Nepali (नेपाली)

travel phpto to inspire Nepali language study
Lumbini, the birthplace of Gautama Buddha. Photo by Photo Dharma, CC BY 2.0

ALPHABET MATCHING GAME VOCABULARY FLASHCARDS

Why learn Nepali?

International travel is made easier and more pleasant when you know Nepali. Your marketable skills in the global economy are improved when you master Nepali. Creativity is increased with the study of Nepali. Learning about another culture enables you to gain a more profound understanding of your own culture.

How Long Does it Take to Learn Nepali?

Nepali is rated as a category 3 language by the Foreign Service Institute. It is considered moderately difficult for English speakers to learn and takes an average of 44 weeks (or 1100 class hours) to gain professional working proficiency.

Nepali Alphabet & Pronunciation


[a]

[ā]

[i]

[ī]

[u]

[ū]

[ṛ]

[ṝ]

[ḷ]

[ḹ]

[ē]

[ai]

[ō]

[au]
अं
[aṃ]
अः
[aḥ]

[ê]

[ô]

[ka]

[kha]

[ga]

[gha]

[ṅa]

[ha]

[ca]

[cha]

[ja]

[jha]

[ña]

[ya]

[śa]

[ṭa]

[ṭha]

[ḍa]

[ḍha]

[ṇa]

[ra]

[ṣa]

[ta]

[tha]

[da]

[dha]

[na]

[la]

[sa]

[pa]

[pha]

[ba]

[bha]

[ma]

[va]

Basic Phrases in Nepali

Helloनमस्कार (Namaskāra)
Goodbyeअलविदा (Alavidā)
Yesहो (Hō)
Noहोईन (Hō'īna)
Excuse meमलाईं माफ गर्नुहोस् (Malā'īṁ māpha garnuhōs)
Pleaseकृपया (Kr̥payā)
Thank youधन्यवाद (Dhan'yavāda)
You are welcomeतपाईलाई स्वागत छ (Tapā'īlā'ī svāgata cha)
Do you speak englishके तपाईँ अङ्ग्रेजी बोल्नुहुन्छ? (Kē tapā'īm̐ aṅgrējī bōlnuhuncha?)
Do you understandके तपाई बुझ्नुहुन्छ? (Kē tapā'ī bujhnuhuncha?)
I understandम बुझ्दछु (Ma bujhdachu)
I do not understandमैले बुझिन (Mailē bujhina)
How are youतिमीलाई कस्तो छ? (Timīlā'ī kastō cha?)
Fine thanksठीक छु धन्यबाद! (Ṭhīka chu dhan'yabāda!)
What is your nameतिम्रो नाम के हो? (Timrō nāma kē hō?)
My name isमेरो नाम (Mērō nāma)
Pleased to meet youतिमीलाई भेटेर खुशी लग्यो (Timīlā'ī bhēṭēra khuśī lagyō)

Nepali Grammar

Nepali Nouns

Manमानिस (Mānisa)
Womanमहिला (Mahilā)
Boyकेटा (Kēṭā)
Girlकेटी (Kēṭī)
Catबिरालो (Birālō)
Dogकुकुर (Kukura)
Fishमाछा (Māchā)
Waterपानी (Pānī)
Milkदूध (Dūdha)
Eggअण्डा (Aṇḍā)
Houseघर (Ghara)
Flowerफूल (Phūla)
Treeरूख (Rūkha)
Shirtशर्ट (Śarṭa)
Pantsप्यान्ट (Pyānṭa)

Nepali Adjectives

Colors in Nepali

Blackकालो (Kālō)
Whiteसेतो (Sētō)
Redरातो (Rātō)
Orangeसुन्तला (Suntalā)
Yellowपहेंलो (Pahēnlō)
Greenहरियो (Hariyō)
Blueनिलो (Nilō)
Purpleबैजनी (Baijanī)
Pinkगुलाबी (Gulābī)
Grayखैरो (Khairō)
Brownखैरो (Khairō)

Numbers in Nepali

Zeroशून्य (Śūn'ya)
Oneएक (Ēka)
Twoदुई (Du'ī)
Threeतीन (Tīna)
Fourचार (Cāra)
Fiveपाँच (Pām̐ca)
Six (Cha)
Sevenसात (Sāta)
Eightआठ (Āṭha)
Nineनौ (Nau)
Tenदस (Dasa)
Elevenएघार (Ēghāra)
Twelveबाह्र (Bāhra)
Twentyबीस (Bīsa)
Thirtyतीस (Tīsa)
Fortyचालीस (Cālīsa)
Fiftyपचास (Pacāsa)
Sixtyसाठ (Sāṭha)
Seventyसत्तरी (Sattarī)
Eightyअस्सी (As'sī)
Ninetyनब्बे (Nabbē)
Hundredसय (Saya)
Thousandहजार (Hajāra)

Nepali Verbs

To beहुनु (Hunu)
To haveहुनुको लागि (Hunukō lāgi)
To wantचाहनु (Cāhanu)
To needआवश्यक छ (Āvaśyaka cha)
To helpसहयोग गर्नु (Sahayōga garnu)
To goजान (Jāna)
To comeआउनु (Ā'unu)
To eatखानु (Khānu)
To drinkपिउनु (Pi'unu)
To speakबोल्नु (Bōlnu)

Building Simple Sentences

More Complex Nepali Sentences

And (Ra)
Orवा (Vā)
Butतर (Tara)
Becauseकिनभने (Kinabhanē)
Withसंग (Saṅga)
Alsoपनि (Pani)
Howeverयद्यपि (Yadyapi)
Neitherन त (Na ta)
Norन त (Na ta)
Ifयदि (Yadi)
Thenत्यसो भए (Tyasō bha'ē)

Useful Nepali Vocabulary

Nepali Questions

Whoको (Kō)
Whatके (Kē)
Whenकहिले (Kahilē)
Whereकहाँ (Kahām̐)
Whyकिन (Kina)
Howकसरी (Kasarī)
How manyकति वटा (Kati vaṭā)
How muchकति (Kati)

Days of the Week in Nepali

Mondayसोमबार (Sōmabāra)
Tuesdayमंगलबार (Maṅgalabāra)
Wednesdayबुधवार (Budhavāra)
Thursdayबिहीबार (Bihībāra)
Fridayशुक्रवार (Śukravāra)
Saturdayशनिबार (Śanibāra)
Sundayआइतवार (Ā'itavāra)
Yesterdayहिजो (Hijō)
Todayआज (Āja)
Tomorrowभोली (Bhōlī)

Months in Nepali

Januaryजनवरी (Janavarī)
Februaryफेब्रुअरी (Phēbru'arī)
Marchमार्च (Mārca)
Aprilअप्रिल (Aprila)
Mayमे (Mē)
Juneजुन (Juna)
Julyजुलाई (Julā'ī)
Augustअगस्त (Agasta)
Septemberसेप्टेम्बर (Sēpṭēmbara)
Octoberअक्टुबर (Akṭubara)
Novemberनोभेम्बर (Nōbhēmbara)
Decemberडिसेम्बर (Ḍisēmbara)

Seasons in Nepali

Winterजाडो (Jāḍō)
Springवसन्त (Vasanta)
Summerगर्मी (Garmī)
Autumnशरद तु (Śarada tu)

Telling Time in Nepali

What time is itकति बज्यो? (Kati bajyō?)
Hoursघण्टा (Ghaṇṭā)
Minutesमिनेट (Minēṭa)
Secondsसेकेन्ड (Sēkēnḍa)
O clockबजे (Bajē)
Halfआधा (Ādhā)
Quarter pastक्वार्टर विगत (Kvārṭara vigata)
Beforeपहिले (Pahilē)
Afterपछि (Pachi)