Prepositions of Place and Time in English Grammar (शब्दयोगी अव्यय) – A Complete Bilingual Guide
Learn how to use ‘in’, ‘on’, ‘at’ and other common prepositions correctly, with clear rules, Marathi explanations, and examples.
What are Prepositions? A preposition is a word placed before a noun or pronoun to show its relationship with other words in a sentence — usually showing place, time, or direction.
(इंग्रजी व्याकरणात, नाम किंवा सर्वनामापूर्वी येऊन त्याचा वाक्यातील इतर शब्दांशी संबंध (स्थळ, वेळ किंवा दिशा) दाखवणाऱ्या शब्दाला ‘शब्दयोगी अव्यय’ म्हणतात.)
1. Prepositions of Place: In, On, At (स्थळवाचक)
English Rule: Use “in” for enclosed spaces (rooms, cities, countries, boxes), “on” for surfaces (tables, walls, floors), and “at” for specific points or addresses.
मराठी नियम: बंदिस्त जागांसाठी (खोली, शहर, देश, पेटी) “in”, पृष्ठभागावर काहीतरी असल्यास (टेबल, भिंत, जमीन) “on”, आणि एखाद्या विशिष्ट ठिकाणासाठी किंवा पत्त्यासाठी “at” वापरतात.
Examples (उदाहरणे):
- in: The book is in the bag. She lives in Mumbai.
- on: The cup is on the table. The picture is on the wall.
- at: He is waiting at the bus stop. I live at 24 MG Road.
Example Sentence: The cat is sitting on the mat in the living room.
(मांजर दिवाणखान्यातील गालिच्यावर बसले आहे.)
2. Prepositions of Time: In, On, At (कालवाचक)
English Rule: Use “in” for months, years, and long periods, “on” for days and dates, and “at” for specific/exact times.
मराठी नियम: महिने, वर्षे आणि मोठ्या कालावधीसाठी “in”, दिवस आणि तारखांसाठी “on”, आणि निश्चित/अचूक वेळेसाठी “at” वापरतात.
Examples (उदाहरणे):
- in: in September, in 2026, in the morning
- on: on Monday, on 15th August, on my birthday
- at: at 6 o’clock, at noon, at night
Example Sentence: We celebrate Independence Day on 15th August, in the morning, at 8 o’clock.
(आपण स्वातंत्र्यदिन १५ ऑगस्टला, सकाळी, ८ वाजता साजरा करतो.)
3. Prepositions of Direction and Movement (दिशावाचक)
English Rule: Words like “to”, “into”, “onto”, “through”, “across”, and “towards” show movement from one place to another.
मराठी नियम: “to”, “into”, “onto”, “through”, “across”, “towards” यांसारखे शब्द एका ठिकाणाहून दुसऱ्या ठिकाणी होणारी हालचाल दर्शवतात.
Examples (उदाहरणे):
- to: She is going to school.
- into: The dog ran into the house.
- through: We walked through the forest.
- across: They swam across the river.
Example Sentence: The boy ran across the field and jumped into the pond.
(मुलगा शेतातून पळत गेला आणि तळ्यात उडी मारली.)
Common Mistake for Marathi Speakers (मराठी भाषिकांची सामान्य चूक)
Marathi speakers often say “I reached to home” or “He is married with her” by translating Marathi sentence patterns directly. The correct forms are “I reached home” (no preposition needed) and “He is married to her.”
(मराठीत “मी घरी पोहोचलो” असे म्हणताना “to” सारखा शब्द वेगळा वापरावा लागत नाही, म्हणून अनेकजण चुकीने “I reached to home” असे म्हणतात. योग्य वाक्य आहे: “I reached home.” याचप्रमाणे “married with” नाही तर “married to” असे म्हणावे.)
Summary Table: Common Prepositions (तक्ता)
| Preposition | Type | Used For | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| In | Place / Time | Enclosed spaces, months/years | in the box, in June |
| On | Place / Time | Surfaces, days/dates | on the table, on Monday |
| At | Place / Time | Specific points, exact times | at the door, at 5 pm |
| To / Into / Across | Direction | Movement between places | go to school |
Test Your Understanding — Prepositions Quiz
तुमची समज तपासा! Answer all 10 questions and see your score at the end.
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