Nepali Grammar List

Say who, then where or what, and put the verb at the end: म चिया पिउँछु (I drink tea). Moving a word to the front adds emphasis.

गर्नु (to do) gives the stem गर्, and जानु (to go) gives जा. Add endings to the stem: गर्छु, जान्छु.

A book or a table takes no special ending. For a person, the verb and words like my change: मेरो भाइ जान्छ (my brother goes) and मेरी बहिनी जान्छे (my sister goes).

Match the ending to the doer: तिमी जान्छौ, तिमी जान्छ्यौ (to a woman), तपाईं जानुहुन्छ. The ending follows the doer even after ले.

Use तपाईं for strangers and elders, तिमी for friends and younger people, and उहाँ for a respected he or she. The verb ending follows your choice.

Add मा, लाई, को, बाट or सँग right after the noun: घरमा (in the house), रामलाई (to Ram), आमाको (of mother). Each marker shows a job in the sentence.

Read each consonant with a short vowel, like the u in cup. A vowel sign replaces that vowel, a halanta (्) removes it, and a chandrabindu (ँ) makes the vowel nasal.

Change the ending to change the time: म खान्छु (I eat), म खाँदै छु (I am eating), मैले खाएको छु (I have eaten).

With a transitive verb such as खानु (to eat), the doer takes ले in the past: मैले भात खाएँ. With an intransitive verb such as जानु (to go), it usually does not: म गएँ.

The ending follows the doer: म -छु, तिमी -छौ, ऊ -छ, हामी -छौँ, उनीहरू -छन्. म चिया पिउँछु means I drink tea, and the same form says what you will do soon.

ऊ takes -छे, उनी takes -छिन् and तिमी takes -छ्यौ: सरिता चिया पिउँछिन् means Sarita drinks tea, and तिमी कहाँ जान्छ्यौ? asks a woman where she goes.

ऊ चिया पिउँदैन means he does not drink tea. The ending is -दिनँ after म, -दैनौ after तिमी, -दैनन् after उनीहरू or after उनी for a man, and -नुहुन्न after तपाईं. A woman takes slightly different endings.

गर्नु means to do, जानु means to go and खानु means to eat. The same form can be the thing a sentence is about: नेपाली बोल्नु सजिलो छैन means speaking Nepali is not easy.

-नुहुन्छ is the polite present: तपाईं चिया पिउनुहुन्छ means you drink tea, and उहाँ काम गर्नुहुन्छ means she works. The same ending works with any verb whose subject is तपाईं or उहाँ.

Use अहिले for the present moment: अहिले म घरमा छु. अब also means now, but it looks ahead to what happens next: अब म जान्छु.

Say आज, भोलि or हिजो on its own: भोलि म काठमाडौं जान्छु. Sentences about yesterday use the past tense, which comes at Level 2.

Use उसको for a person you treat plainly, उनको for a middle level of respect and उहाँको for someone you respect highly. For their, use उनीहरूको.

The verb follows your choice: ऊ डाक्टर हो, उनी डाक्टर हुन् and उहाँ डाक्टर हुनुहुन्छ all mean he or she is a doctor.

एक, दुई, तीन, चार, पाँच, छ, सात, आठ, नौ and दस count from one to ten. Put the number before the noun: मसँग पाँच रुपैयाँ छ.

तिमीसँग कति पैसा छ? means how much money do you have? For people, say कति जना.

यो कति पर्छ? means how much does this cost? Answer with the price and पर्छ: यो दस रुपैयाँ पर्छ.

Say the number, the measuring word and then the thing: एक कप चिया, दुई गिलास पानी, तीन किलो चामल. Nepali does not need a word for of.

तपाईं घर कसरी जानुहुन्छ? means how do you go home? Put कसरी before the verb.

आजको मौसम कस्तो छ? means how is the weather today? It changes like राम्रो: कस्तो, कस्ता, कस्ती.

तपाईंको घर कहाँ छ? means where is your house? Put कहाँ before the verb, where the answer would sit.

म पोखराको हुँ means I am from Pokhara. To ask, say तपाईं कहाँको हुनुहुन्छ?

तपाईं कहिले आउनुहुन्छ? means when are you coming? Put कहिले before the verb.

तपाईं किन नेपाली सिक्नुहुन्छ? means why do you learn Nepali? Put किन before the verb.

तपाईंलाई कुन चिया मन पर्छ? means which tea do you like? कुन comes before the noun.

यो के हो? means what is this? Put के where the answer would go: तपाईं के पिउनुहुन्छ? asks what do you drink?

के तपाईं नेपाली हुनुहुन्छ? asks are you Nepali? You can also ask without के by raising your voice at the end.

रामको घर (Ram's house), रामका साथीहरू (Ram's friends), रामकी बहिनी (Ram's younger sister). The owner comes first, and the ending shows what is owned.

उहाँ को हुनुहुन्छ? means who is that person? Use को for people and के for things.

Join को to the noun and write लागि as a separate word: तपाईंको लागि means for you. With a pronoun use मेरो, तिम्रो or तपाईंको before लागि.

तिमी यहाँ बस means sit here, said to a friend. तपाईं यहाँ बस्नुहोस् means please sit here. After a vowel stem the friend's form ends in -ऊ, as in जाऊ and खाऊ.

A stem ending in a consonant adds -छ directly: गर्छ, बस्छ. Most stems ending in a vowel add -न्छ: जान्छ, खान्छ, हुन्छ. A stem ending in -उ after another vowel turns nasal: पिउँछ, आउँछ.

Put लाई on the person, name the thing and add चाहिन्छ: मलाई एक गिलास पानी चाहिन्छ means I need a glass of water. The negative is चाहिँदैन.

किताब टेबुलमा छ (the book is on the table). The forms are छु, छौ, छ, छौँ and छन्, and हुनुहुन्छ for respect.

यो घर हो (this is a house), but घर ठूलो छ (the house is big). Choose by what you are saying.

घरमा चिनी छैन (there is no sugar at home) uses छैन, and यो चिया होइन (this is not tea) uses होइन. Both follow the doer.

Put the number first, then जना for people (दुई जना साथी) or वटा for things (तीनवटा किताब). वटा joins the number, and जना stays a separate word.

म काठमाडौं जान्छु means I go to Kathmandu, and ऊ घर आउँछ means he comes home. Name the place and then the verb.

ठीक छ, म आउँछु means OK, I will come. Use it to agree, to say that something is fine and to answer how are you.

तपाईं is polite and takes -नुहुन्छ, and तिमी is friendly and takes -छौ: तपाईं कहाँ बस्नुहुन्छ? and तिमी कहाँ बस्छौ? both mean where do you live.

Choose the word for your by how you address the person: तिम्रो फोन for a friend, तपाईंको फोन for an elder or stranger. Both change their ending like मेरो.

Use दाइ for a man a little older than you, दिदी for a woman a little older, and भाइ or बहिनी for someone younger: दाइ, एक कप चिया दिनुहोस्.

Both come before the noun: मसँग धेरै साथी छन् means I have many friends. अलिकति means a tiny bit.

यहाँ नबस्नुहोस् means please do not sit here, and नजाऊ means do not go, said to a friend. The न- joins the verb.

नमस्ते, तपाईंलाई कस्तो छ? means hello, how are you? Say धन्यवाद for thanks, and धेरै धन्यवाद for thank you very much.

Put पनि right after the word it adds: म पनि जान्छु means I am going too. In a negative sentence it usually means either.

Join बाट to a place: काठमाडौंबाट means from Kathmandu. It also fits a way through: ढोकाबाट means through the door and झ्यालबाट means through the window.

बिस्तारै बोल्नुहोस् means please speak slowly. Add फेरि to ask for it again: फेरि भन्नुहोस् means please say it again.

बिहान is morning, दिउँसो is daytime, बेलुका is evening and राति is at night. Put them in the sentence as they are: म बिहान चिया पिउँछु.

Say म विद्यार्थी हुँ (I am a student) and हामी साथी हौँ (we are friends). म goes with -छु or हुँ, and हामी goes with -छौँ or हौँ.

मलाई चिया मन पर्छ means I like tea. The verb agrees with the thing you like: मलाई किताबहरू मन पर्छन् means I like books.

Use मलाई for to me, हामीलाई for to us, तिमीलाई, तपाईंलाई, उसलाई, उनलाई and उहाँलाई for the others. मलाई पानी दिनुहोस् means please give me water.

किताब झोलामा छ (the book is in the bag), किताब टेबुलमा छ (the book is on the table) and म बजारमा छु (I am at the market).

Say माफ गर्नुहोस् to get someone's attention or to say sorry: माफ गर्नुहोस्, यो कति हो? means excuse me, how much is this?

मेरा दुई जना भाइ छन् means I have two younger brothers. For one boy or man use मेरो एउटा and छ, and for one girl or woman use मेरी एउटी and छिन्.

Use मेरो for one thing, मेरा for several things and मेरी for a girl or woman, as writing prefers: मेरो घर, मेरा साथीहरू, मेरी आमा. Our works the same way: हाम्रो, हाम्रा, हाम्री.

मेरो नाम सरिता हो means my name is Sarita. To ask, say तपाईंको नाम के हो?

Use यहाँ for a place near you and त्यहाँ for a place farther away: मेरो घर यहाँ छ (my house is here).

Use यो for something near and त्यो for something far: यो किताब मेरो हो (this book is mine). Use यी and ती for more than one.

चिया र दूध means tea and milk, and म र मेरो साथी means me and my friend. From Level 2 it also joins whole sentences.

राम्रो केटा means a good boy, राम्रा केटाहरू means good boys and राम्री केटी means a good girl. The ending is -ो for one thing, -ा for more than one and -ी for one girl or woman.

Join लाई to the person: रामलाई, साथीलाई, मलाई. Use it for the one who receives, is called, is asked or is the object of the action.

म दस वर्षको छु means I am ten years old. A woman or girl says वर्षकी, and to ask you say तपाईंको उमेर कति हो?

चिया वा कफी दिनुहोस् means please give me tea or coffee. तपाईं चिया पिउनुहुन्छ कि कफी? asks whether you drink tea or coffee.

Join सँग to a person: साथीसँग means with a friend. With the person who owns something it means has: मसँग फोन छ means I have a phone.

सुन्दर केटी means a beautiful girl, सुन्दर घर means a beautiful house and नयाँ किताब means a new book. In everyday Nepali these words keep one form.

Say हजुर to answer a call, as in हजुर, भन्नुहोस् (yes, please go ahead). You can also say it to ask someone to repeat. With elders it is a respectful you.

Write हरू joined to the noun: किताबहरू, केटाहरू. After a number or धेरै the noun usually stays singular: दुई किताब.

तिमीहरू means you all, तपाईंहरू is the polite you all and उनीहरू means they. The verb takes the plural ending: उनीहरू बजार जान्छन्.

यहाँ बस्न हुन्छ? means may I sit here? Answer हुन्छ for yes and हुँदैन for no.

म शिक्षक हुँ (I am a teacher), यो चिया हो (this is tea). The forms are हुँ, हौ, हो, हौँ and हुन्, and हुनुहुन्छ for respect.

Answer तपाईं चिया पिउनुहुन्छ? with पिउँछु (yes) or पिउँदिनँ (no). Answer a हो question with हो or होइन, and a छ question with छ or छैन.

Add -एन for he (ऊ), -इनँ for I, -एनौ for you and -एनन् for they: ऊ आएन (he did not come) and मैले खाइनँ (I did not eat).

In the past, उनी takes -ए for a man and -इन् for a woman: उनी घर गए (he went home) and उनी घर गइन् (she went home). A woman who is ऊ ends in -ई: ऊ घर गई.

Add -एँ for म, -यौ for तिमी and -यो for ऊ when ऊ is a man or boy: मैले भात खाएँ (I ate rice) and उसले किताब पढ्यो (he read a book). A verb with an object takes ले on its doer.

Use -औँ for let us: हामी जाऔँ (let us go) and हामी बसौँ (let us sit). Use -ऊँ for shall I: म पानी ल्याऊँ? (shall I bring water?)

म चिया पिउँदै छु (I am drinking tea). For तपाईं and उहाँ, use हुनुहुन्छ instead of छ: तपाईं के गर्दै हुनुहुन्छ? (what are you doing?).

Use चाहनु after the -न form: म नेपाली सिक्न चाहन्छु (I want to learn Nepali).

The person takes लाई, then comes a -न verb and मन लाग्छ: मलाई चिया पिउन मन लाग्छ (I feel like having tea).

Use सक्नु after the -न form to say can: म नेपाली बोल्न सक्छु (I can speak Nepali). The negative is सक्दिनँ: म आज आउन सक्दिनँ (I cannot come today).

Add छ after a -नु verb to say there is something to do: मैले भोलि काठमाडौं जानु छ (I have to go to Kathmandu tomorrow).

-नु हुँदैन means something is not allowed: यहाँ बस्नु हुँदैन (you must not sit here).

Add -नुपर्छ to the stem to say someone must do something, usually with ले on the person: मैले जानुपर्छ (I must go). The past is जानुपर्‍यो (had to go).

Add -नुपर्दैन to say do not have to: तपाईंले आज आउनुपर्दैन (you do not have to come today). For must not, use -नु हुँदैन.

The polite past is -नुभयो: तपाईं कहिले आउनुभयो? (when did you come?). It is the past partner of -नुहुन्छ. The negative is -नुभएन.

Add -नुहोला to ask politely: भोलि फोन गर्नुहोला (please call tomorrow).

Use -ने छु for a plan you have made: म भोलि काठमाडौं जाने छु (I am going to Kathmandu tomorrow). Ask with -ने हो: तपाईं कहिले जाने हो? (when are you going?)

-नेछु is the formal future: म भोलि आउनेछु (I will come tomorrow). The negative is -ने छैन, also written -नेछैन, and for तपाईं the ending is -नुहुनेछ.

-ला is the probable future: म भोलि फोन गरुँला (I will probably call tomorrow). The ending changes with the doer.

Say मलाई and a feeling word, then लाग्यो or लाग्छ: मलाई भोक लाग्यो (I am hungry), मलाई जाडो लाग्छ (I feel cold).

तपाईं कहाँ जानुहुन्छ? is answered बजार जान्छु (I am going to the market), with no म.

Write को after the noun and then the place word: मेरो घर बजारको नजिक छ (my house is near the market), घरको अगाडि (in front of the house).

Join two steps with अनि or त्यसपछि: म चिया पिउँछु, अनि काम गर्छु (I drink tea and then work).

Say the day alone: सोमबार म काम गर्छु (on Monday I work). To ask the day, say आज कुन बार हो?.

आफ्नो takes the place of my, your or his when the owner is also the doer: ऊ आफ्नो घर जान्छ (he goes to his own home).

Say ए before a name or a family word to call someone in a friendly way: ए दाइ, यो कति पर्छ? (excuse me, brother, how much is this?).

Put the word before an adjective or a verb like दुख्छ: एकदम मीठो, निकै ठूलो, ज्यादै सानो.

Learn the words one at a time: एघार (eleven), बीस (twenty), पचास (fifty). Say the number before the noun.

Say what you do, then the amount, then लाग्छ: यहाँबाट बजार जान दस मिनेट लाग्छ (it takes ten minutes to get to the market from here).

Use कतै in a question to ask about any place, and with a negative verb to say not anywhere: म कतै जाँदिनँ.

Use कस before the endings: यो किताब कसको हो? (whose book is this?), तिमीले कसलाई भन्यौ? (whom did you tell?) and कसले फोन गर्‍यो? (who called?).

कहिल्यै goes before the verb. With a negative verb it says never: म कहिल्यै कफी पिउँदिनँ.

Say the result first, then किनभने and the reason: म आउन सक्दिनँ, किनभने म बिरामी छु (I cannot come because I am sick).

On its own, कोही is for people and केही is for things: घरमा कोही छ? (is anyone at home?) and सबै जना आए (everyone came).

Put को बारेमा after the topic: मैले नेपालको बारेमा किताब पढेँ (I read a book about Nepal). बारेमा stays a separate word.

घरमा कोही छैन means nobody is at home, and मसँग केही छैन means I have nothing.

जानु and हुनु change their stem in the past: गएँ, गयौ, गयो and भएँ, भयौ, भयो. आउनु, दिनु and लिनु follow the usual patterns: आयो, दियो, लियो.

गर्नु is for someone doing it, and हुनु is for it happening: उनले पाठ सुरु गरिन् (she started the lesson) and कक्षा सुरु हुन्छ (the class begins).

Say the number and the time word: म दुई घण्टा पढ्छु (I study for two hours), हप्तामा एक पटक (once a week).

Use चिन्नु for people and places: म उनलाई चिन्छु (I know her). The person known takes लाई, and the doer is the one who knows.

Put तर after a comma to show contrast: मलाई चिया मन पर्छ, तर कफी मन पर्दैन (I like tea, but I do not like coffee).

तिर joins a place to say toward: म बजारतिर जान्छु (I am going toward the market). After a time word, it means around that time: बेलुकातिर.

Say the reason, a comma, then त्यसैले and the result: बस आएन, त्यसैले म हिँडेँ (the bus did not come, so I walked).

Put लाई on the person and थाहा छ after the thing known: मलाई उहाँको नाम थाहा छ (I know her name). The negative is थाहा छैन.

थियो means was or were: म घरमा थिएँ (I was at home) and ऊ डाक्टर थियो (he was a doctor). The forms are थिएँ, थियौ, थियो, थिए and थिइन्, and हुनुहुन्थ्यो for respect.

Say the owner with मेरो, then the body part, then दुख्छ: मेरो टाउको दुख्छ (my head hurts). A plural part usually takes दुख्छन्.

दुवै goes before the noun or after a pronoun: दुवै साथी (both friends), हामी दुवै (both of us).

Put देखि after the start and सम्म after the end: म बिहानदेखि बेलुकासम्म काम गर्छु (I work from morning until evening).

Ask with यसलाई, the language with मा, and के भन्छन्. The answer is यसलाई चिया भन्छन्.

नै follows the word it stresses: म आज नै जान्छु (I am going this very day).

पहिले means first or before, and पछि means later or after: म पहिले चिया पिउँछु (I drink tea first) and म दुई दिनपछि आउँछु (I will come in two days).

पहिलो, दोस्रो, तेस्रो and चौथो end in -ो. From five on, add -औँ: पाँचौँ, छैटौँ, दसौँ.

Say पानी पर्छ (it rains), हिउँ पर्छ (it snows), हावा चल्छ (the wind blows). Use छ for the day: आज जाडो छ (it is cold today).

Put फेरि before the verb to say you do it again: म फेरि आउँछु (I will come again).

बजे follows the hour and needs no मा to mean at that hour. To ask the time, say अहिले कति बज्यो?.

Join बिना to a noun: म चिनीबिना चिया पिउँछु (I drink tea without sugar).

Put को and then बीचमा or वरिपरि: घर र स्कुलको बीचमा पसल छ (there is a shop between the house and the school).

Put भन्दा after the second thing: यो घर त्यो घरभन्दा ठूलो छ (this house is bigger than that house).

The person takes लाई: उसले मलाई भन्यो (he told me) and मैले साथीलाई सोधेँ (I asked my friend). With सोध्नु, सँग also works.

भयो means became or happened, and also done or enough: के भयो? (what happened?) and भयो, धन्यवाद! (that is enough, thank you!).

Add them to the noun: कोठाभित्र (inside the room), घरबाहिर (outside the house), टेबुलमाथि (on top of the table), रुखमुनि (under the tree).

Say मलाई and the skill, then आउँछ: मलाई नेपाली आउँछ (I know Nepali) and उसलाई पौडी आउँछ (she can swim).

Put मात्र after the word you limit: मसँग एउटा किताब मात्र छ (I have only one book).

Say मैले, हामीले, तिमीले, तपाईंले, उसले, उनले and उहाँले before a past verb that takes an object. मैले उहाँलाई भनेँ means I told him or her.

Use यस and त्यस before मा, को, लाई and the other joined endings: यसमा चिनी छैन (there is no sugar in this), त्यसपछि (after that).

Use यस्तो and त्यस्तो before a noun: मलाई यस्तो घर मन पर्छ (I like a house like this). यसरी and त्यसरी mean in this way and in that way.

ल opens a reply or a move: ल, म जान्छु (OK, I am going) and ल, यो लिनुहोस् (here, take this).

Add ले to the doer when the verb takes an object and is in the simple past: मैले चिया पिएँ (I drank tea). The verb still agrees with the doer.

Use ले on the doer of a transitive verb in the simple past. Usually leave it out in the plain present and, in the simple past, with verbs that take no object.

Use ले after a tool or a cause: म चक्कुले तरकारी काट्छु (I cut vegetables with a knife) and जाडोले म काँप्छु (I shiver from the cold).

Use सँगै for together: हामी सँगै जान्छौँ (we go together).

Put the word before the verb: म सधैँ बिहान चिया पिउँछु (I always drink tea in the morning).

Put सबैभन्दा before the describing word to say the most: यो सबैभन्दा राम्रो घर हो (this is the nicest house).

Say the number before the unit: पाँच सय (five hundred), दस हजार (ten thousand), पचास लाख (five million).

Put the word before the hour: सवा सात बजे (7:15), साढे सात बजे (7:30), पौने आठ बजे (7:45). Half past one and half past two have their own words.

Put हरेक before the noun: हरेक बिहान (every morning), हरेक घर (every house). The noun stays singular.

Add है after a request or a plan: भोलि आउनुहोला है? (you will come tomorrow, won't you?).

Add होइन र? after a statement you expect to be true: तपाईं नेपाली हुनुहुन्छ, होइन र? (you are Nepali, aren't you?).

Join the stem, -इ and दिनु: म तपाईंलाई यो काम गरिदिन्छु means I will do this work for you. The person who gains takes लाई.

Join the stem, -इ and रहेको, then add छ: बाहिर पानी परिरहेको छ means it is raining outside, and it keeps on. With तपाईं the form is -इरहनुभएको छ.

Join the stem, -इ and लिनु: आफ्नो काम आफैँ गरिलिनुपर्छ means you should do your own work yourself. The doer is also the one who gains.

Take the stem, then -इ and सक्नु: मैले खाना खाइसकेँ means I have already eaten. The form is written as one word.

Take the stem, add -ए, then पनि as a separate word: पानी परे पनि म जान्छु means even if it rains, I will go.

Take the stem, add -ए, then भने: पानी परे भने म जाँदिनँ means if it rains, I will not go. A past form also works: पानी पर्‍यो भने.

Take the stem, add -एको, then छ: मैले खाना खाएको छु means I have eaten. -एको agrees with the doer: -एको for a man, -एकी for a woman, -एका for several people and usually for तिमी.

Use the stem, -एको and छैन: मैले अझै खाएको छैन means I have not eaten yet. It is the negative of -एको छ.

Take the stem, add -एको, then थियो: म पुग्दा बस गएको थियो means the bus had left when I arrived. It is the past of -एको छ.

Take the stem and add -एपछि: खाना खाएपछि म सुत्छु means after eating, I sleep. It is written as one word.

Take the stem and add -एर: म उठेर चिया पिउँछु means I get up and drink tea. It can also say how: म हिँडेर जान्छु means I go on foot. The last verb carries the tense.

The habitual past tells what used to happen again and again: म सानो हुँदा हामी छतमा खेल्थ्यौँ (when I was little, we used to play on the roof). A respected woman takes -थिन्.

Take the stem and add -दा: म घर जाँदा पानी पर्‍यो means it rained when I was going home. After a vowel stem the ending is nasal: खाँदा, आउँदा.

Join देखि to a time word and use a verb that continues: म तीन वर्षदेखि नेपाली सिक्दै छु means I have been learning Nepali for three years.

Take the stem and add -दै: म गीत गाउँदै हिँड्छु means I walk while singing. Both actions have the same doer, and the main verb carries the tense.

Use the stem plus -दै, then the past of छ: म खाना खाँदै थिएँ means I was eating. थियो changes with the doer, as in थिएँ, थियौ and थिइन्.

Take the stem and add -न for purpose: म चिया पिउन जान्छु means I go to drink tea. The -न form never changes.

Take the -न form and add खोज्नु: मैले ढोका खोल्न खोजेँ means I tried to open the door. -ने कोसिस गर्नु is another way to say it: म नेपाली बोल्ने कोसिस गर्छु.

Take the -न form and add थाल्नु: ऊ रुन थाल्यो means he started to cry. -न लाग्नु works the same way: ऊ रुन लाग्यो.

Take the -न form of a verb and add दिनु: उसले मलाई जान दिएन means he did not let me go. The person who is allowed takes लाई.

Take the -न form and add पाउनु: के मैले यहाँ बस्न पाउँछु? means may I sit here? and मैले हिजो सुत्न पाइनँ means I did not get to sleep yesterday.

Take the -न form and add मिल्छ: यहाँ फोटो खिच्न मिल्छ? means is photography allowed here? The negative is मिल्दैन.

Take the -न form and add लागेको छ: पानी पर्न लागेको छ means it is about to rain. The past is -न लागेको थियो: बस छुट्न लागेको थियो means the bus was about to leave.

Take the -न form, add को, then लागि: म नेपाली सिक्नको लागि नेपाल जान्छु means I go to Nepal in order to learn Nepali.

Take the stem and add -नुअघि: खाना खानुअघि हात धुनुहोस् means wash your hands before eating. -नुभन्दा पहिले means the same. It is written as one word.

Take the stem, add -नुभएको, then छ: तपाईंले खाना खानुभएको छ? means have you eaten? The same form is used for उहाँ.

Add -नुहुन्थ्यो to the stem for a respected person's past habit: बुबा हरेक बिहान हिँड्न जानुहुन्थ्यो (father used to go for a walk every morning).

अझै means still or yet: ऊ अझै सुतिरहेको छ means he is still sleeping. अझ and झन् mean even more: यो अझ राम्रो छ means this is even better.

Use अरू for the rest and अर्को for one more: अर्को दिन आउनुहोस् (come another day) and अरू कोही आएन (nobody else came).

Put आफैँ next to the doer: मैले आफैँ बनाएँ (I made it myself).

Put एकअर्का where the second person of a pair would be: उनीहरू एकअर्कालाई मद्दत गर्छन् (they help each other).

Use कसै plus the postposition: कसैलाई थाहा छैन (nobody knows), कसैको घर (someone's house) and कसैले ढोका ढकढक्यायो (someone knocked at the door).

कि introduces what someone says or thinks: मलाई लाग्छ कि ऊ आउँछ means I think that he is coming. It can also be left out. At the end of a question कि voices a doubt: पानी पर्छ कि? means will it rain, I wonder?

Put कुनै before a noun for some or any, and कुनै पनि for any at all: कुनै पनि दिन आउनुहोस् (come on any day).

Put the cause before को कारण and the result after it: वर्षाको कारण बाटो बन्द भयो (the road closed because of the rain).

Put चाहिँ after the one you are singling out: म चाहिँ चिया पिउँछु, तिमी चाहिँ के पिउँछौ? means I will have tea, and what will you have?

जस्तो means like or such as: तिमीजस्तो साथी पाउन गाह्रो छ. जस्तै means in the same way: ऊ तिमीजस्तै बोल्छ. After a verb जस्तो stays a separate word: पानी पर्ला जस्तो छ.

Put त after the word you are talking about: म त जान्छु means as for me, I am going. It often hints that someone or something else is different.

त्यसो भए picks up what was said before and draws a conclusion: म आज आउन सक्दिनँ। त्यसो भए भोलि आउनुहोस्। means I cannot come today. In that case, please come tomorrow.

Join भरि to a time word: ऊ दिनभरि काम गर्छ (he works all day). रातभरि means all night.

नि softens a question or reminder: तिमी कहाँ जान्छौ नि? means so where are you going? न after a command makes it friendly: आऊ न means do come.

Put बढी or कम before a noun, often after भन्दा: यो किताब सय रुपैयाँभन्दा कम लाग्छ (this book costs less than a hundred rupees).

बाहेक joins the noun before it: रामबाहेक सबै आए means everyone came except Ram. It also means besides: नेपालीबाहेक म हिन्दी पनि बोल्छु.

After a noun, use को: खानाको बेला means at meal time. After a verb, use -ने or -एको: म निस्कने बेलामा फोन आयो and म सुतेको बेला ऊ आयो.

भनेर comes after what someone said or thought: ऊ आउँछ भनेर मैले सोचेँ means I thought that he would come. भन्ने means called: रमेश भन्ने केटा means a boy called Ramesh.

Put मध्ये right after a group to pick one or more from it: यी तीनमध्ये मलाई यो सबैभन्दा राम्रो लाग्छ (of these three, I like this one best).

मलाई लाग्छ gives an opinion: मलाई लाग्छ, भोलि पानी पर्छ means I think it will rain tomorrow. The one who thinks takes लाई.

यदि at the start makes the condition clearer: यदि तिमी आयौ भने म खुसी हुन्छु means if you come, I will be happy.

हुनसक्छ means maybe: हुनसक्छ भोलि पानी पर्छ means maybe it will rain tomorrow. सायद means perhaps: सायद ऊ आउँछ.

The person who acts usually takes लाई, and the one who causes it takes ले: शिक्षकले हामीलाई नेपाली सिकाउनुहुन्छ (the teacher teaches us Nepali), from सिक्नु.

Add -आउनु to a verb stem to say you had a job done by someone: मैले कपाल कटाएँ means I had my hair cut. You usually do not name the helper.

Add -इन्छ to a verb stem to say what is done without naming the doer: नेपाली बोलिन्छ means Nepali is spoken. The past is -इयो.

Add -इ to the stem and then रहनु: ऊ बोलिरह्यो means he kept talking.

Add -इ to the stem and then हाल्नु for an action done quickly or all at once: उसले सबै कुरा भनिहाल्यो means he blurted out everything.

Put the verb in the -ए form and add हुन्थ्यो: तिमी पनि आए हुन्थ्यो (I wish you would come too).

Put the -एको verb before a noun: मैले किनेको किताब (the book I bought) and बसेको मान्छे (the person sitting).

Say what would be different if something were true now, or had gone another way: मसँग पैसा भएको भए म घर किन्थेँ (if I had money, I would buy a house).

Say what has probably happened: ऊ घर पुगेको होला (he has probably reached home).

Add -एछ to the stem to say that something turns out to have happened: पानी परेछ means it turns out it rained.

Use a negative verb before सम्म in most sentences: म नआएसम्म पर्खनुहोस् (wait until I come).

-ओस् goes with ऊ and -ऊन् with उनी or several people. They express a wish or a mild command: ऊ सुखी होस् means may he be happy.

Add पनि after a -दा verb to say that something still happens: म बिरामी हुँदा पनि काम गर्छु (I work even when I am sick).

Add -दै to the stem and then जानु: अँध्यारो हुँदै गयो means it kept getting darker.

Use the -न form of a verb with लगाउनु to say that you make or ask someone to do it: शिक्षकले विद्यार्थीलाई निबन्ध लेख्न लगाउनुभयो.

Put the -नुपर्ने verb before a noun: आज मैले गर्नुपर्ने धेरै काम छ (I have a lot of work to do today).

Put the -ने verb before a noun: गाउने मान्छे (a person who sings), बस्ने ठाउँ (a place to stay), मैले खाने कुरा किनेँ (I bought something to eat).

Put कुरा after the -ने form of a clause to talk about the fact: उनी आउने कुरा मलाई थाहा छ means I know that she is coming.

Add गर्छ after the -ने form to say what someone usually does: ऊ बिहान चाँडै उठ्ने गर्छ (he usually gets up early in the morning).

Add बित्तिकै after the -ने form to say that something happens right after: म घर पुग्ने बित्तिकै पानी पर्‍यो (as soon as I reached home, it rained).

Add भयो after the -ने form for a decision or a settled plan: म नेपाल जाने भएँ (I have decided to go to Nepal).

Say what you feared or hoped might happen, then what you did: बस छुट्ला कि भनेर म हतारिएँ (I hurried in case I missed the bus).

Add वाला to a noun to name the person tied to that thing: टेम्पोवाला is the tempo driver and दूधवाला is the milk seller. A woman is -वाली.

Say the word again with स in place of the first sound: खाना-साना means food and so on, चिया-सिया means tea and the like.

खुवाउनु is to feed, पिलाउनु is to give a drink and देखाउनु is to show. The person who eats, drinks or sees takes लाई.

Nepal's official calendar is Bikram Sambat. Write the year, the month and then the day with गते: २०८३ साल साउन १५ गते.

Start the first clause with जति and the second with त्यति: जति धेरै पढ्यो, त्यति धेरै सिक्यो (the more he studied, the more he learned).

Start the first clause with जब and the second with तब: जब मलाई भोक लाग्छ, तब म खान्छु (when I feel hungry, then I eat).

Add the postposition to जस-, and answer with the matching word: जसले काम गर्छ, उसले फल पाउँछ (whoever works gets the reward).

Start the first clause with जस्तो and the second with त्यस्तै: जस्तो तिमीले भन्यौ, त्यस्तै भयो (it turned out just as you said).

Start the first clause with जहाँ and the second with त्यहाँ: जहाँ चिया पाइन्छ, त्यहाँ भीड हुन्छ (where tea is sold, there is a crowd).

Put जो before the noun in the first clause and त्यो in the main clause: जो मान्छे आएको छ, त्यो मेरो साथी हो (the person who has come is my friend).

Say a word twice with a hyphen to show many or each: ठूला-ठूला घर means many big houses, and बिस्तारै-बिस्तारै means slowly, bit by bit.

Use तँ mainly with a child or a very close friend or sibling. Its verb ends in -स् (a girl takes -एस्): तँ कहाँ जान्छस्? (where are you going?). The command is the bare stem: जा, खा, गर्.

Start the second clause with तैपनि when it goes against the first: पानी पर्‍यो, तैपनि हामी गयौँ (it rained, yet we went).

Put न before each of the two things: म न चिया पिउँछु, न कफी means I drink neither tea nor coffee.

Name what to do, then नत्र and what will go wrong if you do not: छिटो जानुहोस्, नत्र बस छुट्छ (go quickly, otherwise you will miss the bus).

Use पाइन्छ for what is on sale or available somewhere: यहाँ चिया पाइन्छ (tea is available here). The negative is पाइँदैन.

पो goes after the word you want to stress to say this is new or contrasts with what you expected: अहिले पो थाहा भयो means only now did I find out.

Put भए पनि after the first clause: ऊ धनी भए पनि खुसी छैन (although he is rich, he is not happy).

Use भनिन्छ to ask or tell a name: यसलाई नेपालीमा के भनिन्छ? (what is this called in Nepali?).

या त goes before the first choice and या before the second: या त तिमी जाऊ, या म जान्छु means either you go, or I go.

Put रहेछ at the end for a fact you have just learned or noticed: यो त धेरै राम्रो रहेछ! means oh, this is really good!

Put रे after the verb to pass on news you did not see yourself: ऊ भोलि आउँछ रे (they say he is coming tomorrow).

Short words show a feeling at once: वाह! for delight, ओहो for surprise or worry, अरे for sudden notice. They usually stand at the start of a sentence.

Put सकिन्छ after the -न form to say that an action is possible: यहाँबाट पोखरा बसमा जान सकिन्छ means you can get to Pokhara by bus from here.

Say होला for what you think is probably true: ऊ घरमा होला (he is probably at home). For a group use होलान्, for a woman होली or, at middle respect, होलिन्, and for a respected person हुनुहोला.

These endings turn a noun into a word that describes: लाजबाट लजालु (shy) and रसबाट रसिलो (juicy).

Add -इएको छ to the stem for a result that is true now: यो सडक निर्माण गरिएको छ means this road has been built.

Add -इनेछ to the stem to announce what will be done, with no one named: कार्यक्रम भोलि सुरु गरिनेछ means the program will be started tomorrow.

Add -एकाले to the stem: पानी परेकाले बाटो बन्द भयो means because it rained, the road closed.

-एमा means the same as -ए भने: तपाईं आउनुभएमा हामी खुसी हुनेछौँ. Rules use it to warn: नियम तोडेमा कारबाही हुनेछ. -एको खण्डमा means the same.

-ज्यू joins a title or kinship word to show respect: गुरुज्यू (respected teacher) and आमाज्यू (respected mother).

Add -दछ to the stem in place of -छ: यो संस्थाले विद्यार्थीलाई सहयोग गर्दछ means this organization supports students. Everyday talk keeps -छ.

Add -दैमा to a verb stem to say just because of doing. The main clause usually says the result does not follow: पैसा हुँदैमा मान्छे खुसी हुने होइन.

Add को सट्टा to the -नु form of a verb to say instead of doing. The action that happens instead comes next: घरमा बस्नुको सट्टा हामी पोखरा गयौँ.

Write -नुपर्दछ in notices and rules: सबैले नियम पालना गर्नुपर्दछ means everyone must follow the rules.

Put क्रममा after the -ने form: काम गर्ने क्रममा उनी घाइते भए means he was injured while doing the work.

Add -पन to an everyday word and -ता to a Sanskrit-based word to name the quality: एक्लो gives एक्लोपन (loneliness), and सुन्दर gives सुन्दरता (beauty).

Many things have an everyday form and a formal form: खाना खानु becomes भोजन गर्नु, and गर्छ becomes गर्दछ.

Some words come in pairs: नेत्र and आँखा (eye), हस्त and हात (hand). The Sanskrit-based word sounds formal and turns up mostly in writing.

Sanskrit-based words form opposites with अ-, अन- and निर्-: स्वस्थ (healthy) becomes अस्वस्थ (unwell), उचित (proper) becomes अनुचित (improper) and धन (wealth) becomes निर्धन (poor).

After का or को it is a separate word: मौसम विभागका अनुसार भोलि पानी पर्नेछ means according to the Meteorological Department, it will rain tomorrow. After a plain noun it joins: योजनाअनुसार.

Put को आधारमा after the reason: प्रमाणको आधारमा अदालतले निर्णय गर्‍यो means on the basis of the evidence, the court decided.

Put को रूपमा after a noun: उनी शिक्षकको रूपमा काम गर्छिन् means she works as a teacher.

Put को सन्दर्भमा after the subject matter: नयाँ कानुनको सन्दर्भमा बैठक बस्यो means a meeting was held regarding the new law.

क्यारे shows doubt or a shrug: के गरूँ क्यारे? It sounds like I wonder or who knows, and it belongs to talk with friends and family.

In writing, -ी or -ई replaces -एर: गरी for गरेर, भई for भएर and लेखी for लेखेर.

Put चाहे before each of the two cases. The verb in each case usually takes the -ओस् form: चाहे पानी परोस्, चाहे घाम लागोस्, म जान्छु.

Put the reported fact first, then जनाइएको छ at the end: सरकारले नयाँ योजना ल्याएको जनाइएको छ means it was reported that the government has brought a new plan.

Add पनि after जहिले to say whenever or always, and after जहाँ to say wherever: ऊ जहिले पनि हाँसिरहन्छ.

जे भए पनि means whatever happens. Add पनि after जे, जसले or जसलाई to make any: जे पनि is anything, जसले पनि is anyone.

Join द्वारा to a plain noun to name who did something: यो भवन सरकारद्वारा बनाइएको हो means this building was built by the government.

Join प्रति to a noun to show whom a feeling is aimed at: हामीले आमाबुबाप्रति आदर गर्नुपर्छ means we must show respect to our parents. It also means per.

Put बताए at the end of a report to say who said it: अध्यक्षले बैठक भोलि हुने बताए means the chairperson said the meeting will be held tomorrow.

Join बमोजिम to a plain noun for a rule or an order that you follow: नियमबमोजिम शुल्क तिर्नुपर्छ means you must pay the fee according to the rules.

Put र at the end of a question to say that the answer is obvious or that nothing can be done: मलाई के थाहा छ र? and के गर्नु र!

Join विरुद्ध to the noun: विद्यार्थीहरूले प्रदूषणविरुद्ध अभियान चलाए means the students ran a campaign against pollution.

Join समेत to a plain noun: प्रधानमन्त्रीसमेत कार्यक्रममा उपस्थित थिए means the prime minister too was present.

Join सहित to the noun: उनी परिवारसहित पोखरा गए means he went to Pokhara with his family.

-एको हुनाले gives a reason in formal writing: विद्यार्थी बिरामी भएको हुनाले कक्षामा आएनन्.

-दै गर्दा means while in the middle of doing: बाटो हिँड्दै गर्दा मैले साथीलाई देखेँ.

The active voice names the doer first: सरकारले नयाँ नीति ल्यायो (the government brought a new policy). The passive voice usually leaves the doer out and starts with what was done: नयाँ नीति ल्याइयो (a new policy was brought).

Nepali joins two words into one: आमाबुबा (mother and father), घरजग्गा (house and land) and राजकुमार (prince).

Proverbs and idioms often mean more than their words say: नाच्न नजान्ने आँगन टेढो (literally, the yard is crooked for someone who cannot dance) is said of a person who blames everything except themselves.

Official writing packs several formal words into one sentence: सरकारद्वारा सार्वजनिक गरिएको सूचनाअनुसार भोलि बैठक बस्नेछ (according to the notice made public by the government, a meeting will be held tomorrow).

When two Sanskrit-based words join, their sounds can merge: विद्या and आलय make विद्यालय (school), and महा and आत्मा make महात्मा (a great soul).

Moving a word to the front, often with त, gives it emphasis: मैले हिजो किताब पढेँ (I read a book yesterday) becomes किताब त मैले हिजो पढेँ (as for the book, I read it yesterday).

अतः means therefore: अतः बैठक स्थगित गरिएको छ. It starts the clause that follows from what came before.

अनुरोध छ ends a formal request: सबै विद्यार्थीलाई समयमै आउन अनुरोध छ. The verb before it takes the -न form.

अन्तर्गत after a noun means under or within: यस योजना अन्तर्गत १०० जना विद्यार्थीले छात्रवृत्ति पाए. In this course it is written as a separate word.

अन्यथा means otherwise: समयमै आवेदन दिनुहोस्, अन्यथा अवसर छुट्नेछ. Speech uses नत्र.

किन्तु and परन्तु mean but in writing: आयोजकले सबैलाई सूचना पठाए, परन्तु कसैले जवाफ दिएन.

को तर्फबाट means on behalf of: आयोजकको तर्फबाट सबैलाई स्वागत छ. Name the group, add को, then तर्फबाट.

जानकारी गराइन्छ ends a notice: भोलि बैठक बस्ने भएकाले सबैलाई जानकारी गराइन्छ. It means everyone is informed.

तथा and एवं join nouns in writing: विद्यार्थी तथा शिक्षकहरू (students and teachers). अथवा means or: चिठी हुलाक अथवा इमेलबाट पठाउन सकिन्छ.

तथापि means nevertheless: तथापि समस्या कायमै छ. It starts a sentence or clause that goes against what came before.

बक्सनु is a high honorific verb for giving or granting, and it shows up in formal apologies: माफ बक्सनुहोस् (please forgive me).

मार्फत after a noun means through: रकम बैंक मार्फत पठाउनुहोस्. In this course it is written as a separate word.

यद्यपि opens the first clause and तापनि opens the second: यद्यपि उनी बिरामी थिए, तापनि कार्यक्रममा आए.

In very formal speech, यहाँ can mean you with great respect: यहाँलाई स्वागत छ. It is a polite stand-in for तपाईं at ceremonies.

लगायत after a noun means including that and others: काठमाडौं लगायत देशका धेरै ठाउँमा पानी पर्‍यो.