कसैलाई / कसैले

Someone and Anyone with Postpositions

Level 3Sounds Like kasailā'ī ra kasailē

कोही changes to कसै before postpositions.

How It Works

कोही means someone or anyone. When a postposition follows, it becomes कसै, like को becomes कस in कसलाई and कसले.

FormMeaning
कसैलाईto someone, to anyone
कसैलेsomeone (doing)
कसैकोsomeone's
कसैसँगwith someone

With a negative verb it means nobody: कसैलाई थाहा छैन. In a question it means anyone: के तिमीले कसैलाई देख्यौ?

For things, the matching word is केही, which does not change before postpositions. For people, always switch to कसै when a postposition follows, even a two-word one such as कसैको लागि. The plural हरू is not used with कसै.

Examples (5)

  1. कसैलाई थाहा छैन।

    Nobody knows.

    कसैलाई is the form for the person who knows.

  2. यो कसैको झोला हो।

    This is someone's bag.

    कसैको means someone's.

  3. कसैले ढोका ढकढक्यायो।

    Someone knocked at the door.

    कसैले marks the doer in the past.

  4. के तिमीले कसैलाई देख्यौ?

    Did you see anyone?

    In a question, कसैलाई means anyone.

  5. मैले कसैसँग झगडा गरेको छैन।

    I have not quarreled with anyone.

    कसैसँग means with anyone.

Common Mistakes

  • A learner puts a postposition straight on कोही.

    कोहीले ढोका ढकढक्यायो।
    कसैले ढोका ढकढक्यायो।

    कोही changes to कसै before a postposition.

How It Connects

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

कसैलाई / कसैलेLevel 3Someone and Anyone with Postpositions

Learn This First

Someone with postpositions joins कुनै and the endings.