Grammar
Marathi Commands, Requests & Polite Speech
Marathi imperatives and polite requests — या, द्या, बसा, कृपया — with curriculum examples, Hindi comparison and cultural etiquette notes.
What you will learn
Marathi commands are short and verb-first-feeling: या (come), जा (go), खा (eat), द्या (give). Add कृपया (please) or use the polite request forms and blunt commands become courteous ones. The notes below are the verified Unit 02 imperative and polite-request lessons, plus Unit 13's cultural-etiquette note.
Hindi speakers: the roots look familiar (आइए/जाइए/खाइए → या/जा/खा), but Marathi polite forms are terser. The tune of politeness comes from कृपया placement and the honorific तुम्ही rather than long verb endings.
Tip: Default to कृपया with strangers and elders; bare imperatives are for friends, children and urgency.
From blunt to polite
या! (come!) works in an emergency; कृपया इथे या (please come here) works with a stranger — the real Unit 02 sentence. बसा (sit) becomes respectful as राव, कसे आहात? कृपया बस्या from Unit 05's honorific lesson.
Festival and home etiquette (Unit 13) layers on top: greetings, taking blessings, and the softeners that keep commands sounding like invitations.
Common mistakes
✗ Using bare imperatives with elders✓ Add कृपया or the honorific tone: कृपया बसा
Marathi marks respect through कृपया, तुम्ही and honorific address rather than Hindi-style -इए endings alone.
✗ Negative command with नाही✓ Use नका: इथे जाऊ नका (don't go here)
नाही negates statements; नका negates commands.
Quick practice
Answer first, then open the reveal to check yourself.
1. Which word turns a blunt command into a polite request?
Answer: B. कृपया — कृपया = please — बिल द्या, कृपया.
2. Fill in the blank: कृपया इथे ___. (Please come here.)
या — The Unit 02 sentence — imperative of येणे.
3. Translate to Marathi: “Give the bill, please.”
बिल द्या, कृपया. — From Unit 09 — command + कृपया, polite anywhere.
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Common questions
How do you say “please” in Marathi?
कृपया (kr̥payā) — same word as Hindi. Place it before or after the command: कृपया इथे या / बिल द्या, कृपया.
How do Marathi imperatives differ from Hindi?
Roots overlap (या/जा/खा), but Marathi polite requests are shorter; respect is carried by कृपया and the तुम्ही form instead of long -इए endings.