Feeling Hungry, Thirsty or Cold

Level 2Sounds Like malā'ī bhōka lāgyō

मलाई भोक लाग्यो means I am hungry. The feeling is a noun, and लाग्नु attaches it to the person.

How It Works

The usual Nepali way is not I am hungry. It is hunger attaches to me: मलाई भोक लाग्यो. The person takes लाई, the feeling is a plain noun, and the verb is लाग्नु (to attach, to strike).

The common feelings are भोक (hunger), तिर्खा (thirst), जाडो (cold), गर्मी (heat), डर (fear) and निद्रा (sleep).

The tense matters. लाग्यो, the past, tells you that the feeling has just come on: मलाई भोक लाग्यो means I am hungry now. लाग्छ, the present, describes a feeling that comes whenever the situation is the same: उनलाई अँध्यारोमा डर लाग्छ (she is afraid in the dark). People also say मलाई जाडो लाग्छ when they feel cold right now.

Do not say म भोक छु. The usual pattern uses लाग्नु, and the person takes लाई. Speakers also say म भोकै छु, but start with लाग्नु. The verb does not agree with the person. It agrees with the feeling.

Examples (4)

  1. मलाई भोक लाग्यो।

    I am hungry.

    The past लाग्यो tells you that the hunger has just come on.

  2. मलाई तिर्खा लाग्यो।

    I am thirsty.

    तिर्खा is thirst.

  3. बच्चालाई जाडो लाग्यो।

    The child feels cold.

    लाई marks the child.

  4. उनलाई अँध्यारोमा डर लाग्छ।

    She is afraid in the dark.

    The present describes a feeling that comes in that situation.

Common Mistakes

  • Learners use म with the feeling noun.

    म भोक छु।
    मलाई भोक लाग्यो।

    The person takes लाई and the verb is लाग्नु.

How It Connects

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Feeling Hungry, Thirsty or ColdLevel 2

Learn This First

भोक लाग्यो says how you feel.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.