बेला

At the Time of

Level 3Sounds Like bēlā

बेला names the time or moment of an action.

How It Works

बेला is a noun meaning time or moment. After a noun it needs the genitive: खानाको बेला (at meal time), परीक्षाको बेला (at exam time).

After a verb, the -ने form points to the time just before or while it starts: म निस्कने बेलामा फोन आयो (the phone rang just as I was leaving).

The -एको form points to a time when something is true or has happened: म सुतेको बेला ऊ आयो (he came while I was asleep).

PatternExample
noun + को बेलाखानाको बेला
-ने बेलानिस्कने बेला
-एको बेलासुतेको बेला

The ending मा is optional: बेला and बेलामा mean the same. बेला often shares the work of -दा; म सुत्दा and म सुतेको बेला are close.

Never use a finite verb before बेला: write सुतेको, not सुत्यो.

Examples (5)

  1. खानाको बेला सबै घरमा हुन्छन्।

    Everyone is home at meal time.

    को joins the noun खाना to बेला.

  2. म निस्कने बेलामा फोन आयो।

    The phone rang just as I was leaving.

    -ने बेलामा points to the moment of leaving.

  3. म सुतेको बेला ऊ आयो।

    He came while I was asleep.

    -एको बेला names the time during a state.

  4. परीक्षाको बेला म धेरै पढ्छु।

    I study a lot at exam time.

    परीक्षाको बेला is a stretch of time.

  5. ऊ घर पुगेको बेला म सुतिरहेको थिएँ।

    I was sleeping when he reached home.

    -एको बेला names the time he reached home.

Common Mistakes

  • Leaving out को between a noun and बेला.

    खाना बेला सबै घरमा हुन्छन्।
    खानाको बेला सबै घरमा हुन्छन्।

    A noun needs को before बेला. Words such as त्यो are the exception: त्यो बेला.

  • Using a finished verb form before बेला.

    म सुत्यो बेला ऊ आयो।
    म सुतेको बेला ऊ आयो।

    Use -एको or -ने before बेला, not the simple past.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

बेलाLevel 3At the Time of

Learn This First

बेला means at the time of.