Course
Unit 2 · Beginner
Numbers and counting
Count from one to ten, ask how much something costs, and read Nepali (Devanagari) numerals you'll see on prices and buses.
In this unit you'll learn to
- Count 0–10 in Nepali
- Recognise Devanagari numerals ०–१०
- Ask the price with kati ho?
- Say how many with a number + thing
Listen along
Greetings, names, and numbers (lessons 1-2)
Public-domain audio — FSI Nepali Basic Course (via Live Lingua).
At a fruit stall
Tourist
यो कति हो?
Yo kati ho?
How much is this?
Seller
एक किलो सय रुपैयाँ।
Ek kilo saya rupaiyaa.
One hundred rupees a kilo.
Tourist
दुई किलो दिनुहोस्।
Dui kilo dinuhos.
Give me two kilos, please.
Seller
हुन्छ, दुई सय रुपैयाँ।
Hunchha, dui saya rupaiyaa.
Okay, two hundred rupees.
Vocabulary
- एक (१) ek
- one
- दुई (२) dui
- two
- तीन (३) teen
- three
- चार (४) chaar
- four
- पाँच (५) paanch
- five
- छ (६) chha
- six
- सात (७) saat
- seven
- आठ (८) aath
- eight
- नौ (९) nau
- nine
- दस (१०) das
- ten
- कति kati
- how much / how many
- रुपैयाँ rupaiyaa
- rupee(s)
Grammar
Devanagari numerals
Nepali uses its own digits, which you will see on prices, number plates and bus boards: ० १ २ ३ ४ ५ ६ ७ ८ ९ (0–9). They line up one-to-one with the Western digits, so १०० is 100 and २५ is 25.
Learning to read just these ten shapes makes markets and timetables far easier from day one.
kati ho? — asking the price
Yo kati ho? = "How much is this?" — literally "This how-much is?" Point at the item and say it; you will use this sentence every single day in Nepal.
Numbers come straight before the thing being counted, with no change of form: dui kilo (two kilos), teen jana (three people).
Practice
1. Count from one to five aloud in Nepali.
Show answer
एक, दुई, तीन, चार, पाँच (ek, dui, teen, chaar, paanch)
2. Ask "How much is this?"
Show answer
यो कति हो? (Yo kati ho?)
3. What number is the Devanagari digit ७?
Show answer
7 — सात (saat).
4. Say "Give me three, please."
Show answer
तीन वटा दिनुहोस्। (Teen wataa dinuhos.)