Number (वचन)

Number in Marathi grammar — called वचन — is the grammatical category that distinguishes between one entity and more than one entity. Like gender, number is woven into the fabric of every Marathi sentence: nouns, pronouns, adjectives, and verbs must all agree in number. Mastering the rules of वचन is therefore essential for producing grammatically correct Marathi at every level of proficiency.

Marathi has two numbers: एकवचन (singular) and अनेकवचन (plural). Unlike Sanskrit, which had a dual number, modern Marathi uses only these two. The plural is formed according to the gender of the noun and, in some cases, according to the noun's ending. This lesson gives you the complete rule set with worked examples, tables, and practice exercises.

Before working through this lesson, ensure you are confident with Gender (लिंग) and the basics of Nouns (नाम), since plural formation depends heavily on gender. After this lesson, continue with Cases (Vibhakti) to see how number and case combine to produce full noun inflection. Test yourself using the Grammar Quiz Generator and build your vocabulary simultaneously with the Vocabulary Builder.

What Is वचन?

वचन literally means "utterance" or "statement" in Sanskrit, but as a grammatical term it means "number" — the indication of how many things a noun refers to. The two values in Marathi are:

• एकवचन — Singular: referring to exactly one entity (e.g., मुलगा, one boy)
• अनेकवचन — Plural: referring to more than one entity (e.g., मुलगे, boys)

The plural suffix depends entirely on the gender of the noun and, in some subcases, on the nature of the noun's ending. Because of this, the gender lesson and the number lesson are inseparable — you cannot learn one well without the other. Every plural form you learn should be stored alongside the noun's gender in your memory.

Why Number Matters in Marathi

Number in Marathi is not just about the noun itself. A change in number ripples through the entire noun phrase and into the verb. When a noun shifts from singular to plural, the following typically change as well:

• The noun form itself (the plural suffix)
• Adjectives modifying the noun (they change endings to agree)
• Demonstratives pointing at the noun (हा/ही/हे become हे/ह्या/ही)
• The verb in the sentence (plural verb forms are used)

This cascading agreement makes number one of the most far-reaching grammatical categories in Marathi. Getting the plural form of the noun right but using a singular verb is still an error that sounds unnatural to native speakers.

Plural Formation Rules by Gender

Masculine Nouns (पुल्लिंग)

Masculine nouns that end in -आ in the singular form the plural by replacing -आ with -ए. This is the most common masculine plural pattern and covers a huge number of everyday nouns. It is also completely regular — no stem changes occur, only the final vowel changes.

• मुलगा → मुलगे (boy → boys)
• दादा → दादे (grandfather/elder → elders)
• घोडा → घोडे (horse → horses)
• कुत्रा → कुत्रे (male dog → male dogs)
• राजा → राजे (king → kings)

Masculine nouns that do not end in -आ — ending in a consonant or another vowel — are generally invariable in the plural. Their form does not change; context, numerals, or words like काही (some) or अनेक (many) signal plural meaning.

• बैल → बैल (bull → bulls — unchanged)
• शिक्षक → शिक्षक (teacher, masculine → teachers — unchanged)
• माणूस → माणसे (person → people — irregular, see below)

Feminine Nouns (स्त्रीलिंग)

Feminine nouns that end in -ई or -ी in the singular form the plural by replacing that ending with -या. This suffix involves a consonant cluster in the stem in some words (for example नदी → नद्या, where the stem consonant द absorbs the य of the suffix to produce the conjunct द्य).

• मुलगी → मुली (girl → girls — note stem change here: the ग drops)
• नदी → नद्या (river → rivers)
• टोपी → टोप्या (hat → hats)
• खुर्ची → खुर्च्या (chair → chairs)
• बोटी → बोटी (boat → boats — some feminine nouns in -ी remain unchanged)

Feminine nouns ending in -आ (like माया, वेळ, शाळा) vary. शाळा (school) → शाळा (unchanged) or शाळ्या in some dialects. Nouns ending in a consonant in the feminine are generally invariable in the plural, signalled only by context or a numeral.

Neuter Nouns (नपुंसकलिंग)

Neuter nouns are the most varied group for plural formation. Short-vowel neuter nouns most often take the suffix -ए:

• घर → घरे (house → houses)
• झाड → झाडे (tree → trees)
• पुस्तक → पुस्तके (book → books)
• फूल → फुले (flower → flowers — with a stem vowel change from long to short)

Neuter nouns ending in long -ई (like पाणी) are invariable in the plural. Context, or counting words, disambiguates. Some neuter nouns ending in -ए in the singular already look like a plural and do not change further.

Summary Table: Plural Formation

Number Agreement in Sentences

Adjective Agreement

When an adjective modifies a plural noun, it must agree in both number and gender. For adjectives ending in -आ/-ई/-ए, the plural forms are as follows:

• Masculine plural: adjective takes -ए form — चांगले मुलगे (good boys)
• Feminine plural: adjective takes -या form — चांगल्या मुली (good girls)
• Neuter plural: adjective takes -ी form — चांगली पुस्तके (good books)

For a complete adjective agreement chart covering all genders and numbers, visit the Adjectives lesson.

Verb Agreement with Plural Subjects

Present-tense and past-tense verbs agree with the subject in number. Plural subjects take plural verb forms. For example, the copula असणे (to be) in present tense:

• मुलगा आहे — The boy is (singular)
• मुलगे आहेत — The boys are (plural)

The plural copula form आहेत is used for all plural subjects regardless of gender. This is one area where Marathi simplifies: a single plural form replaces three gendered singular forms. In the simple past, however, plural verb endings are gender-sensitive again.

Irregular Plurals

A handful of very common Marathi nouns have irregular plural forms that must be memorised. These irregularities usually involve a vowel change in the stem in addition to the plural suffix. Because these nouns are among the most frequently used in the language, it is essential to learn them early.

Number and Demonstratives

Demonstratives in Marathi also agree with the noun in gender and number. Here is the paradigm for the three genders in both singular and plural:

Number and the Postposition System

When a noun takes a postposition (a case suffix like ला, ने, त, वर, चा), its form first shifts to the oblique stem, which in turn is shaped partly by its number. For example:

• Singular: मुलगा → मुलग्याला (to the boy) — oblique stem मुलग्या-
• Plural: मुलगे → मुलांना (to the boys) — oblique stem मुलां-

The plural oblique stem is formed differently from the singular oblique stem. For -आ masculine nouns, the plural oblique takes -ां- (nasal vowel). This is the form you use before all postpositions in the plural. The full case system is covered in the Cases (Vibhakti) lesson.

Pronouns and Number

Marathi pronouns have distinct singular and plural forms. The first-person plural in Marathi even distinguishes between inclusive and exclusive "we" — a distinction English completely lacks.

• मी (I, singular) → आम्ही (we, exclusive — not including the listener) / आपण (we, inclusive — including the listener)
• तू (you, intimate singular) → तुम्ही (you, plural or respectful singular)
• तो (he, masculine singular) → ते (they, masculine or mixed plural)
• ती (she, feminine singular) → त्या (they, feminine plural)
• ते (it, neuter singular) → ती (they, neuter plural)

For the full pronoun chart including all number and case forms, see the Pronouns lesson.

Worked Examples

Practice Questions

Collective Nouns and Number

Collective nouns in Marathi (words that denote a group treated as a unit) are typically singular in form and take singular verb agreement, even though they refer to multiple entities. For example: प्रेक्षक (audience) takes a singular verb in some usages, while in others the collective is treated as plural. Usage varies by region and register. In formal writing, treat these as singular unless the context clearly emphasises the individual members.

Number in Formal vs. Informal Speech

In informal spoken Marathi, some plural forms are simplified or replaced by the singular form plus a numeral. For example, where formal Marathi might say दोन घरे (two houses), very informal speech might use दोन घर. For writing and formal communication, always use the grammatically correct plural form. The Sentence Checker and Grammar Quiz Generator always target standard Marathi forms.

Quick Reference: Plural Suffixes at a Glance

Summary

Marathi number (वचन) operates on a simple binary — एकवचन and अनेकवचन — but the plural forms themselves are shaped by gender, making it impossible to separate the study of number from the study of Gender (लिंग). Masculine -आ nouns become -ए, feminine -ई nouns become -या, and neuter nouns typically add -ए. A small set of very common nouns have irregular plurals that must be memorised. Number agreement cascades from the noun to adjectives, demonstratives, and verbs, making correct plural forms essential in every sentence. Use the Grammar Quiz Generator for targeted number drills and the Vocabulary Builder to store noun pairs with their plural forms from the start. Continue to Cases (Vibhakti) to complete your understanding of noun inflection in Marathi.

Frequently Asked Questions