Greetings and politeness in Nepali
Hello, please, thank you, sorry: the eleven openers everything else builds on. Play the ten Nepali words against the clock, with a note on how locals really use each one after every answer. All ten are written out below.
All 11 Nepali phrases in this lesson
- नमस्तेna-MAS-te
- Hello
- शुभ प्रभातshubh pra-BHAT
- Good morning
- शुभ सन्ध्याshubh SAN-dhya
- Good evening
- फेरि भेटौंलाPHE-ri bhe-TAUN-la
- Goodbye
- पछि भेटौँलाpa-CHHI bheh-TOWN-laa
- See you
- कृपयाkrip-a-YA
- Please
- धन्यवादdhan-ya-BAAD
- Thank you
- कुनै कुरा छैनku-NAI ku-ra CHHAIN
- You're welcome
- क्षमा गर्नुहोस्KSHA-ma gar-nu-HOS
- Sorry
- माफ गर्नुस्MAAF gar-nus
- Excuse me
- तपाईंलाई भेटेर खुशी लाग्योta-PAAI-lai BHE-te-ra KHU-shi LAAG-yo
- Nice to meet you
The universal Nepali greeting, used morning to night with anyone. Place your palms together while saying it for extra warmth. Works as both hello and goodbye.
Formal good morning, often heard on radio and TV. In everyday life most Nepalis just say नमस्ते at any hour. Saying this to a guesthouse owner will earn a big smile.
Formal. In daily life नमस्ते (na-MAS-te) covers the evening.
Literally "let us meet again," the warmest goodbye. नमस्ते also works perfectly as farewell. Nepalis often wave and say नमस्ते when parting rather than a separate goodbye word.
See you later. The course's Goodbye uses the related see you again formula.
More formal, often written on signs. In spoken requests Nepalis frequently soften the verb ending instead of using a separate please word. Adding कृपया always sounds polite and respectful.
The Nepali thank you. Nepalis thank less often than English speakers, and the English थ्याङ्क्यु (THANK-yu) is common in cities.
Literally "it is nothing." The natural response to thanks. You may also hear "जाओस्" (JAos) informally. Do not worry about the nasal "n" at the end, just trail off softly.
The formal apology. For a small bump, माफ गर्नुस् (MAAF gar-nus) is enough.
Used to get attention, to apologize, or to squeeze past someone on a crowded bus. The "-नुस्" ending is a polite imperative marker you will see throughout Nepali. Pronounce the double "a" long.
Literally "meeting you made me happy".