मदत करा!
Ma-dat ka-raa!
Help me!
Usage
Cry for help in an emergency situation
Grammar Note
"Madat" is an Arabic-origin word. In extreme emergencies, "vaachvaa!" (save me!) is also used.
रुग्णालय कुठे आहे?
Rug-naa-lay ku-the aa-he?
Where is the hospital?
Usage
Used when urgent medical care is needed
Grammar Note
"Rugnalay" is a Sanskrit compound meaning "house of the ill". Contrasts with Hindi "aspatal" (hospital).
पोलिसांना बोलावा
Po-li-saan-naa bo-laa-vaa
Please call the police
Usage
Requesting police in case of crime or accident
Grammar Note
"Polisaannaa" is the plural dative of "polis". Marathi plural dative uses the "-aanaa" suffix.
डॉक्टरांना बोलावा
Dok-ta-raan-naa bo-laa-vaa
Please call a doctor
Usage
Used in a medical emergency
Grammar Note
"Doktar" is an English loanword. The "-aanaa" suffix creates the dative plural form.
माझी चोरी झाली
Maa-zhi cho-ri jhaa-li
I was robbed / My things were stolen
Usage
Reporting theft to police or relevant authorities
Grammar Note
"Jhaali" is the feminine past form of "hone" (to happen). Marathi uses "hone" for passive events.
मला वेदना होत आहेत
Ma-laa ve-da-naa hot aa-het
I am in pain
Usage
Communicating pain to a doctor or paramedic
Grammar Note
"Vedanaa" is a Sanskrit-derived word for pain. Marathi often uses dative constructions for physical sensations.
रुग्णवाहिका बोलवा
Rug-na-vaa-hi-kaa bo-la-vaa
Please call an ambulance
Usage
Used in a serious medical emergency
Grammar Note
"Rugnaavahikaa" is a Sanskrit compound meaning "patient carrier". Using the Marathi term may be more widely understood locally.
मला श्वास घेण्यास त्रास होत आहे
Ma-laa shvaas ghe-nyaas traas hot aa-he
I am having difficulty breathing
Usage
Important phrase for communicating breathing difficulty to medical staff
Grammar Note
"Shvaas ghene" (breath take) is the idiom for "to breathe". "Traas hone" is a passive construction for "experiencing difficulty".
दूतावास कुठे आहे?
Du-taa-vaas ku-the aa-he?
Where is the embassy?
Usage
Locating one's own country's embassy in an emergency
Grammar Note
"Dutaavaas" combines "duta" (envoy/ambassador) + "aavas" (residence) — literally "ambassador's residence".
हे औषध आहे
He au-shadh aa-he
This is medicine
Usage
Showing your medication to medical staff
Grammar Note
"Aushadh" is Sanskrit-derived for medicine. More commonly used in Marathi than Hindi's "davai".
हे थांबवा!
he thambava!
Stop it!
Usage
Show this silently to firmly stop pushy touts, overcharging, or unwanted behaviour
मला हात लावू नका
mala haat lavu naka
Do not touch me
Usage
Show this when someone touches you in a crowd or while touting; it is polite in form but unmistakably firm
आग
aag
Fire
Usage
The word for fire; shouted as "aag lagli" ("a fire has broken out")
चोर
chor
Thief
Usage
The word for a thief — show it when calling for help from bystanders
दरोडा
daroda
Robbery
Usage
The word for an armed or forced robbery — use it when reporting the crime to police
खिसेकापू
khisekapu
Pickpocket
Usage
Literally "pocket-cutter"; use it to report a theft on a crowded train or in a bazaar
अपहरण
apaharan
Kidnapping
Usage
The legal term, used both for kidnapping a person and for hijacking a vehicle or aircraft
खून
khoon
Murder
Usage
The word used when reporting the crime; blood itself is "rakta", a different word
दंगल
dangal
Riot
Usage
The word for a crowd turning violent — show it when asking whether it is safe to go out
बॉम्ब
bomb
Bomb
Usage
A loanword from English; a bombing incident is "bombsphot"
चोर! पकडा!
chor! pakada!
Thief! Catch him!
Usage
Shout it to bystanders right after a theft, pointing at the person
Grammar Note
chor = thief. pakada = catch (pakadane; polite imperative). Formed like the polite imperatives kara and bolava.
आगीचा बंब बोलवा
aagicha bamb bolava
Please call a fire engine
Usage
Ask a bystander to call the fire brigade when you find a fire
Grammar Note
aagicha bamb = fire engine. Uses the pattern of rugnavahika bolava (please call an ambulance), with a different object.
पोलीस स्टेशन कुठे आहे?
polis steshan kuthe ahe?
Where is the police station?
Usage
Asking the way to a police station in order to report a crime
Grammar Note
X kuthe ahe? = Where is X? polis + steshan = police + station, a compound.
माझी चोरी झाली, तक्रार नोंदवायची आहे
majhi chori jhali, takrar nondavaychi ahe
I want to report a theft
Usage
Tell the desk at a police station that you want to report a theft
Grammar Note
Two clauses joined by a comma. The request is to lodge a theft report rather than issue a theft certificate.
जपानी बोलणारे कोणी आहे का?
japani bolanare koni ahe ka?
Is there anyone who speaks Japanese?
Usage
Look for someone who can interpret when you cannot explain the situation
Grammar Note
japani = Japanese. koni = anyone, the indefinite of kon (who). Uses the pattern imgraji bolanare doktar ahet ka?, changing the language and the person sought.
ही व्यक्ती बेशुद्ध आहे
hi vyakti beshuddha ahe
This person is unconscious
Usage
Point at the collapsed person while showing this to responders or bystanders
Grammar Note
Pattern: demonstrative + noun + ahe. Vyakti is grammatically feminine regardless of the person’s gender, hence hi.
ती व्यक्ती बुडत आहे
ti vyakti budat ahe
Someone is drowning
Usage
Call for help while pointing at a person drowning in the water
Grammar Note
verb stem + -t ahe = progressive. budane = to drown or sink; its stem bud also appears in budavave.
मला मारहाण झाली
mala marahan jhali
I was beaten
Usage
Report to police or medical staff that you have been assaulted
Grammar Note
mala = to me (dative). event noun + jhali = event construction. marahan = beating; noun from marane (beat), sharing the root of mara.
मला चाकूने भोसकले
mala chakune bhoskale
I was stabbed
Usage
Tell responders or police that you were stabbed with a blade
Grammar Note
mala = to me (dative). -ne = instrumental, marking the weapon; compare takadine. bhosakane = to stab or thrust into.
माझ्या खोलीत चोरी झाली
majhya kholit chori jhali
My room was broken into
Usage
Use at the front desk or with police when your room has been ransacked
Grammar Note
A location phrase combined with an event predicate; literally "a theft happened in my room".
ती व्यक्ती गुन्हेगार आहे
ti vyakti gunhegar ahe
That person is the culprit
Usage
Use it to point out the offender to the police
Grammar Note
Pattern: demonstrative + noun + ahe. Vyakti is grammatically feminine, hence ti.
माझी फसवणूक झाली
majhi phasavnuk jhali
I was deceived
Usage
Use when reporting a scam or a rip-off
Grammar Note
phasavnuk = fraud; a noun from the root phasav-. event noun + jhali = event construction.
माझे पाकीट चोरले गेले
majhe pakit chorle gele
My wallet was stolen
Usage
Tell police or bystanders that your wallet has been stolen
Grammar Note
Uses the pattern maazhe kapde chorale gele with pakit as the object. Pakit means envelope or wallet; here it means wallet.
मी माझी वस्तू विसरलो
mi majhi vastu visarlo
I left it behind
Usage
Use when you have left something behind in a shop, a vehicle or your lodging
Grammar Note
maazhi = my (possessive). visarane = to forget; -lo is the masculine past ending.
मला गाडीने धडक दिली
mala gadine dhadak dili
I was hit by a car
Usage
Tell responders or police that a car hit you
Grammar Note
gaadi = car. dhadak = collision or bumping into; pattern: X-ne dhadak dili.
लवकर करा
lavkar kara
Please hurry
Usage
Show it when you need help or paperwork to be speeded up
Grammar Note
kara = do (polite imperative). lavkar = quickly; soon or early.
लगेच या
lagech ya
Please come right away
Usage
Ask someone on the phone or in front of you to come immediately
Grammar Note
lagech = immediately. ya = come (irregular) (yene; polite imperative).
ही आणीबाणी आहे
hi anibani ahe
It's an emergency
Usage
Tell a desk or a queue that your situation cannot wait
Grammar Note
Pattern: demonstrative + noun + ahe. Anibani means crisis or emergency and is feminine, hence hi.
मला रुग्णालयात न्या
mala rugnalayat nya
Please take me to a hospital
Usage
Ask a driver or a bystander when you cannot get there on your own
Grammar Note
mala = to me (dative). rugnalayat = at/in the hospital (locative). nya = carry or take (nene; polite imperative).
आग! पळा!
aag! pala!
Fire! Run!
Usage
Shout it to the people around you when you find a fire
Grammar Note
aag = fire. pala = run or run away (palane; polite imperative). Formed like the polite imperatives kara and bolava.
धोका आहे
dhoka ahe
It is dangerous
Usage
Show it to warn someone of immediate danger
Grammar Note
noun + ahe = noun + existence construction, stating that there is danger. dhoka = danger (masculine), the root of dhokadayak (dangerous).
रस्ते अपघात झाला
raste apghat jhala
There has been a traffic accident
Usage
Show this to tell the police or bystanders that a traffic accident has happened
Grammar Note
apghat jhala = an accident happened; apghat is masculine, accident. raste / rasta = road, path or way (rasta is masculine). Prefix raste. Variants include रस्ते अपघात, रस्ता अपघात and वाहतूक अपघात. अपघात झाला, कृपया स्की गस्ती बोलवा
More Marathi phrases
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