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How To Learn The Marathi Alphabet

If you want to be able to read and write in Marathi then the first step is learning the alphabet. 

This can be daunting at first, but with the right resources you’ll master it in no time.

This guide will give you the resources you need and tell you how to learn the Marathi alphabet.

How Is Marathi Written?

Marathi is written in the Balbodh version of the Devanagari script. The Devanagari script is used to write other Indian languages such as Hindi however the Marathi version of this script includes a few additional letters and also uses Western punctuation. 

Like English, Marathi is written from left to right. 

So, how much do you actually need to learn?

How Many Letters Are There In The Marathi Alphabet?

The Marathi alphabet is an abugida which means letters can be made up of a consonant and a vowel. This is different to English where each letter is either a consonant or a vowel.

The Marathi alphabet consists of 36 consonants and 16 vowels. The consonants in Marathi are different as they also include a vowel sound. 

For example, the letter ‘अ’ is pronounced ‘a’. This is a standard vowel. 

One of Marathi’s consonants is the letter ‘क’ which is pronounced ‘ka’. 

This might sound complicated but there are plenty of resources out there to help you learn the Marathi alphabet. There’s lots of variety and different resources that meet different peoples needs.

Let’s have a look at some.

Learn The Marathi Alphabet Online

There’s plenty of great online resources that will help you learn the Marathi alphabet, many of which are completely free.

Memrise

Memrise is an online language learning app that uses fun games to help it’s users learn their chosen language. 

They have a free Marathi course that will teach you to recognise the Marathi letters and the sounds they make.

It’s really interactive and gradually introduces all the letters slowly so you have time to consolidate them all. There’s also plenty of opportunities to practice what you’ve learnt and a bonus is that it also includes audio.

Quizlet

Quizlet is an online learning tool that uses flashcards and games to help you learn! 

They have a free flashcard deck on the Marathi alphabet that includes audio. There’s loads of different ways to study the flashcards with Quizlet. 

I’d recommend using the ‘Learn’ feature which creates a personalised study plan just for you and uses spaced repetition to help you master the alphabet.

You can also learn with games such as ‘Match’ where you match the corresponding letters.

Master Any Language

This website is a great reference point for the Marathi alphabet. It shows all the letters in 3 handy tables. 

The best part is that you can click on any letter and hear the pronunciation.

Click here to visit their website.

Learn The Marathi Alphabet With YouTube Videos

YouTube is a fantastic resource for learning any language as there are so many videos uploaded everyday from all around the world. 

Videos are really useful resources as they will help you to improve your pronunciation of the Marathi alphabet. It’s important to know how to say the letters of the alphabet correctly. 

I’ve selected a few handy videos that you can use to help you learn to pronounce the Marathi alphabet. 

Video Resource 1

This video by Kaushik Lele is really useful for learning and understanding the Marathi alphabet. Kaushik goes over each letter providing the pronunciation and also gives examples of English words to help you understand. 

Check it out below:

Video Resource 2

The below video is great if you want to practice writing the Marathi letters. It shows you how to write each individual letter, showing the stroke order and also providing the pronunciation. The speaker does not speak in English but the video is really easy to follow along as she writes everything out on a blackboard. 

Check it out below:

Video Resource 3

This video is also a great reference video for pronunciation of the Marathi alphabet. It goes over each letter showing the pronunciation and gives an example Marathi word that uses that letter. 

Check it out below:

Video Resource 4

This video is great for hearing the pronunciation of the Marathi alphabet. The speaker shows each letter individually and demonstrates the pronunciation. Just a heads up, the speaker does not speak in English but don’t worry, it’s still easy to follow along. There’s even some time to practice in the second half.  

Check it out below:

Marathi Alphabet Song

This fun Marathi alphabet song video aimed at kids is a great way to remember the Marathi alphabet as it’s super memorable. Sing along and learn the alphabet. 

Check it out below:

Learn The Marathi Alphabet With Worksheets And Books

Worksheets and workbooks are especially good for learning how to write Marathi letters. If you want to be able to read and write in Marathi then try out some of these resources.

Tracing Book

You can use a Marathi handwriting workbook to practice writing the letters. It has plenty of space in the workbook for you to trace the letters as well as space for you to write them yourself.

Reference Book

If you’re looking for a book that goes into lots of detail then try ‘A Crash Course to Learn the Devanagari Script’. It’s a great reference point that covers the devanagari script in lots of detail and gives lots of examples so you can truly master the Marathi alphabet.

PDF Worksheet

If you’re looking for a free resource, then check out the free PDF worksheets on this blog by Sadanand Sonawane. He has created a really useful Marathi dotted alphabets and numbers worksheet.

You can print these out and practice writing the letters, the worksheet gives space to trace the letters. You can then practice writing them by yourself when you feel more confident. 


Thanks for reading this guide on how to learn the Marathi alphabet. I’ve covered a range of different resources for all different types of learners, hopefully you found something useful that suits your learning style. 

If you found this post useful, you may also want to learn how to say I love you in Marathi.

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