Lesson 1
Vocabulary
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cha = is
dinu = to give
garnu = to do
ghar = house
hajur = yes (polite)
ho = is (definitive)
hoina = is not
jholaa = bag
kaalo = black
kaapi = note book
kahaa = where
kalam = pen
kasko = whose
kasto = what color, how
(qualitative)
ke = what
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kholnu = to open
kitaab = book
mero = mine, my
naam = name
namaste = hello, bye, greetings
ni = how about, or please
padhnu = to read
seto = white
ta = then
tapaaiko = your, yours
tyo = that
wahaako = his, her, hers
yo = this
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Part I
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1. Namaste
Namaste
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Hello
Hello
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2. Tapaiko
naam ke ho?
Mero naam Maria ho
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What is your name?
My name is Maria
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3. Wahaako
nam ke ho?
Wahaako naam Shiva ho.
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What is his name?
His name is Shiva
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4. Tapaaiko
ghar kahaa ho?
Mero ghar amerika ho
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Where is your house? Where do you live?
My house is America
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5. Wahaako
ghar kahaa ho?
Wahaako ghar Nepal ho
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Where does he live?
He lives in Nepal.
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1. Yo
ke ho?
Yo kalam ho
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What is this?
This is a pen
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2. Yo
kasko kalam ho?
Yo mero kalam ho
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Whose pen is this?
This is my pen
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3. Tyo
ke ho?
Tyo phone ho
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What is that?
That is a phone
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4. Tyo
kasko phone ho?
Tyo wahaako phone ho
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Whose phone is that?
That is his phone
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5. Yo
ni?
Tyo tapaaiko phone ho
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And this?
That is your phone
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1. Tyo
ke ho?
Yo kitaab ho
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What is that?
This is a book
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2. Tyo
kasko kitaab ho?
Yo mero kitaab ho
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Whose book is that?
This is my book
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3. Kitaabh
kholnuhos
Tapaaile ke gareko?
Maile kitaab kholeko
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Please open the book
What did you do?
I opened the book
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4. Wahaale
ko gareko?
Wahaale kitab kholeko
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What did he do?
He opened the book
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1. Maria!
Hajur
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Maria!
Yes.
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2. Tyo
phone ho?
Hoina
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Is that a phone?
No, it isn’t
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3. Tyo
ke ho ta?
Yo iPad ho
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What is then?
It’s an iPad
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4. Tyo
kasko iPad ho?
Yo mero iPad ho
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Whose iPad is that?
It’s my ipad
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5. Tapaiko
ipad kasto rung ko chha?
Mero iPad pahelo chha.
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What color is your iPad?
My iPad is yellow
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6. iPad
dinos
Tapaaile ke gareko?
Maile iPad dieko
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Please give me the iPad
What did you do?
I gave you the iPad
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Grammar Notes
1. The suffix 'ko' is attached to the end of nouns and some pronouns to denote possession.
Maria = Maria
Maria ko = Maria's
Tapaai = you
Tappai ko = yours
Wahaa = he/she
Wahaa ko = His/hers
BUT NOTE:
Ma = I
Mero = Mine
U = he
Usko = his
Haami = we
Haamro = our, ours
2. The word 'namaste' is used both when people meet and part, taking the place of all English greetings.
3. Word order is different in a sentence between English and Nepali. In Nepali, the verb always comes at the end of the sentence. Note the following:
Mero naam Maria ho = My name Maria is
Tapaaiko ghar kahaa ho = your house where is
4. 'Hajur" yes (polite) used in response after one is addressed. It also can mean "I beg your pardon" when pronounced with rising intonation.
5. "Ji" is usually added to the end of pople's names to express respect. For example "Chandra Ji"
6. Honorific commands
Kholnuhos = Please, open it
Padnuhos = Please, read it
7. "Hoina" does not always correspond to "no" in English but instead usually to "no it isn't"
8. In spoken Nepali "eko" form is very commonly used in simple past, past perfect and present progressive tense.
Mariale ke gareko? = What did Maria do?
Mariale kitaabh kholekko = Maria opened the book.
ke padheko? = What are you reading?
ke lekheko? = What are you writing?
9. "Le" is attached to the subject int he past tense, if the verb is transitive. A transitive verb is the one that requires an object.
Khaanu = to eat
banda garnu = to close
garnu = to do
sutnu = to sleep
jaanu = to go
So you will say something like "Maile kaam garey" = I did work.
10. "Ni" is an interogative particle which is used at the end of sentence. It means, and how about?
11. "Ta" is commonly used particle with no literal meaning. It;s meaning varies. In the following examples, "ta" means "then"
Tyo Shiva ko phone ho? = Is that Shiva's phone?
Hoina = No, it isn't
Kasko ho ta? = Whose is it, then?
Mero ho = It's mine
12. The verb "is" has 3 different equivalents in Nepali: "ho", "chha" and "Hunchha"
a. "ho" (negative "hoina") is used to define something or somebody. Examples:
Kathmandu nepal ko rajdhani ho = Kathmandu is the capital of Nepali
Yo mero ghar ho = This is my house
b. "Chha" (negative "chaina") is used to locate things and people.
Phone table ma chha = the phone is on the table
Mero bhaai gharma chha = My brother is at home
"chha" is also used to state the quality of something or somebody:
Usko shirt raamro chha = His shirt is nice
Mero phone raato chha = My phone is red
c. "Chha" and "kasto" are used for variety of reasons, one being feeling:
Suntala kasto chha? = How doe the orange taste?
Tapai ko phone kasto chha? = How is your phone? What is your phone like?
Tapailai kasto chha? = How are you?
Kasto chha? = How is it?
Movie kasto chha? = How is the movie?