Nepali phrases | Most common phrases for everyday life

Nepali phrases – Here you will find the most common phrases in Nepali with translation. | Free & useful

Nepali phrases are short expressions or idioms often used in speech to be polite, express gratitude, greet or say goodbye or simply to have a pleasant conversation.

They are an important part of Nepali culture and can be useful in different situations, both in private and business life.

Nepali phrases you should know

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Greet someone in Nepali

If you want to greet someone in Nepali, it’s actually quite easy:

English	Nepali	IPA
Welcome!	स्वागत छ!	[ˈswɑːɡət t͡sʰʌ]
Good day to you!	तपाईंलाई शुभ दिन!	[tʌˈpɑ̃i̯ lɑi̯ ˈsʊbʱʌ ˈdin]
Good morning to you!	तपाईंलाई शुभ प्रभात!	[tʌˈpɑ̃i̯ lɑi̯ ˈsʊbʱʌ prʌˈbʱɑːt]
Good evening!	शुभ साँझ!	[ˈsʊbʱʌ ˈsãːd͡ʒʰ]
Good to see you.	तपाईंलाई देखेर खुशी लाग्यो।	[tʌˈpɑ̃i̯ lɑi̯ d̪eˈkʰeɾ ˈkʰʊsi ˈlɑɡjɔ]
I’m glad to see you.	तपाईंलाई भेटेर खुसी लाग्यो।	[tʌˈpɑ̃i̯ lɑi̯ bʰeˈt̪eɾ ˈkʰʊsi ˈlɑɡjɔ]

If you are greeted in Nepali, the best way to respond is as follows:

English	Nepali	IPA
Have a nice day too!	तपाईंलाई पनि शुभ दिन!	[tʌˈpɑ̃i̯ lɑi̯ ˈpʌni ˈsʊbʱʌ ˈdin]
Thanks, it’s nice to see you too.	धन्यवाद, तपाईंलाई पनि भेटेर खुसी लाग्यो।	[dʰʌnˈjʌbɑd tʌˈpɑ̃i̯ lɑi̯ ˈpʌni bʰeˈt̪eɾ ˈkʰʊsi ˈlɑɡjɔ]

How is my dialogue partner?

As in any other country, it is polite to start by asking where the person you are talking to is located. Here’s how you do it:

English	Nepali	IPA
How are you doing?	तपाईंलाई कस्तो छ?	[tʌˈpɑ̃i̯ lɑi̯ ˈkʌst̪o t͡sʰʌ]
Are you doing well?	तपाईं ठिक हुनुहुन्छ?	[tʌˈpɑ̃i̯ ʈʰik ˈʱunuɦʊnt͡sʰʌ]

If you are asked how you feel, you can answer with the following phrases:

English	Nepali	IPA
Thank you for asking, I am fine.	सोध्नुभएकोमा धन्यवाद, म सन्चै छु।	[sod̪ʰ.nuˈbʰɔ.ko.ma dʰʌn.jʌˈbɑd, mʌ ˈsʌn.t͡sʌi̯ t͡sʰu]
Thank you, I am fine.	धन्यवाद, म सन्चै छु।	[dʰʌn.jʌˈbɑd, mʌ ˈsʌn.t͡sʌi̯ t͡sʰu]
Thank you, I am not doing so well.	धन्यवाद, म खासै सन्चै छैन।	[dʰʌn.jʌˈbɑd, mʌ ˈkʰɑː.se ˈsʌn.t͡sʌi̯ ˈt͡sʰai̯.nʌ]
Thanks, I’m fine. How are you doing?	धन्यवाद, म सन्चै छु। तपाईंलाई कस्तो छ?	[dʰʌn.jʌˈbɑd, mʌ ˈsʌn.t͡sʌi̯ t͡sʰu. tʌˈpɑ̃i̯ lɑi̯ ˈkʌs.t̪o t͡sʰʌ]

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How do I say goodbye to someone in Nepali?

Saying goodbye to a friend or stranger in Nepali is not that difficult. Just use the following phrases:

English	Nepali	IPA
Goodbye!	बिदा!	[ˈbid̪ɑ]
Take care of yourself!	आफ्नो ख्याल राख्नुहोस्!	[ˈɑf.no ˈkʰjɑl ˈɾɑkʰ.nu.ɦos]
Goodbye	फेरि भेटौंला।	[ˈfɛ.ri ˈbʰe.ʈũ.la]
See you tomorrow	भोलि भेटौंला।	[ˈbʰo.li ˈbʰe.ʈũ.la]
See you soon	छिट्टै भेटौंला।	[ˈt͡sʰiʈ.ʈɑi̯ ˈbʰe.ʈũ.la]
See you later	पछि भेटौंला।	[ˈpʌ.t͡sʰi ˈbʰe.ʈũ.la]
Good night	शुभ रात्री।	[ˈsʊ.bʰʌ ˈraː.t̪ri]
Sleep well	राम्ररी सुत्नुहोस्।	[ˈraːm.ɾʌ.ɾi ˈsut.nu.ɦos]
Talk to you later.	पछि कुरा गरौंला।	[ˈpʌ.t͡sʰi ˈku.ɾɑ ɡʌˈɾũ.la]
Nice to have met you!	तपाईंलाई भेटेर खुसी लाग्यो।	[tʌˈpɑ̃i̯ lɑi̯ ˈbʰe.ʈe.ɾ ˈkʰu.si ˈla.ɡjɔ]

How do I introduce myself in Nepali?

When travelling in Nepal, sooner or later you will come into contact with local people. Naturally, you’ll want to introduce yourself in Nepali and know who you’re talking to.

English	Nepali	IPA
My name is Jonas.	मेरो नाम जोनास हो।	[ˈme.ɾo ˈnɑm ˈd͡zo.nɑs ˈʱo]
What is your name?	तपाईंको नाम के हो?	[tʌˈpɑ̃i̯.ko ˈnɑm ke ˈʱo]
What is your surname?	तपाईंको थर के हो?	[tʌˈpɑ̃i̯.ko ˈt̪ʰʌɾ ke ˈʱo]
What is your first name?	तपाईंको पहिलो नाम के हो?	[tʌˈpɑ̃i̯.ko pʌˈʱi.ɾo ˈnɑm ke ˈʱo]
What is your surname?	तपाईंको थर के हो?	[tʌˈpɑ̃i̯.ko ˈt̪ʰʌɾ ke ˈʱo]

If you want to tell people where you come from, the following sentences are useful:

English	Nepali	IPA
Where do you come from?	तपाईं कहाँबाट आउनुभएको हो?	[tʌˈpɑ̃i̯ kɑˈɦã bɑʈ ˈɑu.nu.bʰo.ko ˈʱo]
I am from London.	म लन्डनबाट आएको हुँ।	[mʌ ˈlʌn.dʌn bɑʈ ˈɑ.eko ˈɦũ]
Are you from Birmingham?	तपाईं बर्मिङ्घ्यामबाट हो?	[tʌˈpɑ̃i̯ ˈbʌr.miŋ.ɡʰjɑm bɑʈ ˈʱo]
No, I’m from Madrid.	होइन, म म्याड्रिडबाट आएको हुँ।	[ˈho.i.n̪ mʌ ˈmjæ.d̪ɾɪd bɑʈ ˈɑ.eko ˈɦũ]
Great, I’m from Madrid too.	वाह! म पनि म्याड्रिडबाट आएको हुँ।	[ʋɑːʱ! mʌ ˈpʌ.ni ˈmjæ.d̪ɾɪd bɑʈ ˈɑ.eko ˈɦũ]
Where do you live?	तपाईं कहाँ बस्नुहुन्छ?	[tʌˈpɑ̃i̯ kɑˈɦã ˈbʌs.nu.ɦun.t͡sʰʌ]
I live in Berlin.	म बर्लिनमा बस्छु।	[mʌ ˈbʌr.lin.mɑ ˈbʌs.t͡sʰu]

If you have problems with your Nepali, it is good to know which languages are still spoken:

English	Nepali	IPA
Do you speak English?	तपाईं अंग्रेजी बोल्नुहुन्छ?	[tʌˈpɑ̃i̯ ʌŋɡɾeːˈd͡zi ˈbo.lu.nʊ.ɦun.t͡sʰʌ]
Yes, I speak English.	हो, म अंग्रेजी बोल्छु।	[ɦoː mʌ ʌŋɡɾeːˈd͡zi ˈbo.lt͡sʰu]
Yes, I speak some English.	हो, म अलिकति अंग्रेजी बोल्छु।	[ɦoː mʌ ʌ.li.kʌ.t̪i ʌŋɡɾeːˈd͡zi ˈbo.lt͡sʰu]
No, I do not speak any English.	होइन, म अंग्रेजी बोल्दिन।	[ˈɦoi̯.n̪ mʌ ʌŋɡɾeːˈd͡zi ˈbo.l.d̪i.n̪]
I only speak English.	म अंग्रेजी मात्र बोल्छु।	[mʌ ʌŋɡɾeːˈd͡zi ˈma.t̪ɾʌ ˈbo.lt͡sʰu]
I understand some Nepali.	म अलिकति नेपाली बुझ्छु।	[mʌ ʌ.li.kʌ.t̪i neːˈpa.li ˈbu.d͡zʰ.t͡sʰu]

Useful sentences with ‘I am…’

The following sentences will help you orientate yourself in Nepali and express your wishes and concerns:

English	Nepali	IPA
I am English.	म अङ्ग्रेज हुँ।	[mʌ ʌŋɡɾed͡z ɦũ]
I am injured.	म घाइते छु।	[mʌ ɡʱɑi̯.t̪e t͡sʰu]
I am here.	म यहाँ छु।	[mʌ jʌ.ˈɦã t͡sʰu]
I am hungry.	म भोक लागेको छ।	[mʌ bʰok lɑ.ɡe.ko t͡sʰʌ]
I am thirsty.	म तिर्खा लागेको छ।	[mʌ t̪ɪr.kʰɑ lɑ.ɡe.ko t͡sʰʌ]
I am a single person.	म एक्लो छु।	[mʌ ek.lo t͡sʰu]
I need help!	मलाई सहायता चाहिन्छ!	[mʌ.lɑi̯ sʌ.ɦɑ.jɑ.t̪ɑ ˈt͡sɑ.ʱin.t͡sʰʌ]
I am tired.	म थाकेको छु।	[mʌ t̪ʰɑ.ke.ko t͡sʰu]
I am happy.	म खुशी छु।	[mʌ ˈkʰu.ʃi t͡sʰu]
I am sad.	म दुःखी छु।	[mʌ ˈdʊ.kʰi t͡sʰu]
I am in love.	म माया मा छु।	[mʌ ˈma.jɑ mɑ t͡sʰu]
I am ill.	म बिरामी छु।	[mʌ bi.ɾɑ.mi t͡sʰu]
I am ready.	म तयार छु।	[mʌ t̪ɑ.jɑɾ t͡sʰu]
I am busy.	म व्यस्त छु।	[mʌ bʲʌs.t̪ʌ t͡sʰu]
I am lost.	म हराएको छु।	[mʌ ɦʌ.ɾɑ.e.ko t͡sʰu]
I am a tourist.	म पर्यटक हुँ।	[mʌ pʌɾ.jʌ.ʈʌk ɦũ]
I am new here.	म यहाँ नयाँ हुँ।	[mʌ jʌ.ˈɦã nʌ.ˈjɑ ɦũ]
I am confident.	म आत्मविश्वासी छु।	[mʌ ɑːt̪.mʌ.bis.ʋɑː.si t͡sʰu]
I am proud.	म गर्वित छु।	[mʌ ɡʌɾ.bɪt̪ t͡sʰu]
I am a teacher.	म शिक्षक हुँ।	[mʌ ʃɪk.ʂʌk ɦũ]
I am late.	म ढिला भएको छु।	[mʌ ɖʱi.lɑ bʰɑ.e.ko t͡sʰu]
I am 30 years old.	म ३० वर्षको छु।	[mʌ t̪ɪs bʌɾ.sʌ.ko t͡sʰu]
I am in a hurry.	म हतारमा छु।	[mʌ ɦʌ.t̪ɑɾ.mɑ t͡sʰu]
I am happy.	म खुशी छु।	[mʌ ˈkʰu.ʃi t͡sʰu]
I am surprised.	म छक्क परेको छु।	[mʌ t͡sʰʌk.ˈkʌ pʌ.ɾe.ko t͡sʰu]
I am angry.	म रिसाएको छु।	[mʌ ɾi.sɑ.e.ko t͡sʰu]

Apologising in Nepali

Here’s how to apologise to a Nepali speaker:

English	Nepali	IPA
I apologise.	म माफ माग्छु।	[mʌ ˈmaf ˈmaɡ.t͡sʰu]
Sorry, that was not the intention.	माफ गर्नुहोस्, त्यो मेरो उद्देश्य थिएन।	[ˈmaf ɡʌɾ.nu.ɦos t̪jo ˈme.ɾo ud̪.d̪ɛʃ.jo ˈt̪ʰi.je.n̪]
Sorry, I did not do it on purpose.	माफ गर्नुहोस्, मैले जानाजानी गरेको होइन।	[ˈmaf ɡʌɾ.nu.ɦos ˈmai̯.le d͡zɑ.nɑ.d͡zɑ.ni ɡʌ.ɾe.ko ˈɦoi̯.n̪]
Sorry, that was very clumsy of me.	माफ गर्नुहोस्, त्यो मेरो धेरै नै लापरवाही थियो।	[ˈmaf ɡʌɾ.nu.ɦos t̪jo ˈme.ɾo d̪ʱe.ɾɛ nai̯ ˈla.pʌ.ɾʋɑ.ɦi ˈt̪ʰi.jo]

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Useful signs and notices in Nepali

Useful signs and messages in Nepali that you will often see.

English	Nepali	IPA
Entrance	प्रवेश	[prʌˈbɛs]
Toilet	शौचालय	[ˈʃʌu̯.t͡sʰɑ.lɛj]
Exit	निर्गमन	[nɪr.ɡʌ.mʌn]
Attention!	ध्यान दिनुहोस्!	[d̪ʱjɑn ˈd̪i.nu.ɦos]
Police	प्रहरी	[pʰʌ.ˈɾʌ.ɾi]
Emergency services	आपत्कालीन सेवा	[ɑ.pʌt̪.kɑː.lin ˈse.ʋɑ]
Fire brigade	दमकल विभाग	[ˈdʌ.mʌ.kʌl bɪ.ˈbʰɑ.ɡʌ]
Passage forbidden.	बाटो निषेध गरिएको छ।	[ˈbɑ.ʈo nɪ.ˈse.d̪ʱ ɡʌ.ˈɾe.ko t͡sʰʌ]
Caution!	सावधानी!	[ˈsɑʋ.d̪ʱɑ.ni]
This building is under video surveillance.	यो भवन भिडियो निगरानीमा छ।	[jo ˈbʰʌ.ʋʌn ˈbʰi.ɖi.o nɪ.ɡʌ.ˈɾɑ.ni.mɑ t͡sʰʌ]

Numbers to 25 in Nepali

Counting in Nepali is not that difficult. Here are the numbers in Nepali from 1 to 25.

English	Nepali	IPA
1	एक	[ek]
2	दुई	[dui̯]
3	तीन	[tin]
4	चार	[t͡sɑr]
5	पाँच	[pɑ̃t͡s]
6	छ	[t͡sʰʌ]
7	सात	[sɑt]
8	आठ	[ɑʈʰ]
9	नौ	[nʌu̯]
10	दश	[d̪ʌs]
11	एघार	[eː.ɡʱɑ.ɾʌ]
12	बाह्र	[bɑːɾʌ]
13	तेह्र	[t̪eɾʌ]
14	चौध	[t͡sʌu̯.d̪ʱʌ]
15	पन्ध्र	[pʌn.d̪ʱɾʌ]
16	सोह्र	[so.ɦɾʌ]
17	सत्र	[sʌ.t̪ɾʌ]
18	अठार	[ʌ.ʈʰɑ.ɾʌ]
19	उन्नाइस	[ʊn.nɑi̯s]
20	बीस	[bis]
21	एक्काइस	[ek.kɑi̯s]
22	बाइस	[bɑi̯s]
23	तेइस	[t̪e.i̯s]
24	चौबीस	[t͡sʌu̯.bis]
25	पच्चीस	[pʌt͡s.t͡sis]

The colours in Nepali

The most common colours in Nepali with phonetic transcription for pronunciation.

English	Nepali	IPA
Red	रातो	[ˈrɑːto]
Blue	नीलो	[niːlo]
Green	हरियो	[ʰʌɾijo]
Yellow	पहेंलो	[pʌˈhɛːnlo]
Black	कालो	[ˈkɑːlo]
White	सेतो	[ˈseto]
Brown	खैरो	[kʰɛːro]
Orange	सुन्तला	[sunˈtʌlɑ]
Purple	बैजनी	[ˈbɛɪd͡ʒəni]
Pink	गुलाबी	[ɡulɑːbi]

Days of the week, months and seasons in Nepali

Of course, you will also need the days of the week in Nepali and the pronunciation of the months and seasons in dialogues and daily communication in Nepali.

English	Nepali	IPA
Monday	सोमबार	[somˈbɑːr]
Tuesday	मङ्गलबार	[mʌŋˈɡəlbɑːr]
Wednesday	बुधबार	[budʰˈbɑːr]
Thursday	बिहीबार	[bihiːˈbɑːr]
Friday	शुक्रबार	[ʃʊkˈrɑːr]
Saturday	शनिबार	[ʃʌnɪˈbɑːr]
Sunday	आइतबार	[ɑːɪtˈbɑːr]
January	जनवरी	[d͡ʒʌnˈʋɑːrɪ]
February	फेब्रुअरी	[ˈfebɾʊɑːrɪ]
March	मार्च	[mɑːrtʃ]
April	एप्रिल	[ˈeːprɪl]
May	मई	[maɪ]
June	जुन	[d͡ʒʊn]
July	जुलाई	[d͡ʒʊˈlaɪ]
August	अगस्ट	[əɡʌsʈ]
September	सेप्टेम्बर	[ˈseptɛmbɛr]
October	अक्टोबर	[əkˈtoːbɛr]
November	नोभेम्बर	[nɔːvɛmˈbɛr]
December	डिसेम्बर	[dɪˈsembɛr]
Spring	वसन्त	[ʋəsʌnt]
Summer	गर्मी	[ɡərmi]
Autumn / Fall	पतन	[pətʌn]
Winter	सर्दी	[sʌrdi]

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More information about the Nepali Business Course.

Additional links

• The different ways of learning languages
• Learning vocabulary successfully
• Motivated language learning
• It is so easy to train your understanding of a language at the same time
• Learning languages quickly? – Is it possible?
• The different types of learners when learning languages

More information about the Nepali Course for Children.