By now we have studied many grammar concepts including tense. We have seen the forms of the verb in the simple past tense is the base of perfect tenses and other phrases. We have also observed that few verbs behave differently when their past tense form is created.

As per rule we append लो(lo) to verb to create its past tense form for “I”.
e.g. I spoke -> मी बोललो ( mI bolalo )
I laughed -> मी हसलो ( mI hasalo )
i.e.
बोल (bol)+ लो (lo) = बोललो (bolalo )
हस(has)+ लो (lo) = हसलो ( hasalo )

But,
I went -> मी गेलो( mI gelo ).

Now verb is “जाणे”(jANe). so we should have said जा(jA) + लो(lo)= जालो (jAlo ).
But we did not say so. We appended a suffix to गे(ge) to make it गेलो(gelo).

This is what I want to point out! The unusual behavior of a few verbs. !! The verbs which change themselves before creating past tense form. As the past tense form is the base of many other tenses and phrases it is important to know such form.

In the below table, I have given verb, changed verb on which suffix to be applied and a sentence in simple past tense.

Verb in EnglishVerb in Marathi
Changed verb before
appending suffix
Simple example
with suffix ला (lA)
Example
doकरणे
karaNe
के(ke)
केला(kelA)
I did it
मी तो केला
mI to kelA
try
प्रयत्न करणे
prayatn karaNe
प्रयत्न के
(prayatn ke)
प्रयत्न केला
(prayatn kelA)
tried learning French
फ्रेंच शिकायचा प्रयत्न केला
phreMch shikAyachA
prayatn kelA
giveदेणे deNe
दि(dI)
दिला
(dilA)
Gave pen पेन दिले
(pen dile )
takeघेणे gheNeघेत (ghet)घेतला
(ghetalA)
took pen
पेन घेतले
pen ghetale
liveराहणे rAhaNeराहि (rAhi )राहिला
(rAhilA)
lived in city
मी शहरात राहिलो
mI shaharAt rAhilo
see
/watch
/look
बघणे baghaNe
बघित
(baghit )
बघितला
(baghitalA)
saw notice
सूचना बघितली
sUchanA baghitalI
पाहणे pAhaNe
पाहि
(pAhi )
पाहिला(pAhilA)
saw notice
सूचना पाहिली
( sUchanA pAhilI )
goजाणे jANe
गे (ge)
गेला(gelA)
went to market
बाजारात गेलो
bAjArAt gelo
come
येणे yeNeआ(A)आला(AlA)
came from market
बाजारातून आलो
bAjArAtUn Alo
tell
सांगणे sAMgaNeसांगित
(sAMgit )
सांगितला
(sAMgitalA)
told address
पत्ता संगितला
pattA sAMgitalA
To reciteम्हणणे mhaNaNeम्हट
(mhaT )
म्हटला
(mhaTalA)
recited poem
कविता म्हटली
kavitA mhaTalI
to sing
गाणे gANe
गाय
( gAy )
गायला
(gAyalA)
sang a song
गाणे गायले
gANe gAyale
To ask forमागणे mAgaNeमागित
(mAgit )
मागितला
(mAgitalA)
asked for his pen
त्याचे पेन मागितले
(tyAche pen mAgitale )
To wash
धूणे dhUNeधुत
(dhut )
धुतला
(dhutalA)
Washed face
तोंड धुतले
toMD dhutale
To Drinkपीणे pINe
प्याय
(pyAy )
प्यायला(pyAyalA)Drank tea
चहा प्यायला
chahA pyAyalA
To Eat
खाणे khANeखाल् (khAl )खाल्ला (khAllA)Ate bread
ब्रेड खाल्ला
breD khAllA
To Ask forमागणे mAgaNe मागित
(mAgit)
मागितला
(mAgitalA)
Asked for tea
चहा मागितला
chahA mAgitalA
To Becomeहोणे hoNeझा
(jhA)
झाला
(jhAlA)
Became rich
श्रीमंत झाला
shrImaMt jhAlA
To getमिळणे (miLaNe)मिळा (miLA)
मिळाला (miLAlA)Got work
काम मिळाले
kAm miLAle
To runपळणे (paLaNe)पळा (paLA)
पळाला (paLAlA)he ran fast
तो जोराने पळाला
to jorAne paLAlA

Notes :

  • Similar to “To Try” , there are many verbs in Marathi which are created using करणे (karaNe) e.g. व्यायाम करणे (vyAyAm karaNe ), आंघोळ करणे (AMghoL karaNe). In all such verbs, the form of करणे (karaNe) will be created as per above rule
  • For verb म्हणणे ( mhaNaNe), the forms can be created with normal verb as well. so म्हटला (mhaTalA ) and म्हणला (mhaNalA) both forms are used.

Listen examples in this lesson

More explanation about forms of verb म्हणणे ( mhaNaNe)

Past tense of Verb म्हणणे is formed in two ways

  • Like a अकर्मक verb
  • Like a सकर्मक verb

If the sentence has an object then the second way will be used more than the first way.

1) Like a अकर्मक verb.

i.e. The suffixes are appended as per gender and multiplicity of Subject. Sometimes people change verb stem from “म्हण” to “म्हणा”.

I sang(said) a hymn/10 hymns/ a poem/10 poems/a song/10 songs ->
Masculine singular
मी श्लोक/१० श्लोक/कविता /१० कविता/गाणे/१० गाणी म्हणलो/म्हणालो
(mI shlok/10 shlok/kavitA /10 kavitA/gANe/10 gANI mhaNalo/mhaNAlo)

Feminine singular
मी श्लोक/१० श्लोक/कविता /१० कविता/गाणे/१० गाणी म्हणले/म्हणाले
(mI shlok/10 shlok/kavitA /10 kavitA/gANe/10 gANI mhaNale/mhaNAle)

We sang(said) a hymn/10 hymns/ a poem/10 poems/a song/10 songs ->
आम्ही श्लोक/१० श्लोक/कविता /१० कविता/गाणे/१० गाणी म्हणलो/म्हणालो
(AmhI shlok/10 shlok/kavitA /10 kavitA/gANe/10 gANI mhaNalo/mhaNAlo)

You(singular) sang(said) a hymn/10 hymns/ a poem/10 poems/a song/10 songs ->

Masculine singular
तू श्लोक/१० श्लोक/कविता /१० कविता/गाणे/१० गाणी म्हणलास/म्हणालास
(tU shlok/10 shlok/kavitA /10 kavitA/gANe/10 gANI mhaNalAs/mhaNAlAs)

Feminine singular
तू श्लोक/१० श्लोक/कविता /१० कविता/गाणे/१० गाणी म्हणलीस/म्हणालीस
(tU shlok/10 shlok/kavitA /10 kavitA/gANe/10 gANI mhaNalIs/mhaNAlIs)

He sang(said) a hymn/10 hymns/ a poem/10 poems/a song/10 songs ->
तो श्लोक/१० श्लोक/कविता /१० कविता/गाणे/१० गाणी म्हणला/म्हणाला
(to shlok/10 shlok/kavitA /10 kavitA/gANe/10 gANI mhaNalaa/mhaNAlaa)

2) Like a सकर्मक verb.

The suffixes are appended as per gender and multiplicity of Object. Suffixes are appended to “म्हट”

Masculine object “श्लोक”
Singular
I/We/You/You(plural)/He/She/They sang a hymn ->
मी/आम्ही/तु/तुम्ही/त्याने/तिने/त्यांनी श्लोक म्हटला (mI/AmhI/tu/tumhI/tyAne/tine/tyAMnI shlok mhaTalA)

Plural
I/We/You/You(plural)/He/She/They sang 10 hymns ->
मी/आम्ही/तु/तुम्ही/त्याने/तिने/त्यांनी १० श्लोक म्हटले (mI/AmhI/tu/tumhI/tyAne/tine/tyAMnI 10 shlok mhaTale)

Feminine object “कविता”
Singular
I/We/You/You(plural)/He/She/They sang a poem.
मी/आम्ही/तु/तुम्ही/त्याने/तिने/त्यांनी कविता म्हटली (mI/AmhI/tu/tumhI/tyAne/tine/tyAMnI kavitA mhaTalI)

Plural
I/We/You/You(plural)/He/She/They sang 10 poems ->
मी/आम्ही/तु/तुम्ही/त्याने/तिने/त्यांनी कविता म्हटल्या (mI/AmhI/tu/tumhI/tyAne/tine/tyAMnI kavitA mhaTalyA)

Neuter object “गाणे”
Singular
I/We/You/You(plural)/He/She/They sang a song ->
मी/आम्ही/तु/तुम्ही/त्याने/तिने/त्यांनी गाणे म्हटले(mI/AmhI/tu/tumhI/tyAne/tine/tyAMnI gANe mhaTale)

Plural
I/We/You/You(plural)/He/She/They sang 10 songs ->
मी/आम्ही/तु/तुम्ही/त्याने/तिने/त्यांनी १० गाणी म्हटली (mI/AmhI/tu/tumhI/tyAne/tine/tyAMnI 10 gANI mhaTalI)