Sometimes you don't have time to learn long lists of words and phrases. All you want to know are the bare essentials for communicating to get what you need, or where you need to go.
Here are the bare minimum of Nepali words and phrases you need to know to survive.
Learn the Top 10 Phrases if you only have time for the barest minimum. If you need or want more, then take a look at the Top 20 Phrases, Top 30 Phrases and the Extra Phrases.
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Hello.
How much is it?|
Here are ten more phrases that will help you make new friends and ask for directions ...
The Top 20 ... |
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tapãĩko naam ke ho? What is your name? mero naam ... ho. My name is ... tapãĩlai kasto cha? How are you? malai sancai cha. ani tapãĩlai? Fine. And you? ... kahãã cha? Where is ...? śaucaalaya kahãã cha? Where is the toilet? maaph garnuhos. sunnuhos. Sorry. Excuse me. bhaihaal cha, ni. samasyaa chaina. No problem. malai ... caahiyo. I want ... malai ... caahindaina. I don't want ... |
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Here are another ten phrases to help you make a little more conversation and to get around ...
The Top 30 ... |
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tapãĩ kun deśbaaTa aunu bhayako? Where are you from? mero deś asTreliyaa ho. I am from Australia. malai bil lyaunuhos. The bill, please. ma haraayẽ. I'm lost. roknuhos! parkhanuhos! Stop! Wait! yahãã, tyahãã. Here, there. Tyaaksi. hoTel. bimaanstal. bas. Taxi. Hotel. Airport. Bus. malai ... man parcha. I like ... malai ... man pardaina. I don't like ... ek, dui, tin, caar, pããc. one, two, three, four, five. cha, saat, aaTh, nau, das. six, seven, eight, nine, ten. *Or choose your country: amerikaa - America kyaanaaDaa - Canada ĩglãĩnD - England aayarlãĩnD - Ireland nyu jilãĩnD - New Zealand |
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Here are some extra words and phrases you might find useful, especially if you have dietary needs or allergies ...
Useful Extras ... |
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harśa laś! Cheers! raamro / kharaab good / bad THulo / saano big / small najik / THaaDHaa near / far kam / aru less / more ek aru / praśasta another / enough ma śaakaahaari hũ. I am vegetarian. ma maasu khaandina. I don't eat meat. ... kukhuraako maasu ... ... chicken. ... maachaa ... ... fish. mero badaam alaarji cha. I am allergic to peanuts. ... maachaa ... ... fish. ... samudrako khaana ... ... seafood. ... phul ... ... aNDaa ... ... eggs. |
Vowels:
~ (tilde) over the vowel indicates a nasal vowel
a is pronounced weakly as schwa ə (e as in brother)
ai is pronounced as ie as in tie
au is pronounced as ow as in now
Consonants:
c is pronounced as ch (without a puff of air)
h adds a puff of air after the consonant, eg. th = tʰ
ś is pronounced as sh
v is pronounced as ʋ (midway between w and v)
Capital letters indicate retroflex consonants.
eg. D = ɖ (retroflex d)
(Hint: Retroflex consonants are made with the tongue curled back against the palate.)
~ (tilde) over the vowel indicates a nasal vowel
a is pronounced weakly as schwa ə (e as in brother)
ai is pronounced as ie as in tie
au is pronounced as ow as in now
Consonants:
c is pronounced as ch (without a puff of air)
h adds a puff of air after the consonant, eg. th = tʰ
ś is pronounced as sh
v is pronounced as ʋ (midway between w and v)
Capital letters indicate retroflex consonants.
eg. D = ɖ (retroflex d)
(Hint: Retroflex consonants are made with the tongue curled back against the palate.)