Nepali, with its unique blend of sounds and expressions, offers a fascinating way to connect with people in Nepal and Nepali-speaking communities around the world. Whether you’re visiting Nepal for the first time, engaging with Nepali-speaking friends, or exploring the language for personal growth, understanding both formal and informal Nepali phrases is key to effective communication.
In this article, we will cover essential Nepali phrases used in everyday conversations, categorized into formal and informal language. By learning these phrases, you’ll not only enhance your language skills but also show respect for the cultural nuances that make Nepali communication so special. Let’s explore how to interact with others in both formal and informal settings!
Formal and informal phrases in Nepali
Do you know what time it’ll start?
Formal:
Ke tapailai thaha cha yo kati baje suru huncha?
Ke ta-pai-lai tha-ha cha yo ka-ti ba-je su-ru hun-cha?
के तपाईंलाई थाहा छ यो कति बजे शुरु हुन्छ?
Informal:
Ke timilai thaha cha yo kati baje suru huncha?
Ke ti-mi-lai tha-ha cha yo ka-ti ba-je su-ru hun-cha?
के तिमीलाई थाहा छ यो कति बजे शुरु हुन्छ?
Will you please give me a lift?
Formal:
Kripaya malai lift dinuhuncha?
Kri-pa-ya ma-lai lift di-nu-hun-cha?
कृपया मलाई लिफ्ट दिनुहुन्छ?
Informal:
Malai lift dinchau?
Ma-lai lift din-chau?
मलाई लिफ्ट दिन्छौ?
Do me a favor please.
Formal:
Kripaya malai sahayata garnuhos.
Kri-pa-ya ma-lai sa-ha-ya-ta gar-nu-hos.
कृपया मलाई सहायता गर्नुहोस्।
Informal:
Malai sahayata gara.
Ma-lai sa-ha-ya-ta ga-ra.
मलाई सहायता गर।
I cannot permit you.
Formal:
Ma tapailai anumati dina sakdina.
Ma ta-pai-lai anu-ma-ti di-na sak-di-na
म तपाईंलाई अनुमति दिन सक्दिन।
Informal:
Ma timilai anumati dina sakdina.
Ma ti-mi-lai anu-ma-ti di-na sak-di-na
म तिमीलाई अनुमति दिन सक्दिन।
The higher they go the cooler it is.
Formal:
Wahaharu jati mathi januhuncha uti chiso huncha.
Wa-ha-ha-ru ja-ti ma-thi ja-nu-hun-cha uti chi-so hun-cha.
वहाँहरू जति माथि जानुहुन्छ उति चिसो हुन्छ।
Informal:
Tiniharu jati mathi jancha uti chiso huncha.
Ti-ni-ha-ru ja-ti ma-thi jan-cha uti chi-so hun-cha.
तिनीहरू जति माथि जान्छ उति चिसो हुन्छ।
Close the door?
Formal:
Dhoka banda garnus.
dho-ka ban-da gar-nus.
ढोका बन्द गर्नुस्।
Informal:
Dhoka banda gara.
dho-ka ban-da ga-ra.
ढोका बन्द गर।
Open the window?
Formal:
Jhyal kholi dinus.
jhya-l kho-li di-nus.
झ्याल खोली दिनुस्।
Informal:
Jhyal kholi deu.
jhya-l kho-li deu.
झ्याल खोली देउ।
Whether you come or not, I am going.
Formal:
Tapai aaunus ya naaaunus ma jadaichu.
Ta-pai aau-nus ya na-aau-nus ma ja-dai-chu.
तपाईं आउनुस् या नआउनुस् म जाँदैछु।
ma jadaichu – I am going
Informal:
Timi aau ya naaau ma jadaichu.
ti-mi aau ya na-aau ma ja-dai-chu.
तिमी आउ या नआउ म जाँदैछु।
ma jadaichu – I am going
Look at that mountain.
Formal:
Tyo pahadlai hernus.
tyo pa-had-lai her-nus.
त्यो पहाडलाई हेर्नुस्।
Informal:
Tyo pahadlai hera.
tyo pa-had-lai hay-ra.
त्यो पहाडलाई हेर।
hera – look
For how long have you been here.
Formal:
Tapai yaha kahile dekhi hunuhuncha?
ta-pai ya-ha ka-hi-le de-khi hu-nu-hun-cha?
तपाईं यहाँ कहिले देखी हुनुहुन्छ?
Informal:
Timi yaha kahile dekhi chau?
ti-mi ya-ha ka-hi-le de-khi chau?
तिमी यहाँ कहिले देखी छौ?
He will have left for Kathmandu by tomorrow evening.
Formal:
Waha bholi sajhasamma Kathmanduko laagi niskisaknubhayeko hunechha.
waha bho-li sa-jha-samma Kathmandu-ko laa-gi nis-ki-sak-nu-bha-ye-ko hu-ne-chha.
उहाँ भोलि साँझसम्म काठमाडौंको लागि निस्किसक्नुभएको हुनेछ।
Informal:
Uh bholi sajhasamma Kathmanduko laagi nniskisakeko hunechha.
uh bho-li sa-jha-samma Kathmandu-ko laa-gi nis-ki-sa-ke-ko hu-ne-chha.
उ भोलि साँझसम्म काठमाडौंको लागि निस्किसकेको हुनेछ।
bholi – tomorrow, sajha – evening, lagi – for
He came here in Baishak.
Formal:
Waha yaha Baishakma aaunubhayaeko thiyo.
waha ya-ha Baishak-ma aau-nu-bha-yae-ko thi-yo.
उहाँ यहाँ वैशाखमा आउनुभएको थियो।
Informal:
Uh yaha Baishakma ahyaeko thiyo.
uh ya-ha Baishak-ma ah-yae-ko thi-yo.
aayeko thiyo – came
उ यहाँ वैशाखमा आएको थियो।
How did you go to Kathmandu?
Formal:
Tapai Kathmandu kasari janubhayo?
ta-pai Kathmandu ka-sa-ri ja-nu-bha-yo?
तपाईं काठमाडौं कसरी जानुभयो?
Informal:
Timi Kathmandu kasari gayau?
ti-mi Kathmandu ka-sa-ri ga-yau?
तिमी काठमाडौं कसरी गयौ?
timi – you, kasari – how
Do not make excuses.
Formal:
Bahana nabanaunus.
Ba-ha-na na-ba-nau-nus.
बाहाना नबनाउनुस्।
Informal:
Bahana nabanau.
Ba-ha-na na-ba-nau.
बाहाना नबनाउ।
Do not get disappointed.
Formal:
Niras nahunuhos.
Ni-ras na-hu-nu-hos.
निराश नहुनुहोस्।
Informal:
Niras nahunu.
Ni-ras na-hu-nu.
निराश नहुनु।
Can I help you?
Formal:
Ke ma tapailai maddat garna sakchu?
Ke ma ta-pai-lai ma-ddat gar-na sak-chu?
के म तपाईँलाई मद्दत गर्न सक्छु?
Informal:
Ke ma timilai maddat garna sakchu?
Ke ma ti-mi-lai ma-ddat gar-na sak-chu?
के म तिमीलाई मद्दत गर्न सक्छु?
When will your friend be back?
Formal:
Tapaiko saathi kahile farkincha?
Ta-pai-ko saa-thi ka-hi-le far-kin-cha?
तपाईंको साथी कहिले फर्किन्छ?
Informal:
Timro saathi kahile farkincha?
Tim-ro saa-thi ka-hi-le far-kin-cha?
तिम्रो साथी कहिले फर्किन्छ?
What was your village like?
Formal:
Tapaiko gau kasto thiyo?
Ta-pai-ko gau kas-to thi-yo?
तपाईंको गाउँ कस्तो थियो?
Informal:
Timro gau kasto thiyo?
Tim-ro gau kas-to thi-yo?
तिम्रो गाउँ कस्तो थियो?
Don’t make bore.
Formal:
Bore nagarnuhos.
bore na-gar-nu-hos.
बोर नगर्नुहोस्।
Informal:
Bore nagar.
bore na-gar.
बोर नगर।
Could you please change this into smaller notes?
Formal:
Kripaya khudra paisa dina-saknu-huncha?
kri-pa-ya khu-dra pai-sa di-na-sak-nu-hun-cha?
कृपया खुद्रा पैसा दिनसक्नुहुन्छ।
For you it will take nine hours.
Formal:
Tapailai nau ghanta laagcha.
ta-pai-lai nau ghan-ta laag-cha.
तपाईंलाई नौ घण्टा लाग्छ।
Informal:
Timilai nau ghanta laagcha.
Ti-mi-lai nau ghan-ta laag-cha.
तिमीलाई नौ घण्टा लाग्छ।
Where is your residence?
Formal:
Tapaiko niwas kaha chha?
ta-pai-ko ni-was ka-ha chha?
तपाईंको निवास कहाँ छ?
Informal:
Timro niwas kaha chha?
tim-ro ni-was ka-ha chha?
तिम्रो निवास कहाँ छ?
They traveled all over the country.
Formal:
Uhaharule deshbhari yatra garnubhayo.
uha-haru-le desh-bha-ri ya-tra gar-nu-bha-yo.
उहाँहरुले देशभरी यात्रा गर्नुभयो।
Informal:
Uniharule deshbhari yatra gare.
uni-haru-le desh-bha-ri ya-tra ga-re.
उनीहरुले देशभरी यात्रा गरे।
Where will you go now?
Formal:
Ahile tapai kaha januhuncha?
ah-hi-le ta-pai ka-ha ja-nu-hun-cha?
अहिले तपाईं कहाँ जानुहुन्छ?
Informal:
Ahile timi kaha janchau?
ah-hi-le ti-mi ka-ha jan-chau?
अहिले तिमी कहाँ जान्छौ?
He will be pleased to see you.
Formal:
uhalai tapaisanga bhet garda khusi lagnechha.
uha-lai ta-pai-san-ga bhet gar-da khu-si lag-ne-chha.
वहाँलाई तपाईंसँग भेट गर्दा खुशी लाग्नेछ।
Informal:
Uslai timisanga bhet garda khusi lagnechha.
us-lai ti-mi-san-ga bhet gar-da khu-si lag-ne-chha.
उसलाई तिमीसँग भेट गर्दा खुशी लाग्नेछ।
What was your village like?
Formal:
Tapaiko gau kasto thiyo?
ta-pai-ko gau kas-to thi-yo?
तपाईंको गाउँ कस्तो थियो?
Informal:
Timro gau kasto thiyo?
tim-ro gau kas-to thi-yo?
तिम्रो गाउँ कस्तो थियो?
Are you going by yourself?
Formal:
Ke tapai afai jadai hunuhuncha?
Ke ta-pai aa-fai ja-dai hu-nu-hun-cha?
के तपाईं आफैं जाँदै हुनुहुन्छ?
Informal:
Ke timi afai jadaichau?
Ke ti-mi aa-fai ja-dai-chau?
के तिमी आफैं जाँदैछौ?
How much is the entry fee?
Formal/soft tone:
Prawesh sulka kati hola?
pra-wesh sul-ka ka-ti ho-la?
प्रबेश शुल्क कती होला?
Informal/direct:
Prawesh sulka kati ho?
pra-wesh sul-ka ka-ti ho?
प्रबेश शुल्क कती हो?
May I take your photo?
Formal:
Ma tapaiko tasbir lina sakchu?
ma ta-pai-ko tas-bir li-na sak-chu?
म तपाईंको तस्बिर लिन सक्छु?
Informal:
Ma timro tasbir lina sakchu?
ma tim-ro tas-bir li-na sak-chu?
म तिम्रो तस्बिर लिन सक्छु?
Please take my photo.
Formal:
Kripaya mero tasbir khichnus.
kri-pa-ya me-ro tas-bir khich-nus.
कृपया मेरो तस्बिर खिच्नुस्।
Informal:
Mero tasbir khicha.
me-ro tas-bir khi-cha.
मेरो तस्बिर खिच।
How much are you asking?
Formal:
Tapai kati bhannuhuncha?
ta-pai ka-ti bhan-nu-hun-cha?
तपाईं कती भन्नुहुन्छ?
Informal:
Timi kati bhanchau?
ti-mi ka-ti bhan-chau?
तिमी कती भन्छौ?
Didn’t sleep well?
Formal:
Tapailai ramrari nidra lagena?
ta-pai-lai ram-ra-ri ni-dra la-ge-na?
तपाईंलाई राम्ररी निद्रा लागेन?
Informal:
Timilai ramrari nidra lagena?
ti-mi-lai ram-ra-ri ni-dra la-ge-na?
तिमीलाई राम्ररी निद्रा लागेन?
Where have you come from?
Formal:
Tapai kaha bata aaunu bhaeko?
ta-pai ka-ha-bata aau-nu bha-eko?
तपाईं कहाँबाट आउनु भएको?
Informal:
Timi kaha bata ayaeko?
ti-mi ka-ha-bata aa-yae-ko?
तिमी कहाँबाट आएको?
Carry slowly.
Formal:
Bistarai boknus.
bis-ta-rai bok-nus.
बिस्तारै बोक्नुस्।
Informal:
Bistarai boka.
bis-ta-rai bo-ka
बिस्तारै बोक।
To which place do you belong?
Formal:
Tapai kun thauko ho?
ta-pai kun thau-ko ho?
तपाई कुन ठाउँको हो?
Informal:
Timi kun thauko ho?
ti-mi kun thau-ko ho?
तिमी कुन ठाउँको हो?
Why don’t you come?
Formal:
Tapai kina aunuhunna?
Ta-pai ki-na au-nu-hunna?
तपाईं किन आउनुहुन्न?
Informal:
Timi kina audainau?
Ti-mi ki-na au-dai-nau?
तिमी किन आउदैनौ?
How far is your residence?
Formal:
Tapaiko niwas kati tada cha?
ta-pai-ko ni-was ka-ti ta-da cha?
तपाईको निवास कति टाढा छ?
Informal:
Timro niwas kati tada cha?
tim-ro ni-was ka-ti ta-da cha?
तिम्रो निवास कति टाढा छ?