-नुहुन्थ्यो

Polite Past Habits

Level 3Sounds Like nuhunthyō

-नुहुन्थ्यो is the polite habitual past.

How It Works

This is the polite twin of -थ्यो. Add -नुहुन्थ्यो to the stem, and the same form serves तपाईं, उहाँ and any respected person.

  • बस्नु becomes बस्नुहुन्थ्यो.
  • सिकाउनु becomes सिकाउनुहुन्थ्यो.
  • जानु becomes जानुहुन्थ्यो.

It tells about a past routine: हजुरआमा हामीलाई कथा सुनाउनुहुन्थ्यो (grandmother used to tell us stories).

Do not mix the endings. A respected person never takes -थ्यौ, which is for तिमी. Like the plain habitual past, it usually takes no ले, even when the verb has an object. A time phrase such as सानो हुँदा (when small) or हरेक बिहान (every morning) usually sets the scene for the routine.

Examples (5)

  1. बुबा हरेक बिहान हिँड्न जानुहुन्थ्यो।

    Father used to go for a walk every morning.

    जानुहुन्थ्यो is the polite habitual past.

  2. हजुरआमा हामीलाई कथा सुनाउनुहुन्थ्यो।

    Grandmother used to tell us stories.

    The same ending serves any respected person.

  3. हाम्रा शिक्षक हरेक शुक्रबार नयाँ शब्द सिकाउनुहुन्थ्यो।

    Our teacher used to teach new words every Friday.

    सिकाउनुहुन्थ्यो shows respect for the teacher.

  4. तपाईं सानो हुँदा कहाँ बस्नुहुन्थ्यो?

    Where did you live when you were small?

    तपाईं takes -नुहुन्थ्यो.

  5. उहाँ बिहान चाँडै उठ्नुहुन्थ्यो।

    He used to get up early in the morning.

    उहाँ is the respectful he or she.

Common Mistakes

  • A learner gives तपाईं the तिमी ending.

    तपाईं सानो हुँदा कहाँ बस्थ्यौ?
    तपाईं सानो हुँदा कहाँ बस्नुहुन्थ्यो?

    तपाईं needs the polite ending.

How It Connects

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

-नुहुन्थ्योLevel 3Polite Past Habits

Learn This First

-नुहुन्थ्यो is the polite form of past habits.