What Foreigners Should Know Before Visiting Pune: Language & Culture Edition

Pune is green, laid-back and proudly Marathi. You'll get by in English in many places - star hotels, the airport, malls, IT parks and upscale restaurants. But step into the local life, a market, an auto or a neighbourhood shop, and Marathi is the language of everyday life. A few Marathi words and a little cultural know-how will turn a good trip into a great one. Shopkeepers smile wider, auto drivers relax, and Puneris start letting you in on their famously dry sense of humour.

Here's what to know before you land.

English gets you far, but Pune runs on Marathi

Pune is one of the most Marathi-speaking big cities in India, and the language is a big part of its identity:

Marathi: The official language of Maharashtra spoken by over 100 million people, and the native language of most Puneris. It's what you'll hear in the old city's peths, the markets and most homes, and what you'll see on road signs, shop boards and buses.
English: The language of Pune's IT parks, colleges and universities. Most people you meet in offices and tourist areas will speak a good amount of English.
Hindi: Widely understood, especially among people who've moved to Pune from other parts of India for work or study. But with locals, Marathi always wins hearts.

You don't need to learn Marathi for a short trip. But a handful of Marathi words goes a very long way in Pune, because the city is truly proud of its language.

Marathi words that make your trip easier

Namaskar - Hello (works any time of day)
Dhanyavaad - Thank you
Kase aahat? - How are you?
Ho - Yes
Nahi - No
Kiti? - How much?
Thoda kami kara - Make it a bit less (useful when bargaining)
Kuthe aahe? - Where is it?
Paani - Water
Tikhat nako - Not spicy, please
Bas - That's enough, or stop here
Chala - Let's go

No one expects perfect pronunciation. Even a slightly mangled "Dhanyavaad" will get you a big smile.

Greetings and body language

Namaskar with joined palms: Pressing your palms together and saying "Namaskar" is the traditional Marathi greeting, and it's always polite. Handshakes are normal in business settings.
The head wobble: That gentle side-to-side tilt doesn't mean no. Depending on the moment, it means "yes", "okay" or "I'm listening". You'll be doing it yourself by the end of your trip.
Sir and Ma'am: Hotel staff, shop assistants, drivers and subordinates in an office will often call you Sir or Ma'am. It's just politeness, so don't be surprised.
Respect for elders: Indians show a lot of respect to older people. Calling an older man "Kaka" (uncle) or an older woman "Mawshi" (aunty) is warm and friendly, not strange at all.

Pune etiquette that visitors often miss

Shoes off: Take your shoes off before entering someone's home and any temple. Look for a pile of shoes at the door - that's your cue.
Use your right hand: Eat, and give and take things, with your right hand, especially money and food.
Dress for places of worship: At Dagdusheth Halwai Ganpati, Kasba Ganpati or any temple, church or mosque, cover your shoulders and knees. Carrying a scarf is handy.
Saying goodbye: Maharashtrians don't like to say "Goodbye" or "I'm going" when they leave. Instead they say "Mi yeto" (if you're a man) or "Mi yete" (if you're a woman), which means "I'll come back" - a small promise that you'll visit again. Try it when you leave a home or a favourite shop.
Public affection: Holding hands is fine, but kissing in public is still frowned upon in most places.
Tipping: Not compulsory, but around 5-10% at restaurants is appreciated if there's no service charge on the bill. For hotel staff and drivers, a small tip is a nice thank-you.

Getting around: autos, the metro and two-wheelers

Autos are everywhere: Auto rickshaws are the easiest way to get around Pune. You can flag one down on the street the traditional way, or use ride-hailing apps like Uber, Ola and Rapido.
Go by the meter: Ask "Meter-ne chala" (Go by the meter) before you get in. Ride-hailing apps save you the bargaining, especially late at night, when some drivers ask for a little extra.
Say where you're going in Marathi: Add -la to the place name, and you're set - "Deccan-la chala" (Let's go to Deccan), "Kothrud-la chala" (Let's go to Kothrud).
The Pune Metro: Clean, air-conditioned and growing every year, the metro is a handy way to skip the traffic on its routes.
Two-wheelers rule the roads: Pune is a city of scooters and bikes, so look both ways, then look again, before you cross the road.

Food culture: eat like a Puneri

Pune takes its food seriously, and many of its best bites come from shops that have been around for generations:

Misal pav: A fiery sprouts curry topped with farsan (crunchy savoury snacks), onions and lemon, eaten with soft pav. Pune's favourite breakfast.
Vada pav: A spicy potato fritter in a soft bun, with chutneys. Maharashtra's favourite snack.
Mastani: A thick milkshake topped with a scoop of ice cream, nuts and fruit. Pune's own dessert drink, perfect on a hot afternoon.
Bakarwadi: Crispy, spicy-sweet spiral snacks. Puneris swear by the ones from Chitale Bandhu.
Shrewsbury biscuits: Buttery biscuits from Kayani Bakery that people queue up for, and carry home to friends and family across the world.
Chaha: Strong, sweet tea from Pune's tea stalls, called amruttulya, which means "like nectar".
A Maharashtrian thali: A big plate of small dishes - bhaaji, varan bhaat (dal and rice), poli (chapati) and something sweet like shrikhand (sweet strained yoghurt) or puran poli (a sweet stuffed flatbread).

A few tips for eating well and staying well:

Drink bottled or filtered water: Ask for "bottled water" at restaurants, and skip the ice from street stalls.
Spice levels are serious: Misal especially can be fiery. If you'd like it milder, say "Tikhat nako" (not spicy) or "Thoda kami tikhat" (a little less spicy).
Pure veg means vegetarian: Many restaurants are "pure veg", which means no meat or even eggs.
Eating with your hands is normal: Especially for a thali. The correct etiquette is only to use your right hand.

Festivals and cultural events worth planning your trip around

If your dates are flexible, time your trip with one of these. Our Marathi festivals guide explains how each one is celebrated, and how to wish people:

Ganeshotsav (August or September): Pune is where Lokmanya Tilak turned Ganeshotsav into a public festival in the 1890s. Visit the Dagdusheth Halwai Ganpati and the five "manache" Ganpatis, the city's most honoured pandals, and don't miss the thundering dhol-tasha pathaks in the immersion processions. You'll hear "Ganpati Bappa Morya!" everywhere.
The Palkhi (June or July): The palkhis of Sant Dnyaneshwar and Sant Tukaram pass through Pune on their way to Pandharpur, with huge numbers of warkaris (pilgrims) walking and singing. A moving sight, even if you just watch from the roadside.
Diwali (October or November): Lamps, lanterns, rangoli and boxes of faral (Diwali snacks), plus mini forts that kids build out of mud. Wish people "Diwalichya haardik shubhechha!"
Gudhi Padwa (March or April): The Marathi New Year, with colourful processions and a decorated gudhi outside many homes.
Sawai Gandharva Bhimsen Mahotsav (December): One of India's best-known Hindustani classical music festivals, and a Pune institution.
Weddings: If you're invited to a Marathi wedding, say yes - it's one of the best ways to see the culture up close. Our Marathi language guide for Indian weddings explains the ceremonies and what to say.

Cultural Quirks of Pune

Some things about Pune can surprise first-time visitors. Most of them are just the city being the city:

Puneri directness: Puneris are known for being blunt, with a sharp, dry wit. The city's famous "Puneri patya" - sarcastic shop signs telling you exactly what not to do - are part of the charm, so enjoy them.
The afternoon break: Many shops in the old city close for a few hours in the afternoon, so plan your shopping for the morning or evening.
Curious questions: People may ask where you're from, whether you're married or what you do. It's friendly curiosity, not rudeness, so feel free to answer as much or as little as you like.
Flexible timings: "Five minutes" can mean anything from five minutes to an hour, especially in Pune's traffic. Build some slack into your plans.
Festival noise: During Ganeshotsav, the dhol-tasha practice and processions can go on late into the night. It's loud, but it's also the city at its most joyful.

Staying longer than a holiday?

If Pune wins you over and you end up staying, a few words won't be enough for long. Learning some real Marathi makes daily life easier, and it's the fastest way to feel at home in a city this proud of its native language.

If you want to progress from phrases and words to having real conversations in Marathi, a bit of structure makes a big difference. Start with Bhashafy's Complete Marathi Course for Beginners and see how far a little consistency can take you.

Bhashafy has over 20,000 satisfied learners across 100+ countries and millions of minutes of lessons taught. Bhashafy's courses are some of the most widely used, highly rated and bestselling courses for Indian languages across the world.

Thank you, or as we say in Pune - Dhanyavaad!