Word Order and Emphasis
Nepali usually puts the verb last, but a word moved to the front is stressed: किताब त मैले हिजो पढेँ puts the book in focus.
How It Works
The usual order of a Nepali sentence is subject, then time and place, then object, then verb: मैले हिजो किताब पढेँ. The verb usually comes last.
| Order | Focus |
|---|---|
| मैले हिजो किताब पढेँ। | plain statement |
| किताब त मैले हिजो पढेँ। | the book |
| हिजो नै मैले किताब पढेँ। | yesterday |
| मैले त हिजो किताब पढेँ। | me |
A word moves to the front when the speaker wants to stress it. The particles त and नै make the stress stronger: त marks a topic or a contrast, and नै means exactly.
A speaker can also break the usual order and place the verb early for feeling: आउँछु त म, तर ढिलो हुन्छ. The meaning is I will come, yes, but late.
Do not move words at random. Keep the verb at the end in ordinary sentences, and use the front position only when you want to point at something.
Examples (5)
- मैले हिजो किताब पढेँ।
I read a book yesterday.
This is the usual order: doer, time, thing, verb.
- किताब त मैले हिजो पढेँ।
As for the book, I read it yesterday.
The book moves to the front with त.
- हिजो नै मैले किताब पढेँ।
It was yesterday that I read the book.
हिजो नै puts the time in focus.
- मैले त हिजो किताब पढेँ।
As for me, I read the book yesterday.
मैले त puts the doer in focus.
- आउँछु त म, तर ढिलो हुन्छ।
I will come, yes, but it will be late.
The verb moves to the front for feeling.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Word order and emphasis builds on the plain sentence order and on the emphasis words.
Related Patterns
Practice Word Order and Emphasis in Bubblegum
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