-नु छ

Saying What You Have to Do

Level 2Sounds Like nu cha

Verb with -नु, then छ, means have to.

How It Works

The pattern means that a task or an errand is waiting. Take the -नु form of the verb and add छ. Both parts are separate words.

SentenceMeaning
मैले भोलि जानु छ।I have to go tomorrow.
तिमीले के गर्नु छ?What do you have to do?
उनले पत्र लेख्नु छ।She has a letter to write.

छ does not change with the doer, because the thing waiting to be done is the subject. That is why you say मैले जानु छ and not जानु छु.

-नु छ is about a plan or a task that you already know about. -नुपर्छ is about a rule or a need. The first is closer to I have to go, and the second to I must go.

The negative is -नु छैन: मैले आज काम गर्नु छैन (I have no work to do today). The past is -नु थियो: मैले हिजो जानु थियो (I was supposed to go yesterday).

Examples (5)

  1. मैले भोलि काठमाडौं जानु छ।

    I have to go to Kathmandu tomorrow.

    जानु छ means a task is waiting.

  2. तिमीले के गर्नु छ?

    What do you have to do?

    छ stays the same for तिमी.

  3. उनले पत्र लेख्नु छ।

    She has a letter to write.

    The doer takes ले.

  4. हामीले बजार जानु छ।

    We have to go to the market.

    The same form works for हामी.

  5. मैले आज काम गर्नु छैन।

    I have no work to do today.

    The negative is -नु छैन.

Common Mistakes

  • Changing छ to छु.

    मैले भोलि जानु छु।
    मैले भोलि जानु छ।

    The thing waiting to be done is the subject, so it stays छ.

How It Connects

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

-नु छLevel 2Saying What You Have to Do

Learn This First

-नु छ says what you have to do.