Common Challenges in English to Marathi Translation and How to Solve Them

Author: Anand Shukla

Let's be honest, translating from English to Marathi isn't as easy as it sounds. On paper, it feels like a straightforward swap of words between two languages. But the moment you try it for anything serious, say a mobile app, a government circular, or even a simple onboarding flow, you hit a wall.

That's because English and Marathi don't just speak differently. They think differently.

Here's a no-fluff look at what makes English to Marathi translation so tricky, and what you can do to avoid those common traps.

1. Grammar That Doesn't Line Up

First, the basics. English follows a subject-verb-object order. Marathi? It flips that to subject-object-verb. So something like "The team submitted the report" becomes "संघाने अहवाल सादर केला."

Now, if you're using a tool that translates word-for-word without adjusting sentence structure, you're going to end up with clunky, confusing lines. That's not a good look, especially if you're sending customer-facing content.

What actually works: Use tools that understand sentence structure and not just vocabulary. And always, always, have a human look at it, especially if tone matters.

2. Same English Word, Different Marathi Meanings

Take the word "case." Depending on the context, it could mean:

  • a legal matter
  • a physical container
  • a medical condition

In Marathi, these become:

  • "प्रकरण"
  • "डब्बा"
  • "रोगाची लक्षणं" or "केस"

So if you say "This case needs review" in English, and your translator picks "डब्बा," well, you've got a problem.

How to fix: Focus on context. Use neural MT engines trained on Indian language datasets, or even better, build a glossary for your domain and stick to it.

3. Idioms, Expressions, and All That Jazz

English is full of expressions. "Kick the bucket," "Under the weather," "Spill the beans." These don't really mean what the words say, do they?

Try translating those literally into Marathi and you'll confuse your readers, or worse, make them laugh.

Marathi has its own vibrant set of idioms. If you're serious about connecting with people, don't translate expressions. Recreate them. Say it in a way that makes them feel like you're speaking their language. Because you are.

4. Formal or Casual? Choose Wrong, and It's Awkward

In English, "you" is just... you. But in Marathi, it changes depending on who you're talking to. You've got "तू," "तुम्ही," and "आपण." One sounds intimate, one sounds polite, and one sounds like you're addressing a group, or being overly formal.

So, if your app says "Are you sure you want to exit?" the Marathi version could feel cold, rude, or oddly ceremonial, depending on which word you choose for "you."

Fix? Get clear on your audience first. Who are you talking to? What tone do they expect? Don't assume there's a one-size-fits-all version of Marathi.

5. The Missing Words Problem

Sometimes, there's no exact Marathi word for what you're trying to say in English. Especially with tech, banking, or legal terms.

Let's say "data breach." You could translate that to "डेटा उल्लंघन," but does that land? Most Marathi-speaking users would understand the English phrase better, or need a bit of an explanation.

What works well in practice is a hybrid approach. Mix in English where it's already familiar, but wrap it in Marathi so the overall message still feels native.

6. Text Length + UI Wreckage

Here's something no one tells you: Marathi phrases tend to be longer than English ones. A short phrase like "View Details" becomes "तपशील पहा" or even longer if the context shifts.

Now imagine you've translated your whole app only to find that buttons are broken, text overflows, or layout gets messy. Classic rookie mistake.

What to do: Design your interfaces with extra room. And don't hard-code text into your UI. Ever. Let the layout adapt to the language.

7. Fonts and Display Mess

Marathi uses the Devanagari script. Not all systems render it cleanly. Sometimes characters don't align. Sometimes they turn into those annoying boxes. Sometimes, half a word is missing.

Always test. Use Unicode fonts. Noto Sans Devanagari is a safe bet. Avoid trying to be fancy unless you know what you're doing.

Final Word

Translation isn't just about switching words. It's about switching mindsets. When you move from English to Marathi, you're stepping into a different linguistic world, one with its own rhythm, rules, and emotional cues.

Businesses that treat Marathi translation as a checkbox task will always sound off. But those who invest time into understanding tone, context, and cultural nuance? They stand out.

So no shortcuts. No generic tools. And no copy-paste jobs from Google Translate.

If it matters enough to translate, it matters enough to do it right.

SOURCE: https://medium.com/@devnagri07/common-challenges-in-english-to-marathi-translation-and-how-to-solve-them-d2b3b3cb8409