Nepali, the official language of Nepal, is a member of the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European language family. It is spoken by about 17 million people in Nepal and is also spoken in parts of India and Bhutan. Learning Nepali can be both rewarding and challenging due to its unique grammar structure, which is significantly different from English. This article aims to introduce you to some basic Nepali grammar terms to help you start your journey in learning this beautiful language.

Nouns

Nouns in Nepali represent people, places, things, or ideas, much like in English. However, unlike English, Nepali nouns are gendered and can be either masculine or feminine. Additionally, nouns must agree in gender and number with adjectives and verbs.

म स्कूल जान्छु। (I go to school.)
उनी मेरो साथी हो। (He/She is my friend.)

Pronouns

Pronouns in Nepali are used to substitute for nouns and are inflected to display gender, number, and case. The major pronouns in Nepali are first person, second person, and third person, similar to English.

म खाना खान्छु। (I eat food.)
तिमी कहाँ जादैछौ? (Where are you going?)

Verbs

Verbs in Nepali are perhaps the most complex part of the language, inflected for tense, aspect, mood, number, and person. The root of the verb generally stays the same, but suffixes are added to convey different meanings.

म पढ्छु। (I study.)
उसले खेलेको थियो। (He/She had played.)

Tenses

Tenses in Nepali are used to indicate the time of action. There are three main tenses: past, present, and future. Each tense can be further divided based on the aspect of the action—whether it is completed, ongoing, or habitual.

म स्कूल गएँ। (I went to school.)
उनी हरेक दिन धावन गर्छन्। (He/She runs every day.)

Adjectives

Adjectives in Nepali describe nouns and must agree in gender, number, and case with the nouns they modify. Adjectives generally come before the noun in a sentence.

सानो कुकुर (Small dog)
राम्रो मान्छे (Good person)

Postpositions

Unlike English, which uses prepositions, Nepali uses postpositions that come after the noun. Postpositions in Nepali are used to indicate various relationships between words in a sentence, such as location, direction, and possession.

स्कूलमा जानुहोस्। (Go to school.)
किताब टेबलमाथि छ। (The book is on the table.)

Conjunctions

Conjunctions in Nepali are used to connect words, phrases, or clauses. Some common conjunctions include र (and), तर (but), यदि (if), and किनभने (because).

म खेल्छु र गाउँछु। (I play and sing.)
तपाईं जानुहोस् तर म बस्छु। (You go but I will stay.)

Interrogatives

Interrogative words in Nepali are used to form questions. These include के (what), कहाँ (where), कसरी (how), किन (why), and कहिले (when).

तपाईंलाई के चाहिन्छ? (What do you need?)
उनी कहाँ छन्? (Where is he/she?)

Numbers

Numbers in Nepali are used similarly to English, but the symbols and the word forms are different. Numbers are crucial in everyday conversation, particularly in contexts like shopping, traveling, and scheduling.

एक (one)
दस (ten)
सय (hundred)

Particles

Particles in Nepali do not change according to number or gender and are used to indicate the mood or tone of a sentence. Some common particles include नि (also), त (emphatic), and हो (politeness marker).

उसले पनि आउँछ। (He/She also comes.)
हो, म जान्छु। (Yes, I will go.)

Understanding the basics of Nepali grammar can significantly enhance your learning experience and ability to communicate effectively. As with learning any language, practice is key, so immerse yourself in the language as much as possible through conversation, reading, and writing.