English Nepali Ann's Itty-Bitty, but darn good Nepali Language Primer Learning a few of the basics is really opens up a country to the traveler, visitor, tourist... Just a little of the language will help you to get around, to meet people and to really deepen your experience of a culture. It shows the locals that you want to learn about them and care about their country and culture. So start with these basics... note: Underlined words are shown as samples only, you should substitute as necessary Basic Greetings and Pleasantries Nepali Tranliteration English Translation Namaste Hello, Greetings, I bless the divine in you Namaskar The more respectful version of Namaste Hajur All purpose term meaning yes? Pardon, Excuse me? (Tapaiilai) Kasto Cha? How are you? (Malai) Thik Cha I am fine Khana khannu bhaiyo? Have you eaten? (used often as informal greeting) Dhanybhad Thank you Tapaiiko naam ke ho? What is you name? Mero naam Ann-Marie ho My name is Ann-Marie Maaph garnuhos Excuse me/ pardon me/ sorry Maile bhujhina I don’t understand Maile bhujhe I understand Pheri bhetaunla I hope we meet again Addressing People / things Ann-Marie-ji Formal way to address someone using their name Aama / Buwa Mother / Father, but also friendly term men/women roughly in your parents generation Didi / Bahini Older / Younger sister, but also friendly term used to refer to other women roughly in your generation Dhai / Bhai Older / Younger brother, same as above Nanu / Babu Young girl / boy child Ma / Hami I / We Tapaii You Yo / Tyo This / That Verb bases (infinitive form) & Verb Conjugation Janu To go Bolnu To speak Aunu To come Roknu To stop Basnu To sit Hidnu To walk Khannu To eat Khelnu To play Rakhnu To put Sutnu To sleep Garnu To do Hernu To see Dinu To give Pewnu To drink Linu To take Oothnu rise/wake up Kinnu To buy Note: the order of sentences is reversed in Nepali. The conjugated verb is always last. To politely ask someone to do something, add a ‘s’ to the verb base. Ex. Aunus / Basnus / Khannus - Please come / Please eat Add ‘na’ at the beginning to make it negative Ex. Chinni narakhnus - Please don’t put sugar in (ex. the tea) For first person action, drop the ‘u’ and add ‘choo’ and add ma ( I ) at the beginning Ex. Ma janchoo/ aunchoo/ baschoo - I am going / coming / sitting. It can also be understood for future action. I will go / come / sit. For respectful past tense but not first person (I) just add bhaiyo to the verb base Ex. aunu bhaiyo / khannu bhaiyo - came / ate For informal way of asking someone if they want to do something, drop ‘u’ and add ‘e’ ex. momo khanne? / Thamel jane? - Want to eat momos? / Want to go to Thamel? Informal way of asking someone to join you in doing something, drop ‘nu’ and add ‘am’ Ex. Jaam / Basaam / Khaam - Let’s go / let’s sit / let’s eat To combine two verbs, drop ‘u’ & add ‘a’ to first, and drop ‘u’ & add ‘chu to second. Ex. Ma auna sakchu - I can come Useful Adjectives Mahango / Sasto Expensive / Cheap Ramro / Naramro Good / Bad Sapha / Phohar Clean / Dirty Thulo / Sano Big / Small Sajilo / Gahro Easy / Hard Thada / Najik Far / Close Chito / Dhilo Fast / Slow Tato / Cheeso Hot / Cold (for food) Garmi / Jaado Hot / Cold (for weather) Naya / Purano New / Old Dhani / Garib Rich / Poor Add ‘dherai’ to show ‘very’ Ex. Trekking dherai gahro cha Trekking is very hard Question Words Ke What Kahaang Where Kati How much Kina / kinabhane Why / because Kasko Whose Kahile When Kun Which Kasari How Kasto How (of quality) Food adjectives Mitho / namitho Tasty / Not tasty Bhuteko Fried Umaaleko Boiled Noonilo Salty Gooliyo Sweet Amilo Sour Tito Bitter Piro Spicy Food Items Tarkari / Vegetables Gajur / Carrots Kaulee / Cauliflower Bandakobi / Cabbage Alu / Potato Makai / Corn Saag / Spinach Kerau / Peas Parsi / Pumpkin Pyaaj / Onion Lasun / Garlic Kaankro / Cucumber Simee / Beans Coursani / Chili Adhuwa / Ginger Bhatamas / Soybean Golbheraa / Tomato Dhal / Lentil Bhadam / Peanut Kaju / Cashew Mohar / Honey Bhat / Rice Dudh / Milk Daihee / Yogurt Pauroti / Bread (Loaf) Chapati / Bread (flat round) Tel / Oil Noon / Salt Chinni / Sugar Syaau / Apple Keraa / Banana Nariwal / Coconut Angur / Grapes Kagati / Lemon Aanp / Mango Suntalaa / Orange Mewaa / Papaya Masu / Meat Andaa / Egg Macha / Fish Kukhura / Chicken Kasi / Goat Sungur / Pork Kalo chiya / Black tea Kagatiko chiya / Lemon tea Dudh chiya / Milk tea Adhuwa chiya / Ginger tea Kalo coffee / Black coffee Dudh chiya / Milk tea Pani / water Umaleko pani / Boiled water Raksi / Alcohol Toomba / Millet beer Chyang / Rice beer Ras / Juice Useful nouns Bato / Road Pul / Bridge Des / Country Bajar / Market Kotha / Room Gau / Village Khola / River Pasal / Shop Khanna / Food Ghar / House Mithai / Sweets Koseli / Gift Topee / Hat Jhola / Bag, pack Git / Song Kitaab / Book Manche / Person Mancheharu / People Chorachori / Children Bideshi / Foreigner Pariwar / Family Dharma / Religion Numbers 1 / ek 6 / cha 15 / pandhra 50 / pachaase 2 / dui 7 / saat 20 / beece 60 / sathi 3 / tin 8 / aath 25 / pacheece 70 / sattari 4 / char 9 / nau 30 / teece 80 / assi 5 / panchs 10 / das 40 / chaleece 90 / nabbe 100 / ek saye 200 / dui saye 1000 ek hazar Expressions of Time Aaja / Today Hijo / Yesterday Bholi / Tomorrow Ghanta / Hour Din / Day Haptaa / Week Mahina / Month Barsa / Year Bihaana / Morning Diunso / Afternoon Beluka / Evening Raatri / Night Subha raatri Good night Kati bhajyo? What time is it? Ek bhajyo One o' clock Possession Add ‘ko’ to a formal name, pronoun to show possession Tapaiiko / Ann-Marie-ko / Didi-ko - Your / Ann-Marie’s / Didi’s (older sister’s) Some pronouns have special forms Ma – Mero / Hami – Hamro - I – mine / We - Ours Prepositions ______maa / At, in, on ex. Kathmandumaa / in Kathmandu ______baata / From ex. Kathmandubaata / from Kathmandu ______sanga / With ex. Ann-Mariesanga / with Ann-Marie Baahira / Bhitra Outside / Inside pachhi After Conjunctions ra / and ani / and then kinabhane / because tara / but Idiomatic use of Bhaiyo If someone asks is something was done, to indicate it was, simply answer ‘bhaiyo’ If someone is serving you food, to indicate enough, answer ‘bhaiyo’ Ke bhaiyo What happened? Abera bhaiyo It’s late Different ways to say Yes / No 1. Cha / Chainna To Locate something on you, to have something ex. Chiya Cha? ex. Chiya Cha? 2. Ho / Hoina To state facts, truths, to define, to be or not to be ex. Yo Thamel ho? Is this Thamel (tourist area of Kathmandu)? 3. Huncha / Hunna To agree to do/not do something, some action ex. Momo khanne? Huncha. Shall we eat momos (dumplings)? Yes, let’s eat. Cha / Chaiina & Ho / Hoina are also the active verb form for ‘to be’ conjugated as ‘I am / You are / He is. You can add ‘ho’ or ‘cha’ to make simple sentences. Simple sample sentences Thamel, kahaang ho? Where is Thamel? Kahaang jane? Where are you going? Esko kati parcha? How much does this cost? (useful in stores) Kati ho? How much? (useful for asking taxi drivers) Kahile jane? / kahile khanne? When are we going? When are we eating? Tapaiiko ghar kahaang ho? Where is your home? Mero ghar America-ma ho My home is in America Ma ali-ali Nepali bolchu I only speak a little Nepali Bistaari bhannus Please speak slowly Tapaiiko bihe bhaiyo? Are you married? (your marriage happened?) Mero bihe bhaiyo / bhayeko chaina? I am married / not married.(My marriage happened) Ma American hun I am American Jomsom jane baato kun ho? Which is the road to Jomsom? (Jomsom going road) Ali sastoma dinus Please give it a little cheaper Dherai mahango bhaiyo It’s very (too) expensive Yo / tyo ke ho? What is this / that? Ek raatiko kati ho? How much for one night? Feelings and Emotions Ma ______ lagyo / lagena. I feel / don’t feel ______. Birami / sick Bhok / hungry Raksi / drunk Thirkaa / thirsty Khushee / happy Dukha / sad Thakai / tired Alchee / lazy Dar / scared Nindra / sleepy Jaado / cold Garmi / hot Other simple sentences Tapaiilai ______ man parcha? Do you like ______? Malai ______ man parcha. I like ______. ex. Malai Nepali khanna man parcha. I like Nepali food. To express that you like to do something, use a verb, drop the ‘u’ and add ‘a’ ex. Malai aath ghanta sutna man parcha. I like to sleep eight hours. To express that you can do something, use a verb, drop the ‘u’ add ‘a’ and sakchu Ex. Ma kotha herna sakchu. Can I see a room. Malai ______ chahincha. I need ______ . Malai ______ chahindaina I don’t need ______ . back to Nepal Focus A
