Lessons
Grammar foundation #4
Eight Nepali sentence frames that cover most of tourist life
You don't need to compose Nepali sentences from scratch. Memorise these eight patterns, swap out the noun in the blank, and you can ask for a room, find the toilet, order food, refuse meat, and confess you didn't understand a word — all in correct, natural Nepali.
I need / want ___.
मलाई ___ चाहिन्छ।
Malaai ___ chaahinchha.
Literal: To-me ___ is-needed.
Use when: Asking for anything — water, a room, a guide, change.
मलाई पानी चाहिन्छ।
Malaai paani chaahinchha.
I need water.
मलाई कोठा चाहिन्छ।
Malaai kothaa chaahinchha.
I need a room.
मलाई टिकट चाहिन्छ।
Malaai ticket chaahinchha.
I need a ticket.
Where is ___?
___ कहाँ छ?
___ kahaa~ chha?
Literal: ___ where is?
Use when: Finding any place or thing.
होटल कहाँ छ?
Hotel kahaa~ chha?
Where is the hotel?
शौचालय कहाँ छ?
Shauchaalaya kahaa~ chha?
Where is the toilet?
एटीएम कहाँ छ?
ATM kahaa~ chha?
Where is the ATM?
How much does this cost?
यो कति पर्छ?
Yo kati parchha?
Literal: This how-much costs?
Use when: Shops, taxis, markets — anywhere money changes hands.
यो कति पर्छ?
Yo kati parchha?
How much is this?
ट्याक्सी कति पर्छ?
Taxi kati parchha?
How much for the taxi?
एक रात कति पर्छ?
Ek raat kati parchha?
How much for one night?
I don't eat ___.
मैले ___ खान्न।
Maile ___ khaanna.
Literal: I-agent ___ eat-not.
Use when: Restaurants — dietary restrictions.
मैले मासु खान्न।
Maile maasu khaanna.
I don't eat meat.
मैले अण्डा खान्न।
Maile anda khaanna.
I don't eat eggs.
मैले प्याज खान्न।
Maile pyaaj khaanna.
I don't eat onion.
Do you have ___?
के तपाईंसँग ___ छ?
Ke tapaai~sa~ga ___ chha?
Literal: Q-particle you-with ___ is?
Use when: Shops, hotels — asking about availability.
के तपाईंसँग कोठा छ?
Ke tapaai~sa~ga kothaa chha?
Do you have a room?
के तपाईंसँग चिया छ?
Ke tapaai~sa~ga chiyaa chha?
Do you have tea?
के तपाईंसँग चार्जर छ?
Ke tapaai~sa~ga charger chha?
Do you have a charger?
I am going to ___.
म ___ जाँदैछु।
Ma ___ jaa~daichhu.
Literal: I ___ going-am.
Use when: Telling a taxi driver, a guide, or anyone where you're headed.
म थमेल जाँदैछु।
Ma Thamel jaa~daichhu.
I am going to Thamel.
म पोखरा जाँदैछु।
Ma Pokhara jaa~daichhu.
I am going to Pokhara.
म एयरपोर्ट जाँदैछु।
Ma airport jaa~daichhu.
I am going to the airport.
Please tell ___.
___ भन्नुस् न।
___ bhannus na.
Literal: ___ tell-please.
Use when: Politely asking for information.
बाटो भन्नुस् न।
Baato bhannus na.
Please tell me the way.
मूल्य भन्नुस् न।
Mulya bhannus na.
Please tell me the price.
नाम भन्नुस् न।
Naam bhannus na.
Please tell me the name.
I didn't understand.
मलाई बुझेन।
Malaai bujhena.
Literal: To-me (it) was-not-understood.
Use when: Anytime someone says something you didn't catch. Pair with a smile.
मलाई बुझेन।
Malaai bujhena.
I didn't understand.
फेरि भन्नुस् न।
Pheri bhannus na.
Please say it again.
बिस्तारै भन्नुस्।
Bistaarai bhannus.
Please say it slowly.
The लाग्नु frame — emotions happen TO you
In English, hunger is a thing you are: “I am hungry.” In Nepali, hunger is a thing that happened to you: मलाई भोक लाग्यो (“to me hunger happened”). The same frame works for thirst, cold, fear, and liking.
मलाई भोक लाग्यो।
Malaai bhok laagyo.
To me hunger happened.
I'm hungry.
मलाई तिर्खा लाग्यो।
Malaai tirkhaa laagyo.
To me thirst happened.
I'm thirsty.
मलाई डर लाग्छ।
Malaai dar laagchha.
To me fear is.
I'm afraid.
मलाई जाडो लाग्यो।
Malaai jaado laagyo.
To me cold happened.
I'm cold.
मलाई मन पर्यो।
Malaai man paryo.
To me it fell-to-mind.
I liked it.
Combine these 8 frames + 100 nouns → 800 useful sentences
Every frame above is a fillable template. Plug in any noun from our top-100 list (water, room, ticket, blanket, charger, change, doctor, pharmacy, taxi…) and you have a sentence you can use today.