When learning a new language, one of the fundamental aspects to grasp is how to talk about time. Whether you’re arranging a meeting, narrating a past event, or discussing future plans, knowing the relevant vocabulary and structures is essential. In this article, we will delve into time-related vocabulary in the Nepali language, which will help you navigate conversations smoothly and understand the cultural nuances associated with time in Nepal.

Basic Units of Time

Understanding basic units of time is the first step. Let’s start with the basics: the words for seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, and years.

– **Second**: सेकेन्ड (sekenḍ)
– **Minute**: मिनेट (miṇeṭ)
– **Hour**: घण्टा (ghaṇṭā)
– **Day**: दिन (din)
– **Week**: हप्ता (haptā)
– **Month**: महिना (mahinā)
– **Year**: वर्ष (barṣa)

These terms form the foundation upon which you can build more complex time-related expressions.

Days of the Week

Knowing the days of the week is crucial for planning and scheduling. Here are the days of the week in Nepali:

– **Sunday**: आइतबार (āitbār)
– **Monday**: सोमबार (sōmbār)
– **Tuesday**: मंगलबार (mangalbār)
– **Wednesday**: बुधबार (budhbār)
– **Thursday**: बिहीबार (bihībāra)
– **Friday**: शुक्रबार (śukrabār)
– **Saturday**: शनिबार (śanibār)

In Nepal, the week traditionally starts on Sunday, and Saturday is considered the day of rest.

Months of the Year

The Nepali calendar, known as the Vikram Samvat (विक्रम संवत्), is different from the Gregorian calendar. However, for the sake of simplicity, we will focus on the Gregorian calendar months as they are also widely used.

– **January**: जनवरी (janwarī)
– **February**: फेब्रुअरी (phebru’ārī)
– **March**: मार्च (mārc)
– **April**: अप्रिल (april)
– **May**: मे (mē)
– **June**: जुन (jun)
– **July**: जुलाई (julāī)
– **August**: अगस्ट (agasṭ)
– **September**: सेप्टेम्बर (sepeṭembar)
– **October**: अक्टोबर (akṭobar)
– **November**: नोभेम्बर (nōbhembar)
– **December**: डिसेम्बर (ḍisembar)

These translations will help you discuss dates and events occurring throughout the year.

Time of Day

To communicate effectively, it’s also important to know how to refer to different times of the day. Here are some essential terms:

– **Morning**: बिहान (bihān)
– **Afternoon**: दिउँसो (diuṃsō)
– **Evening**: साँझ (sāṃjh)
– **Night**: रात (rāt)
– **Midnight**: मध्यरात (madhyarāt)
– **Noon**: मध्यान्ह (madhyānh)

Understanding these terms will help you specify the time more clearly in your conversations.

Specific Times

When talking about specific times, you will need to know the numbers in Nepali. Here is a quick reference for the numbers 1 to 12, which are essential for telling time:

1. एक (ek)
2. दुई (duī)
3. तीन (tīn)
4. चार (chār)
5. पाँच (pā̃c)
6. छ (chh)
7. सात (sāt)
8. आठ (āṭh)
9. नौ (nau)
10. दस (das)
11. एघार (eghār)
12. बाह्र (bāhr)

To tell the time, you can use the structure: [Hour] + बजे (baje). For example:

– **1 o’clock**: एक बजे (ek baje)
– **2 o’clock**: दुई बजे (duī baje)
– **3 o’clock**: तीन बजे (tīn baje)

To specify AM or PM, you can add बिहान (bihān) for AM and बेलुका (belukā) for PM. For example:

– **2 AM**: बिहान दुई बजे (bihān duī baje)
– **3 PM**: बेलुका तीन बजे (belukā tīn baje)

Relative Time Expressions

Relative time expressions are crucial for everyday conversations. Here are some common expressions you might find useful:

– **Today**: आज (āj)
– **Tomorrow**: भोलि (bhōli)
– **Yesterday**: हिजो (hijō)
– **Day after tomorrow**: पर्सि (parsi)
– **Day before yesterday**: अस्ति (asti)
– **Now**: अहिले (ahile)
– **Later**: पछि (pachhi)
– **Soon**: चाँडै (chāḍai)

These expressions help in making your speech more fluid and natural.

Talking About the Past

Discussing past events is an integral part of communication. Here are some useful terms:

– **Last year**: गएको वर्ष (gā’ēkō barṣa)
– **Last month**: गएको महिना (gā’ēkō mahinā)
– **Last week**: गएको हप्ता (gā’ēkō haptā)
– **Yesterday**: हिजो (hijō)
– **Earlier**: पहिला (pahilā)
– **Previously**: पहिले (pahile)

Using these terms will help you narrate past events effectively.

Past Tense Conjugation

In Nepali, verbs conjugate according to tense. Here’s a brief look at how to form the past tense for the verb “to go” (जानु, jānu):

– **I went**: म गएँ (ma gayẽ)
– **You (singular) went**: तिमी गयौ (timī gayau)
– **He/She went**: ऊ गयो (ū gayō)
– **We went**: हामी गयौँ (hāmī gayāũ)
– **You (plural) went**: तिमीहरू गयौ (timīharū gayau)
– **They went**: उनीहरू गए (unīharū gae)

Mastering verb conjugations will significantly enhance your ability to discuss past events.

Talking About the Future

Discussing future plans and events is equally important. Here are some useful expressions:

– **Next year**: अर्को वर्ष (arkō barṣa)
– **Next month**: अर्को महिना (arkō mahinā)
– **Next week**: अर्को हप्ता (arkō haptā)
– **Tomorrow**: भोलि (bhōli)
– **Soon**: चाँडै (chāḍai)
– **Later**: पछि (pachhi)

These terms will help you articulate your future plans clearly.

Future Tense Conjugation

Just as in the past tense, Nepali verbs also conjugate for the future tense. Here’s how to form the future tense for the verb “to go” (जानु, jānu):

– **I will go**: म जानेछु (ma jānechu)
– **You (singular) will go**: तिमी जान्छौ (timī jānchau)
– **He/She will go**: ऊ जान्छ (ū jānch)
– **We will go**: हामी जानेछौँ (hāmī jānechaũ)
– **You (plural) will go**: तिमीहरू जान्छौ (timīharū jānchau)
– **They will go**: उनीहरू जानेछन् (unīharū jānechan)

Learning these conjugations will allow you to talk about future events with confidence.

Time-Related Questions

To engage in conversations about time, you need to know how to ask questions. Here are some common questions:

– **What time is it?**: कति बज्यो? (kati bajyō?)
– **When will you come?**: तिमी कहिले आउने? (timī kahilē āune?)
– **How long will it take?**: कति समय लाग्छ? (kati samaya lāgch?)

These questions are essential for daily interactions.

Idiomatic Expressions Involving Time

Every language has idiomatic expressions that involve time, and Nepali is no exception. Here are a few:

– **Time flies**: समय छिटो जान्छ (samaya chiṭō jānch)
– **Better late than never**: नआउनु भन्दा ढिलो आउनु राम्रो (naāunu bhanda ḍhilō āunu rāmro)
– **In the nick of time**: ठीक समयमा (ṭhīk samayā)

Using idiomatic expressions can make your speech sound more natural and fluent.

Cultural Nuances

Understanding time-related vocabulary also involves grasping cultural nuances. In Nepal, time can be perceived more fluidly than in Western cultures. Punctuality might not be as strictly observed, and social events often start later than the scheduled time. This cultural aspect is something to keep in mind when planning and scheduling activities in Nepal.

Practice Makes Perfect

As with learning any new language, practice is crucial. Try to use these time-related terms and expressions in your daily conversations. Listen to native speakers, watch Nepali movies, and practice with friends or language partners. The more you use these words, the more natural they will become.

Conclusion

Mastering time-related vocabulary in Nepali is a significant step towards fluency. It allows you to navigate conversations smoothly, understand cultural contexts, and express yourself clearly. From basic units of time to idiomatic expressions and cultural nuances, this comprehensive guide provides the tools you need to talk about time in Nepali confidently. Keep practicing, and soon you’ll find yourself discussing past events, future plans, and everything in between with ease. Happy learning!