Language is a powerful tool for communication, and in Nepal, a multilingual country with diverse cultures and languages, asking about language plays a vital role in building connections. In Nepali, a language spoken by millions, there are specific phrases and expressions that help individuals inquire about someone’s language preference or proficiency. Understanding how to ask about language in Nepali can enhance conversations, especially for travelers, students, or anyone looking to interact with Nepali speakers.
This guide will explore the common phrases, their meanings, and the cultural significance of language-related questions in Nepali. Whether you’re trying to learn a new language or simply curious about someone’s linguistic background, knowing how to ask the right questions in Nepali can foster better understanding and communication.
Asking about language
Do you speak English?
Tapai Angreji bolnu huncha?
Ta-pai An-gre-ji bol-nu hun-cha
तपाई अंग्रेजी बोल्नु हुन्छ?
Let’s break it down:
- Tapai (तपाई): This is a formal way to say “you,” typically used when addressing someone with respect, such as elders, strangers, or in formal settings.
- Angreji (अंग्रेजी): This means “English,” referring to the language.
- Bolnu (बोल्नु): This is the verb meaning “to speak”.
- Huncha (हुन्छ): This is a polite and respectful way to ask something, equivalent to “do” or “can” in English, depending on context. In this case, it makes the question sound respectful and formal.
This phrase is commonly used to inquire politely if someone can communicate in English.
I don’t speak English well.
Ma Angreji ramrosanga boldina.
Ma An-gre-ji ram-ro-san-ga bol-di-na
म नेपाली राम्रोसँग बोल्दिन।
Let’s break it down:
- Ma (म): This means “I” in Nepali. It’s the first-person pronoun used for self-reference.
- Ramrosanga (राम्रोसँग): This phrase means “well” or “properly”. It comes from “ramro”, meaning “good” or “nice” and “sanga” which means “with” or “in the manner of”. So “ramrosanga” translates to “in a good way” or “properly”.
- Boldina (बोल्दिन): This is the negative form of the verb bolnu (बोल्नु), which means “to speak”. Boldina means “I do not speak”.
I don’t understand.
Maile bujhina.
Mai-le bu-jhi-na
मैले बुझिन।
Let’s break it down:
- Maile (मैले): This is the first-person pronoun “I” in Nepali, combined with “le”, which is a postposition indicating the subject of the action. “Maile” is used when the action is directed towards oneself.
- Bujhina (बुझिन): This is the negative form of the verb “bujhnu” (बुझ्नु), which means “to understand”. Bujhina means “I do not understand”.
It is commonly used when you want to inform someone that you are unable to comprehend what they are saying or explaining.
Please speak slowly.
Kripaya bistarai bolnuhos.
Kri-pa-ya bis-ta-rai bol-nu-hos
कृपया बिस्तारै बोल्नुहोस्।
Let’s break it down:
- Kripaya (कृपया): This means “please” in Nepali. It is a polite way to make a request or ask for something.
- Bistarai (बिस्तारै): This means “slowly” in Nepali. It is used to describe the manner in which something should be done – in this case, to speak at a slower pace.
- Bolnuhos (बोल्नुहोस्): This is the polite command form of the verb “bolnu” (बोल्नु), which means “to speak”. The form “bolnuhos” is a polite way of asking someone to do something, equivalent to saying “please speak”.
So, when you say “Kripaya bistarai bolnuhos”, you’re politely asking someone to speak slowly, typically when you find their speech fast or difficult to understand.
Please say it again!
Kripaya pheri bhannuhos!
Kri-pa-ya phe-ri bhan-nu-hos!
कृपया फेरि भन्नुहोस्!
Let’s break it down:
- Pheri (फेरी): This means “again” in Nepali. It is used to indicate that something should be repeated or done once more.
- Bhannuhos (भन्नुहोस्): This is the polite command form of the verb “bhannu” (भन्नु), which means “to say” or “to tell”. The form “bhannuhos” is used when making a polite request for someone to say something.
It’s commonly used when you didn’t understand something or missed what was said, and you want the person to say it again for clarity.