Signification
Asking about someone's needs or desires
Contexte culturel
In Marathi homes, asking 'Kay have aahe?' is often followed by 'Agrah'—the act of insisting. Even if you say you want nothing, the host will likely bring you at least a glass of water and some 'Gud-Sakhars' (jaggery and sugar) or biscuits. In many Marathi 'Aartis' and prayers, the devotee expresses what they 'have' (desire) from the deity, often spiritual peace or protection. The phrase connects the mundane with the divine. In traditional 'Peth' markets in Pune, shopkeepers might use a very direct 'Kay have?' which might sound blunt to outsiders but is actually a sign of efficient, no-nonsense business culture. In Marathi literature, 'have' is used to express deep longing. Famous poets like Grace or Kusumagraj use variations of this to talk about the soul's desires.
The 'La' Rule
Always remember to add '-la' to the person who wants something. Mala, Tula, Tumhala!
Gender Agreement
If you know the gender of the object, change 'have' to 'hava' (M) or 'havi' (F). If you don't know, stick to 'have'.
Signification
Asking about someone's needs or desires
The 'La' Rule
Always remember to add '-la' to the person who wants something. Mala, Tula, Tumhala!
Gender Agreement
If you know the gender of the object, change 'have' to 'hava' (M) or 'havi' (F). If you don't know, stick to 'have'.
The 'Nako' Switch
If you want to say 'No' to an offer, just say 'Nako'. It's the most natural way to decline.
Politeness
Using 'Aaplyala' instead of 'Tumhala' makes you sound very sophisticated and polite in shops.
Teste-toi
Fill in the correct dative pronoun for 'You (formal)'.
_______ काय हवे आहे?
'Tumhala' is the correct dative form for 'You' (formal/plural).
Which of these is the most common informal contraction?
How do you say 'What do you want?' to a friend in Mumbai?
'Kay havyay?' is the ubiquitous informal contraction in spoken Marathi.
Match the object with the correct form of 'have'.
Match the following:
The form of 'have' must agree with the gender of the object.
Complete the dialogue at a restaurant.
Waiter: नमस्कार! आपल्याला काय हवे आहे? Customer: मला एक _______ हवा आहे.
Since the customer says 'hava' (masculine), the object must be masculine. 'Chaha' is masculine, while 'Coffee' and 'Gadi' are feminine, and 'Pani' is neuter.
🎉 Score : /4
Aides visuelles
Gender Agreement
Banque d exercices
4 exercices_______ काय हवे आहे?
'Tumhala' is the correct dative form for 'You' (formal/plural).
How do you say 'What do you want?' to a friend in Mumbai?
'Kay havyay?' is the ubiquitous informal contraction in spoken Marathi.
Associez chaque element a gauche avec son pair a droite :
The form of 'have' must agree with the gender of the object.
Waiter: नमस्कार! आपल्याला काय हवे आहे? Customer: मला एक _______ हवा आहे.
Since the customer says 'hava' (masculine), the object must be masculine. 'Chaha' is masculine, while 'Coffee' and 'Gadi' are feminine, and 'Pani' is neuter.
🎉 Score : /4
Questions fréquentes
12 questionsIt is neutral. The formality depends on the pronoun (Tula vs Tumhala) you use with it.
No. For 'should', use 'pahije'. For example, 'You should go' is 'Tu jayla pahije'.
'Have' is slightly more formal and often used for desires, while 'pahije' is more common for needs and physical objects.
Say 'Mala [object] have/hava/havi aahe'.
Because Marathi adjectives/verbs often agree with the gender of the object. 'Havi' is for feminine objects like 'Coffee'.
It's not slang, but it is very casual spoken Marathi. Avoid it in formal writing.
Ask 'Kahi have aahe ka?'.
Yes, if you are asking the interviewer what they are looking for in a candidate: 'तुम्हाला उमेदवाराकडून काय हवे आहे?'
The past tense is 'Kay have hote?'.
It's a bit blunt. Adding 'aahe' or a pronoun makes it much more natural.
For actions, you use a different structure: 'Mala jayche aahe'. 'Have' is mostly for nouns.
'Nako' is the negative of 'have'. It means 'don't want'.
Expressions liées
काय पाहिजे?
synonymWhat is needed?
काय हवंय?
specialized formWhat do you want? (Casual)
काही हवे का?
similarDo you want something?
नको आहे
contrastDon't want
इच्छा आहे
builds onTo have a desire
