती ( jar XYZ jhAle asate tar malA nyUy~orkalA bheT dyAyalA AvaDalI asatI )
So considering only the second part by omitting जर-तर, we will get the translation of the original sentence.
I would love to visit New York. -> मला न्यूयॉर्कला भेट द्यायला आवडली असती ( malA nyUy~orkalA bheT dyAyalA AvaDalI asatI)
2: We would go, but we are too busy.
If xyz had happened then we would have gone, but we are too busy.
जर xyz झाले असते तर आपण गेलो असतो, पण आपण खूप व्यग्र आहोत ( jar XYZ jhAle asate tar ApaN gelo asato , paN ApaN khUp vyagr Ahot)
So,
We would go, but we are too busy -> आपण गेलो असतो, पण आपण खूप व्यग्र आहोत (ApaN gelo asato, paN ApaN khUp vyagr Ahot)
3: Did you disclose our secret under pressure? I would not disclose it in any condition.
Let’s focus on “I would not disclose it in any condition”
If xyz had happened then I would not have disclosed ->जर xyz झाले असते तर मी कुठल्याही परिस्थितीत उघड केले नसते ( jar XYZ jhAle asate tar mI kuThalyAhI paristhitIt ughaD kele nasate )
So,
I would not disclose it in any condition.
मी कुठल्याही परिस्थितीत उघड केले नसते (jar mI kuThalyAhI paristhitIt ughaD kele nasate tar)
For If-then kind of sentences refer lesson mentioned above.
In place of “Used to” phrase
Such sentence formation is thoroughly discussed in
Sentence using “Used to” phrase
For politeness
Marathi sentences should be created by using “will” instead of “would”
Would you like to drink tea? ->
Will you like to drink tea -> तुम्हाला चहा प्यायला आवडेल का? (tumhAlA chahA pyAyalA AvaDel kA?)
Would you please help me ->
Will you please help me -> कृपया मला मदत कराल का? ( kRupayA malA madat karAl kA?
I would suggest you to take this medicine->
I will suggest you to take this medicine-> मी हे औषध घेण्याचा सल्ला तुम्हाला देईन ( mI he auShadh gheNyAchA sallA tumhAlA deIn)
