Counting to ten in Nepali
One to ten, for prices, platforms, rooms and how many beers. 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 10 Nepali phrases in this lesson
- एकEK
- One
- दुईDU-i
- Two
- तीनTIN
- Three
- चारCHAAR
- Four
- पाँचPAANCH
- Five
- छCHHA
- Six
- सातSAAT
- Seven
- आठAATH
- Eight
- नौNAU
- Nine
- दसDAS
- Ten
Nepali numbers follow the same Sanskrit root as Hindi. Learn one through ten and you can handle most transactions. Prices are often quoted in "lakh" (one hundred thousand) for big items.
Two syllables, with a slight glide between them. Useful for ordering, bargaining, and checking bus seats. Hold up fingers to confirm in noisy markets.
The vowel is long, like "teen." Do not confuse with "tin" (short vowel) which means lower in some contexts.
Long "a" vowel, similar to the Hindi "char." The "ch" is unaspirated, softer than an English "ch."
The nasal vowel "aँ" is key. Pinch your nose slightly when practicing. Five is पाँच, and fifty is पचास (pa-CHAS). Very useful for prices.
Build on this: twenty is बीस (bis), thirty is तीस (tis), forty is चालीस (cha-LIS). Most small purchases in Nepal fall between ten and one hundred rupees.