Marathi is the official language of Maharashtra , the state containing Mumbai, India's financial capital , and is spoken by approximately 83 million people, making it the third most spoken language in India. It is written in the Devanagari script (shared with Hindi and Sanskrit) and has a literary tradition stretching over 900 years.
The Marathi people have a strong cultural identity shaped by the legacy of the Maratha Empire, the reformist movements of figures like Mahatma Phule and Chhatrapati Shivaji, and the cosmopolitan energy of Mumbai. Greetings in Marathi reflect this mix of tradition, pride, and modernity.
- Namaskar , The formal, respectful greeting
- Namaskaar vs Namaskar vs Namaste
- Time-specific greetings
- How to ask "how are you?"
- Informal greetings in Mumbai
- Quick-reference table
- Cultural context
1. Namaskar , The Formal, Respectful Greeting
नमस्कार (Namaskar, pronounced na-mas-KAR) is the primary formal greeting in Marathi. While Hindi often uses namaste, Marathi speakers traditionally prefer namaskar as the more complete, respectful form.
Pronunciation breakdown:
- Na: "nah" , open vowel
- mas: "maas" , the 'a' is slightly longer in Marathi
- kar: "kaar" , rhymes with "car" with a long 'a'
Full: na-mas-KAR (emphasis on the last syllable)
In Devanagari: नमस्कार
Literal meaning: Namas (bow/reverence) + kara (act/doing) = "The act of bowing in reverence"
Usage: ✅ Meeting elders, teachers, or respected figures ✅ Formal situations (offices, events) ✅ Entering someone's home ✅ Beginning a phone call or meeting ✅ Any time of day
Gesture: Hands pressed together (anjali mudra) with a slight bow , identical to namaste.
Response: Namaskar (echo back, often with a warm smile)
2. Namaskar vs Namaste vs Namaskaar
These three words confuse many learners:
Namaskar (नमस्कार) , the standard Marathi greeting. Preferred in formal and traditional contexts. Most common in Maharashtra.
Namaste (नमस्ते) , the iconic Hindi greeting, well understood in Maharashtra but slightly "less Marathi" in flavor. Perfectly acceptable everywhere.
Namaskaar , a regional/dialectal variation with a longer 'a' at the end, heard in parts of Vidarbha (eastern Maharashtra).
In Mumbai's cosmopolitan environment, all three are used interchangeably. In Pune (Maharashtra's cultural capital) or smaller towns, namaskar carries more prestige.
3. Time-Specific Greetings
Good morning
सुप्रभात (Suprabhat, su-pra-BHAHT) = "Good morning"
- Literary/formal , used in schools, on radio, by teachers
- Shared with Hindi
Everyday form: Most Marathis simply say namaskar in the morning, sometimes adding: कसे आहात? (Kase aahat?) = "How are you?" (formal)
Good afternoon
There's no single standard Marathi phrase for "good afternoon." Urban speakers use English "good afternoon" or simply namaskar.
Good evening
शुभ संध्या (Shubh sandhya, SHUBH san-DH-ya) = "Good evening"
- More formal/literary
- Common in formal announcements and broadcasts
Informal: namaskar with the context of evening understood.
Good night
शुभ रात्री (Shubh ratri, SHUBH RA-tri) = "Good night"
- Used as a farewell before sleeping
- Warm, widely understood
4. How to Ask "How Are You?"
Kase aahat? (formal)
कसे आहात? (Kase aahat?, KA-seh AA-hat) = "How are you?" (formal, to a man or plural) कशा आहात? (Kasha aahat?, KA-sha AA-hat) = "How are you?" (formal, to a woman)
Marathi, like Hindi, has gendered verb conjugations. Using the correct form for the person's gender is a mark of linguistic care.
Tumi kase aahat? (friendly formal)
तुम्ही कसे आहात? (Tumhi kase aahat?) = "How are you?" (respectful/formal 'you')
Kasa aahes? (casual)
कसा आहेस? (Kasa aahes?, KA-sa AA-hes) = "How are you?" (informal, to a man) कशी आहेस? (Kashi aahes?, KA-shi AA-hes) = "How are you?" (informal, to a woman)
Common responses:
- मी ठीक आहे (Mi theek aahe) = "I am fine"
- छान आहे (Chhan aahe, CHHAN AA-heh) = "I am great / It's nice"
- धन्यवाद (Dhanyavaad, dhan-ya-VAAD) = "Thank you"
- बरा आहे (Bara aahe) = "I'm okay / decent"
5. Informal Greetings in Mumbai
Mumbai's unique cultural mix has created a distinctive urban Marathi , blended with Hindi, English, and Bambaiya slang.
Kasa kai? (Mumbai Marathi)
कसा काय? (Kasa kai?, KA-sa KAY) = "How's it going? / What's up?"
- The most casual Mumbai Marathi greeting
- An equivalent of "Wassup?" in English
- Used between friends of all backgrounds in Mumbai
Response: Masta! (MAS-ta) = "Great! / Awesome!" , a quintessentially Mumbai response
Arre yaar (borrowed from Hindi)
Mumbaites freely mix Arre yaar (ar-reh YAAR) = "Hey buddy!" into Marathi conversations, reflecting the city's multilingual character.
Jai Maharashtra
जय महाराष्ट्र (Jai Maharashtra, JAY ma-ha-RASH-tra) = "Victory/Long live Maharashtra!" This is more of a political/cultural rallying expression than an everyday greeting, but you'll hear it at Marathi cultural events, political gatherings, and during Maharashtra Day (May 1). Responding in kind shows cultural solidarity.
6. Quick-Reference Table
| Marathi | Script | Pronunciation | Meaning | Context |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Namaskar | नमस्कार | na-mas-KAR | Hello (formal) | Universal |
| Namaste | नमस्ते | na-MAS-teh | Hello | Universal |
| Suprabhat | सुप्रभात | su-pra-BHAHT | Good morning | Formal morning |
| Shubh ratri | शुभ रात्री | SHUBH RA-tri | Good night | Night |
| Kase aahat? | कसे आहात? | KA-seh AA-hat | How are you? (formal) | Formal |
| Kasa kai? | कसा काय? | KA-sa KAY | What's up? | Casual Mumbai |
| Mi theek aahe | मी ठीक आहे | mi THEEK AA-heh | I am fine | Response |
| Chhan aahe | छान आहे | CHHAN AA-heh | It is great | Response |
| Dhanyavaad | धन्यवाद | dhan-ya-VAAD | Thank you | Gratitude |
| Masta | मस्त | MAS-ta | Great/Awesome | Casual response |
7. Cultural Context
Chhatrapati Shivaji and Maratha pride
The Marathi people's identity is deeply shaped by the legacy of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj , the 17th-century warrior king who founded the Maratha Empire. This historical pride is alive in daily culture, from place names to greeting expressions to festivals like Shiv Jayanti.
Mumbai: city of millions
Mumbai is India's most cosmopolitan city, and Marathi coexists with Hindi, English, Gujarati, Konkani, and dozens of other languages. A Mumbai greeting exchange might seamlessly mix all of these , code-switching is not a linguistic failure but a social skill.
Ganesh Chaturthi
Maharashtra's biggest festival , the 11-day celebration of Lord Ganesha , transforms greetings completely. During this period: गणपती बाप्पा मोरया! (Ganapati Bappa Morya!) = "Lord Ganesha, return soon!" This becomes the ubiquitous greeting, farewell, and expression of joy.
Sant tradition
Maharashtra has a rich tradition of *bhakti (devotional) saints , Dnyaneshwar, Tukaram, Namdev , whose Marathi poetry shaped the language's character. Many traditional greetings carry echoes of this devotional worldview.
From the streets of Mumbai to the ghats of Pune, Marathi greetings connect you to a civilization that blends ancient spiritual depth with modern urban energy.
Explore our related guides: How to say hello in Hindi and How to say hello in Punjabi.
Start the Marathi course on Targumi
Sources and References
- Marathi — Ethnologue: Marathi is spoken by over 83 million native speakers. Language family: Indo-European, Indo-Aryan branch.
- Wikipedia — Marathi: encyclopedic information on the language, its geographic area and official status.
- Targumi — Learn Marathi: courses with certified native teachers.
Further Reading
- Learn Marathi on Targumi — courses with native teachers
- All languages on Targumi — 106 languages taught