Learning English

Tejali
बीबीसीच्या How do I…मध्ये तुमचं स्वागत, मी तेजाली आणि माझ्यासोबत आहे फिल.

Phil
Welcome, everyone!

Tejali
आपल्याला एखाद्या गोष्टीबद्दल नक्की माहिती नसत, We are uncertain. असं तुझ्या बाबतीत होत का फिल?

Phil
All the time!

Tejali
Great! ठीके. आता हे ऐकू या. Ok, listen to these people – what are they not sure about?

Insert

I think there's a bookshop near the station, but I'm not sure.

A bookshop? There could be one in the town centre, but I don't really know.

I suppose there's a bookshop near here, but maybe I'm wrong.

Tejali
ते पुस्तकांच दुकान शोधतायत. ते कुठे आहे ते त्यांना नक्की माहित नाहीये. ते कुठे असेल याबद्दल एक एक जण अंदाज लावतोय. यासाठी ती कुठले शब्द वापरतायत ते ऐका.

I think there's a bookshop near the station, but I'm not sure.

Phil
Did you get that? She said 'I think' at the beginning. She also ended by saying 'but I'm not sure'. Here are some more examples:

I think Rick's having lunch, but I'm not sure.

I think I left my keys at home, but I'm not sure.

We pronounce 'think' with a /θ/ sound – remember that your tongue touches your front teeth when you say it. Repeat after me to practise:

Think

I think there's a book shop

I think there's a book shop, but I'm not sure.

Tejali
Thanks, पुढचं ऐका आता. आपण कशावरून सांगू शकतो की त्यांना नक्की माहीत नाहीये?

A bookshop? There could be one in the town centre, but I don't really know.

Phil
Again, there are two things here. Instead of saying 'there is' we have a modal verb – 'there could be' – 'could' means something is possible. We also have the ending 'I don't really know'. Here's another example:

There could be some chicken in the fridge, but I don't really know.

Tejali
आता सर्वांत शेवटचा माणूस काय सांगतोय ऐकू या. अनिश्चितता त्यांच्या बोलण्यात कशातून दिसतीये?

I suppose there's a bookshop near here, but maybe I'm wrong.

Phil
Again, two things to look for! 'Suppose' means the same as 'think', so 'I suppose' is the same as 'I think'. Also, look at the ending 'but maybe I'm wrong'. Listen to this example:

I suppose I'll be finished by 1 o'clock, but maybe I'm wrong.

Note, we could use any of the endings 'I'm not sure', 'I don't really know' and 'maybe I'm wrong' in any of these sentences.

Tejali
हे शब्द तुम्ही कसे वापराल? एक छोटीशी टेस्ट घेऊ. त्याचं उत्तरं तुम्हाला नंतर ऐकू येईल.  तुम्ही  'chemist', औषधाचं दुकान शोधताय. ते शाळेजवळ आहे. पण तुम्हाला नक्की आठवत नाहीये. याबद्दल सांगताना 'think' आणि 'sure'. हे शब्द तुम्हाला वापरायचे आहेत.

Phil
I think there's a chemist near the school, but I'm not sure.

Tejali
इथे जवळपास एक 'café' असेल असं तुम्हाला वाटतंय. हे सांगताना तुम्हाला 'could' आणि 'know' वापरता येईल.

Phil
A café? There could be one in the town centre, but I don't really know. 

Tejali
Excellent, आता शेवटचा प्रश्न. बागेजवळ एक दुकान असावं असं तुम्हाला वाटतंय. इथे तुम्हाला  'suppose' आणि 'maybe' वापरायचं आहे.

Phil
I suppose there's a shop near the park, but maybe I'm wrong.

Tejali
कोणाकोणाच बरोबर आलं? आता आपल्या मनातली अनिश्चितता कशी सांगायची ते समजलंय तुम्हाला.

Phil
I think we're out of time, but I'm not sure. I suppose we'll have to finish here, but maybe I'm wrong!

Tejali
I'm afraid you're right, पण पुढचा भाग आहे ना. एखाद्या माहितीबद्दल आपण साशंक असू तर ते बोलण्यातून कसं दाखवायचं ते आपण आज शिकलो. यासाठी 'think', 'could' किंवा 'suppose' चा वापर होतो. याचबरोबर 'I'm not sure', 'I don't really know' किंवा 'maybe I'm wrong' या वाक्यांचाही उपयोग होतो. समजलं, आज इथेच थांबू, पुन्हा भेटू पुढच्या भागात. Bye.