Nepali, the official language of Nepal, is a rich and vibrant language spoken by millions of people. If you’re interested in learning Nepali, understanding its grammar is a vital step. This comprehensive guide aims to provide beginners with a solid foundation in Nepali grammar, covering essential topics such as the alphabet, pronunciation, sentence structure, verbs, nouns, adjectives, and more. By the end of this article, you’ll have a better grasp of how Nepali works and be well on your way to conversing in this beautiful language.
The Nepali Alphabet and Pronunciation
The Nepali language uses the Devanagari script, which is also used for Sanskrit, Hindi, and several other languages. The script consists of 36 consonants and 13 vowels. Understanding the script is the first step to mastering Nepali grammar.
Vowels
Nepali vowels can be divided into short and long vowels. Here are the primary vowels:
– अ (a) – as in ‘ago’
– आ (aa) – as in ‘father’
– इ (i) – as in ‘sit’
– ई (ii) – as in ‘see’
– उ (u) – as in ‘put’
– ऊ (uu) – as in ‘food’
– ऋ (ri) – as in ‘rishi’
– ए (e) – as in ‘they’
– ऐ (ai) – as in ‘aisle’
– ओ (o) – as in ‘go’
– औ (au) – as in ‘cow’
There are also nasalized vowels and vowel modifiers, but these are the basic vowels you need to start with.
Consonants
The Nepali consonants are more numerous and include several sounds that may be unfamiliar to English speakers. Here are some examples:
– क (ka) – as in ‘kite’
– ख (kha) – an aspirated ‘k’
– ग (ga) – as in ‘goat’
– घ (gha) – an aspirated ‘g’
– च (cha) – as in ‘cherry’
– छ (chha) – an aspirated ‘ch’
– ज (ja) – as in ‘jam’
– झ (jha) – an aspirated ‘j’
There are many more consonants, but these examples give you an idea of the range of sounds in Nepali. Each consonant can be combined with vowels to form syllables.
Basic Sentence Structure
The basic sentence structure in Nepali follows a Subject-Object-Verb (SOV) order, which is different from the Subject-Verb-Object (SVO) order commonly used in English.
Example:
– English: I eat apples.
– Nepali: म स्याउ खान्छु। (ma syau khanchu)
– म (ma) – I
– स्याउ (syau) – apples
– खान्छु (khanchu) – eat
In Nepali, the verb always comes at the end of the sentence.
Nouns and Pronouns
Nouns
Nouns in Nepali can be classified by gender (masculine and feminine) and number (singular and plural).
Gender:
– Masculine: केटा (keta) – boy
– Feminine: केटी (keti) – girl
Number:
– Singular: घर (ghar) – house
– Plural: घरहरू (gharharu) – houses
Plural nouns are generally formed by adding -हरू (-haru) to the singular form.
Pronouns
Pronouns in Nepali also vary based on formality and familiarity.
First Person:
– Singular: म (ma) – I
– Plural: हामी (haami) – we
Second Person:
– Singular (informal): तँ (ta) – you
– Singular (formal): तपाईँ (tapaaĩ) – you
– Plural (informal): तिमीहरू (timiharu) – you (all)
– Plural (formal): तपाईँहरू (tapaaĩharu) – you (all)
Third Person:
– Singular (informal): ऊ (u) – he/she
– Singular (formal): वहाँ (wahã) – he/she
– Plural (informal): उनीहरू (uniharu) – they
– Plural (formal): वहाँहरू (wahãharu) – they
Verbs
Verbs in Nepali are conjugated based on tense, aspect, mood, and the subject’s formality.
Present Tense
The present tense is used to describe actions happening now.
Example:
– म खान्छु। (ma khanchu) – I eat.
Past Tense
The past tense describes actions that have already happened.
Example:
– मैले खाएँ। (maile khaye) – I ate.
Future Tense
The future tense is used for actions that will happen.
Example:
– म खान्छु। (ma khanchu) – I will eat.
Notice that the same form is used for both present and future in some contexts, but the meaning changes based on the situation.
Verb Conjugation
Conjugating verbs in Nepali involves changing the verb’s ending based on the subject and tense.
Example: To Eat (खानु – khanu)
– Present: म खान्छु (ma khanchu) – I eat
– Past: मैले खाएँ (maile khaye) – I ate
– Future: म खानेछु (ma khaneschu) – I will eat
Adjectives
Adjectives in Nepali agree with the nouns they modify in terms of number and gender but not always in the same way as in some other languages. Most adjectives come before the noun they describe.
Example:
– ठूलो घर (thulo ghar) – big house
– सानो केटी (sano keti) – small girl
Adjectives do not change form based on the gender of the noun.
Postpositions
Nepali uses postpositions rather than prepositions to indicate relationships between words in a sentence. Postpositions come after the noun they refer to.
Example:
– घरमा (gharma) – in the house
– घर (ghar) – house
– मा (ma) – in
Other common postpositions include:
– को (ko) – of
– बाट (bata) – from
– लाई (lai) – to
Questions
Forming questions in Nepali typically involves adding a question word and changing the intonation.
Example:
– के (ke) – what
– कसरी (kasari) – how
– कति (kati) – how much
Example Sentence:
– तिमीले के खायौ? (timile ke khayau?) – What did you eat?
Negation
Negation in Nepali is usually achieved by adding “न” (na) before the verb.
Example:
– म खान्न (ma khanna) – I do not eat.
Common Phrases
Here are some common phrases to get you started:
– नमस्ते (namaste) – Hello
– धन्यवाद (dhanyabad) – Thank you
– कृपया (kripaya) – Please
– माफ गर्नुहोस् (maaf garnuhos) – Sorry/Excuse me
– हजुर (hajur) – Yes (formal)
– छैन (chhaina) – No
Practice and Immersion
Understanding grammar is crucial, but practice and immersion are equally important. Engage with native speakers, watch Nepali films, listen to Nepali music, and try to read simple texts in Nepali. The more you immerse yourself in the language, the more natural it will become.
Conclusion
Learning Nepali can be an enriching experience, opening doors to a new culture and way of thinking. This comprehensive guide provides you with the basic building blocks of Nepali grammar, but remember that language learning is a journey. Keep practicing, stay curious, and enjoy the process. Happy learning!