Chapter 2 – Basic Greetings and Survival Phrases
Unit 1 — Key Vocabulary
In this unit, you will learn basic Nepali greetings, polite expressions, and useful classroom phrases. These words and phrases will help you begin simple, respectful conversations in Nepali.
Study the words below first. Read each Nepali word, look at the transliteration, and practise saying it aloud. Use the English meaning to check your understanding.
Vocabulary
| Nepali | Transliteration | English |
|---|---|---|
| केही छैन | kehī chaina | No problem / It’s okay |
| धन्यवाद | dhanyawād | Thank you |
| नमस्कार | namaskār | Hello (more formal) |
| नमस्ते | namaste | Hello / Hi |
| माफ गर्नुहोस् | māph garnuhos | Excuse me / Sorry |
| स्वागत | swāgat | Welcome |
| होइन | hoina | No |
| हुन्छ | huncha | Yes / OK (agreeing) |
| हो | ho | Yes (answering “Is it…?”) |
| शुभ प्रभात | śubha prabhāt | Good morning |
| शुभ रात्रि | śubha rātri | Good night |
| ठीक छ | ṭhīk cha | Okay / Alright |
Useful Phrases
The phrases below are useful in greetings, introductions, and classroom interaction. Practise reading each full sentence aloud. Pay attention to polite forms such as गर्नुहोस् (garnuhos), आउनुहोस् (āunuhos), बस्नुहोस् (basnuhos), and भन्नुहोस् (bhannuhos).
| Nepali | Transliteration | English |
|---|---|---|
| नेपालमा स्वागत छ। | nepālmā swāgat cha. | Welcome to Nepal. |
| भित्र आउनुहोस्। | bhitra āunuhos. | Please come in. |
| बस्नुहोस्। | basnuhos. | Please sit. |
| स्वागत छ। | swāgat cha. | Welcome. / You’re welcome. |
| फेरि भन्नुहोस्। | pherī bhannuhos. | Please say it again. |
| तपाईंलाई भेटेर खुशी लाग्यो। | tapāī̃lāī bheṭera khuśī lāgyo. | Nice to meet you. |
