-न चाहनु

Wanting to Do Something

Level 2Sounds Like na cāhanu

Verb with -न, then चाहनु, means want to.

How It Works

The pattern is like -न सक्नु. Add -न to the stem and finish with a form of चाहनु.

DoerWant to
मचाहन्छु
हामीचाहन्छौँ
तिमीचाहन्छौ
ऊचाहन्छ
उनी (woman)चाहन्छिन्
तपाईंचाहनुहुन्छ

It is a calm and direct way to say what you want to do. Use it for goals and wishes: म डाक्टर बन्न चाहन्छु (I want to become a doctor).

A question is a polite way to ask what someone wants: तपाईं चिया पिउन चाहनुहुन्छ? Compare it with a thing you want, which uses चाहिन्छ: मलाई चिया चाहिन्छ (I need tea).

The main verb ends in -न, not -नु, and the two words stay apart.

Examples (5)

  1. म नेपाली सिक्न चाहन्छु।

    I want to learn Nepali.

    सिक्न goes before चाहन्छु.

  2. तिमी कहाँ जान चाहन्छौ?

    Where do you want to go?

    चाहन्छौ goes with तिमी.

  3. उनी डाक्टर बन्न चाहन्छिन्।

    She wants to become a doctor.

    चाहन्छिन् is for a woman who is उनी.

  4. तपाईं चिया पिउन चाहनुहुन्छ?

    Would you like to drink tea?

    तपाईं takes चाहनुहुन्छ.

  5. हामी पोखरा जान चाहन्छौँ।

    We want to go to Pokhara.

    चाहन्छौँ goes with हामी.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the -नु form before चाहनु.

    म नेपाली सिक्नु चाहन्छु।
    म नेपाली सिक्न चाहन्छु।

    Before चाहनु the verb takes -न.

How It Connects

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

-न चाहनुLevel 2Wanting to Do Something

Learn This First

-न चाहनु says what you want to do.