Unit 4 — Grammar Focus

Verbs, Habitual Present, Time Expressions, Transport, and Postpositions

In this section, you will learn how Nepali verbs work in basic sentences. You will also learn how to talk about routines, frequency, transport, and common postpositions such as पछि (pachi), सम्म (samma), देखि…सम्म (dekhi…samma), and लागि (lāgi).

These patterns are useful for everyday communication, especially when talking about what people do, when things happen, how often they happen, and how people travel.

Verbs

A verb is a word that expresses what is happening in a sentence. It can show:

• an action: what someone does
• an event: what happens
• a state or condition: how something is

In most sentences, the verb carries the main meaning of the clause.

In Nepali, verbs also show important grammatical information, such as:

• tense or aspect
• affirmative or negative meaning
• agreement with the subject
• level of respect or honorificity

You have already seen common Nepali verb forms such as छ (cha) and हो (ho). These forms come from the verb हुनु (hunu), meaning “to be.” They often work as linking verbs, or copulas, because they connect the subject to an identity, state, or condition.

For example:

यो किताब हो।
yo kitāb ho.
This is a book.

किताब टेबलमा छ।
kitāb ṭebalmā cha.
The book is on the table.

The Dictionary Form of Nepali Verbs

The dictionary form, also called the citation form, is the form used to list verbs in Nepali dictionaries.

Most Nepali dictionary verb forms end in –नु (–nu).

You can think of this form as the verb’s “base name,” similar to English “to do,” “to sit,” or “to speak.”

For example:

गर्नु
garnu
to do

बस्नु
basnu
to sit

बोल्नु
bolnu
to speak

The dictionary form is non-finite. This means it names the verb, but it is not usually used as the main verb in a complete sentence.

To make full sentences, Nepali verbs usually take endings or combine with auxiliaries. These forms show tense, polarity, agreement, and respect level.

Table 13.4.1 – Dictionary form basics: verb in –नु (nu), root, and infinitive ending

Learner Tip

When you learn a new Nepali verb, first learn its dictionary form ending in –नु (–nu). Then learn how to remove –नु to find the working base.

Finding the Verb Base

For learning purposes, it is useful to identify a verb base. This is the form to which many endings attach.

For many verbs, you can find a practical base by removing –नु (–nu) from the dictionary form.

Working Rule

verb base = dictionary form minus –नु (–nu)

For example:

गर्नु
garnu
to do

गर्–
gar–
do base

बस्नु
basnu
to sit

बस्–
bas–
sit base

पढ्नु
paḍhnu
to read / study

पढ्–
paḍh–
read / study base

Table 13.4.2 – Finding the verb base: dictionary form → base (remove –नु)

Try It Now

Find the verb base.

खानु
khānu
to eat

खा–
khā–

जानु
jānu
to go

जा–
jā–

लेख्नु
lekhnu
to write

लेख्–
lekh–

The Habitual Present Tense

Tense tells us when something happens, such as past or non-past.

Aspect tells us how an action happens, such as whether it is a habit, routine, general truth, or completed action.

In Nepali, tense and aspect work together.

A useful starting point is the habitual present. This form is used to talk about:

• regular actions
• routines
• habits
• general truths

For example:

तपाईं हरेक दिन चिया पिउनुहुन्छ।
tapāī̃ harek din ciyā piunuhuncha.
You drink tea every day.

काठमाडौं नेपालमा छ।
kāṭhmāḍaũ nepālmā cha.
Kathmandu is in Nepal.

The same form can also refer to a future action when the sentence includes a clear future time expression.

For example:

भोलि तपाईं कार्यालय जानुहुन्छ।
bholi tapāī̃ kāryālaya jānuhuncha.
You are going to the office tomorrow.

सोमबार हामी परीक्षा दिन्छौं।
sombār hāmī parīkṣā dinchaũ.
We will take an exam on Monday. / We have an exam on Monday.

For beginners, remember this simple point: Nepali habitual present forms can describe both regular present actions and planned future actions when the time is clear.

Table 13.4.3 – Uses of the habitual present: habits, general truths, scheduled future

Forming the Habitual Present

The habitual present is used for routines, regular actions, and general facts. It can also refer to scheduled or planned future actions when a clear time expression is included.

A simple way to understand the structure is:

verb base + non-past marker + agreement ending

The verb form also changes according to polarity, meaning whether the sentence is affirmative or negative.

Nepali uses two main beginner-level patterns:

• non-honorific / plain pattern
• honorific / respectful pattern

1. Non-Honorific / Plain Pattern

In the plain pattern, the verb base usually takes endings from the –छ (–cha) family in affirmative sentences.

Examples:

खान्छ
khāncha
eats / drinks

जान्छ
jāncha
goes

पढ्छ
paḍhcha
studies / reads

For negative sentences, the verb usually takes endings from the –दैन (–daina) family.

Examples:

खाँदैन
khā̃daina
does not eat / drink

जाँदैन
jā̃daina
does not go

पढ्दैन
paḍhdaina
does not study / read

2. Honorific / Respectful Pattern

With respectful pronouns such as तपाईं (tapāī̃) and उहाँ (uhā̃), Nepali usually uses honorific verb forms.

In affirmative sentences, the verb often takes –नुहुन्छ (–nuhuncha).

For example:

तपाईं चिया पिउनुहुन्छ।
tapāī̃ ciyā piunuhuncha.
You drink tea.

उहाँ विद्यालय जानुहुन्छ।
uhā̃ widyālaya jānuhuncha.
He/She goes to school.

In negative sentences, the verb often takes –नुहुन्न (–nuhunna).

For example:

तपाईं चिया पिउनुहुन्न।
tapāī̃ ciyā piunuhunna.
You do not drink tea.

उहाँ विद्यालय जानुहुन्न।
uhā̃ widyālaya jānuhunna.
He/She does not go to school.

Key Idea

In Nepali, the verb form changes not only for tense and polarity, but also for respect level. For beginners, it is especially important to notice the difference between plain forms such as जान्छ (jāncha) and respectful forms such as जानुहुन्छ (jānuhuncha).

Table 13.4.4 – Stem-based non-honorific endings (affirmative vs. negative)

Table 13.4.5 – Honorific pattern endings

Table 13.4.6 – Example verb बस्नु: non-honorific (affirmative/negative)

Table 13.4.7 – Example verb बस्नु: honorific (affirmative/negative)

Try It Now

Compare the plain and respectful forms.

ऊ चिया पिउँछ।
ū ciyā piũcha.
He/She drinks tea.

उहाँ चिया पिउनुहुन्छ।
uhā̃ ciyā piunuhuncha.
He/She drinks tea. respectful

ऊ स्कुल जान्छ।
ū skul jāncha.
He/She goes to school.

उहाँ स्कुल जानुहुन्छ।
uhā̃ skul jānuhuncha.
He/She goes to school. respectful

Verb Categories in Nepali: Three Stem-Based Types

A useful way to classify Nepali verbs is by the shape of the verb base.

To find the verb base, remove –नु (–nu) from the dictionary form.

Then check the final sound of the base.

Nepali verbs fall into three main categories:

• C-verbs: the verb base ends in a consonant
• V-verbs: the verb base ends in a single vowel
• VV-verbs: the verb base ends in a vowel sequence, often आउ– (āu–) or पिउ– (piu–)

How to Identify the Category

Start with the dictionary form.

Remove –नु (–nu).

Check the final sound of the base.

• consonant ending → C-verb
• single vowel ending → V-verb
• vowel sequence ending → VV-verb

Table 13.4.8 – Verb categories (C / V / VV): base shape → category

Why Verb Categories Matter

Verb categories matter because the shape of the verb base affects how present-tense endings attach.

The key idea is:

present form = verb base + ending

However, the joining changes depending on how the base ends.

C-Verbs

C-verbs have consonant-final bases.

Endings usually attach directly, with minimal change.

Examples include forms such as:

गर्छु
garchu
I do.

बस्छु
baschu
I sit.

V-Verbs

V-verbs have bases ending in a single vowel, often आ (ā).

Joining often creates visible changes at the boundary between the base and ending.

Common signs include:

• न् (n) in affirmative forms
• nasalization with चन्द्रबिन्दु (candrabindu) in negative forms

VV-Verbs

VV-verbs have bases ending in a vowel sequence, such as आउ– (āu–) or पिउ– (piu–).

The vowel sequence is preserved in the habitual present.

The final उ (u) is not dropped.

Core Takeaway

Verb categories do not change the meaning of the verb. They help you predict how present-tense endings attach to different verb bases.

1. C-Verbs: Attach Directly

In C-verbs, the verb base ends in a consonant. Present-tense endings usually attach directly to the base with little or no change.

The basic structure is:

verb base + ending

Because a consonant-final base meets a consonant-initial ending, Nepali often creates clear consonant clusters in Devanagari.

For example:

गर्छु
garchu
I do.

बस्छु
baschu
I sit.

Table 13.4.9 – C-verbs in the habitual present: base + ending (joining examples)

Table 13.4.10 – C-verb पढ्नु (paḍhnu): non-honorific (affirmative/negative)

Table 13.4.11 – C-verb पढ्नु (paḍhnu): honorific (affirmative/negative)

2. V-Verbs: Joining with न् and Nasalization

In V-verbs, the base ends in a vowel. Pay attention to what happens when the vowel-final base joins with present-tense endings.

With affirmative –छ (–ch) endings, Nepali often inserts a linking न् (n) between the base and the ending.

For example:

खा– + छु → खान्छु
khā– + chu → khānchu
I eat.

With negative endings such as –दैन (–daina) and –दिन (–dina), the vowel-final base is often nasalized. This is written with चन्द्रबिन्दु (candrabindu).

For example:

खा– + दैन → खाँदैन
khā– + daina → khā̃daina
He/She does not eat.

खा– + दिन → खाँदिन
khā– + dina → khā̃dina
I do not eat.

These two signs help learners recognize V-verb patterns:

• न् (n) in affirmative forms
• चन्द्रबिन्दु (candrabindu) in negative forms

Table 13.4.12 – V-verb खानु (khānu): non-honorific (affirmative/negative)

Table 13.4.13 – V-verb खानु (khānu): honorific (affirmative/negative)

3. VV-Verbs: Keep Both Vowels

VV-verbs have bases ending in a two-vowel sequence, most commonly आउ– (āu–) or पिउ– (piu–).

The key point is that the vowel sequence stays in the habitual present. Nepali does not drop the final उ (u) in this pattern.

In many VV-verbs, the habitual present stem is written with चन्द्रबिन्दु (candrabindu), producing nasalized stems such as आउँ– (āũ–) and पिउँ– (piũ–).

Then regular present-tense endings attach.

For example:

आउँछु
āũchu
I come.

आउँछ
āũcha
He/She comes.

पिउँछु
piũchu
I drink.

In negative forms, the same stem is used:

आउँदिन
āũdina
I do not come.

आउँदैन
āũdaina
He/She does not come.

आउँदैनन्
āũdainan
They do not come.

The चन्द्रबिन्दु (candrabindu) does not mean that a vowel has been removed. It shows nasalization of the vowel sequence.

Table 13.4.13 – VV-verb: आउनु (āunu) — non-honorific habitual

Table 13.4.14 – VV-verb: आउनु (āunu) — honorific habitual

Temporal Interrogatives and Frequency Adverbials

Time expressions and frequency expressions do different jobs in Nepali.

Temporal interrogatives ask for a specific time reference. They answer questions such as “when?”

Frequency adverbials describe how often something happens, such as always, sometimes, or every day.

In Nepali, both types usually modify the whole clause. They often appear after the subject and before the verb phrase, although word order can shift for emphasis.

Asking About Time with कहिले

कहिले (kahile) means “when?”

It is used to ask about a specific time, day, or time period.

Typical answers include:

भोलि
bholi
tomorrow

अर्को हप्ता
arko haptā
next week

बिहान
bihāna
in the morning

Because कहिले (kahile) already makes a wh-question, Nepali normally does not add the yes/no particle के (ke) in these questions.

Table 13.4.15 – Temporal interrogative कहिले (kahile): question–answer

Try It Now

Ask and answer.

A: तपाईं कहिले जानुहुन्छ?
tapāī̃ kahile jānuhuncha?
When will you go?

B: म भोलि जान्छु।
ma bholi jānchu.
I will go tomorrow.

A: कक्षा कहिले हुन्छ?
kakṣā kahile huncha?
When is the class?

B: कक्षा सोमबार हुन्छ।
kakṣā sombār huncha.
The class is on Monday.

Frequency Adverbials

Frequency adverbials tell us how often something happens.

They describe repetition over time.

Examples include:

सधैँ
sadhaĩ
always

कहिलेकाहीँ
kahilekāhī̃
sometimes

हरेक दिन
harek din
every day

हप्तामा एकचोटि
haptāmā ekcoṭi
once a week

In a neutral sentence, frequency words often appear after the subject and before the verb.

Table 13.4.16 – Common frequency adverbials

Table 13.4.17 – Frequency adverbials in sentences: example patterns

Try It Now

Read the sentences aloud.

म सधैँ चिया पिउँछु।
ma sadhaĩ ciyā piũchu.
I always drink tea.

म कहिलेकाहीँ बसबाट जान्छु।
ma kahilekāhī̃ basbāṭa jānchu.
I sometimes go by bus.

उहाँ हरेक दिन नेपाली पढ्नुहुन्छ।
uhā̃ harek din nepālī paḍhnuhuncha.
He/She studies Nepali every day.

Never and Ever: कहिल्यै

कहिल्यै (kahilyai) changes meaning depending on the sentence.

In negative sentences, कहिल्यै (kahilyai) means “never.”

For example:

म कहिल्यै चिया पिउँदिन।
ma kahilyai ciyā piũdina.
I never drink tea.

In questions, कहिल्यै (kahilyai) usually means “ever.”

For example:

के तपाईं कहिल्यै नेपाल जानुभएको छ?
ke tapāī̃ kahilyai nepāl jānubhaeko cha?
Have you ever been to Nepal?

Table 13.4.18 – कहिल्यै (kahilyai) “never / ever”: negative vs. question meaning

Simple Rule

कहिल्यै (kahilyai) + negative verb = never

कहिल्यै (kahilyai) in a question = ever

Transport: Using –बाट and –मा

Nepali expresses “by a means of transport” in more than one way.

Two common options are:

–बाट
–bāṭa

–मा
–mā

Both can be used with vehicle nouns, but they frame the meaning slightly differently.

Vehicle + –बाट

Although –बाट (–bāṭa) often means “from,” it can also express means or transport.

With vehicles, it can mean “by means of.”

For example:

म बसबाट जान्छु।
ma basbāṭa jānchu.
I go by bus.

उहाँ कारबाट आउनुहुन्छ।
uhā̃ kārbāṭa āunuhuncha.
He/She comes by car.

Table 13.4.19 – Transport by –बाट (–bāṭa): vehicle phrases

Table 13.4.20 – Transport by –बाट (–bāṭa): sentence examples

Vehicle + –मा

With vehicle nouns, –मा (–mā) is also very common in everyday Nepali.

It often gives the meaning “in,” “on,” or “by,” depending on the vehicle and context.

For example:

म बसमा जान्छु।
ma basmā jānchu.
I go by bus. / I travel on the bus.

ऊ कारमा आउँछ।
ū kārmā āũcha.
He/She comes by car. / in the car.

Table 13.4.21 – Vehicle + –मा (–mā): everyday alternative (“by/on/in”)

Quick Contrast

बसबाट जान्छु
basbāṭa jānchu
I go by bus. This clearly marks the bus as the means of transport.

बसमा जान्छु
basmā jānchu
I go on the bus / by bus. This highlights being in or on the bus while travelling.

Both forms are natural. For beginners, learn both and notice how they are used in context.

Postpositions: पछि, सम्म, देखि…सम्म, and लागि

Nepali uses postpositions to express meanings such as “after,” “until,” “from…to,” and “for.”

Postpositions come after the noun or time expression.

English usually says:

after class

Nepali says something closer to:

class after

For example:

कक्षापछि
kakṣāpachi
after class

छ बजेसम्म
cha bajesamma
until six o’clock

Table 13.4.22 – Postpositions (quick examples)

पछि: After

पछि (pachi) means “after.”

It shows that one event happens later than another event.

For example:

कक्षापछि
kakṣāpachi
after class

खानापछि
khānāpachi
after eating / after food

कामपछि
kāmpachi
after work

Table 13.4.23 – पछि (pachi) “after”: sentence examples

Try It Now

Read the phrases aloud.

स्कुलपछि
skulpachi
after school

बैठकपछि
baiṭhakpachi
after the meeting

परीक्षापछि
parīkṣāpachi
after the exam

सम्म: Until / Up To / As Far As

सम्म (samma) marks an endpoint.

The endpoint can be time, place, or distance.

For example:

छ बजेसम्म
cha bajesamma
until six o’clock

पोखरासम्म
pokharāsamma
as far as Pokhara / up to Pokhara

आइतबारसम्म
aitabārsamma
until Sunday

Table 13.4.24 – सम्म (samma) “until / up to / as far as”: sentence examples

देखि…सम्म: From…To / From…Until

देखि…सम्म (dekhi…samma) expresses a range with both a starting point and an ending point.

देखि (dekhi) marks the starting point.

सम्म (samma) marks the ending point.

For example:

दुई बजेदेखि चार बजेसम्म
duī bajedekhi cār bajesamma
from two o’clock to four o’clock

सोमबारदेखि शुक्रबारसम्म
sombārdekhi śukrabārsamma
from Monday to Friday

काठमाडौंदेखि पोखरासम्म
kāṭhmāḍaũdekhi pokharāsamma
from Kathmandu to Pokhara

Table 13.4.25 – देखि…सम्म (dekhi…samma) “from…to / from…until”: sentence examples

Try It Now

Read the range expressions aloud.

नौ बजेदेखि दश बजेसम्म
nau bajedekhi daś bajesamma
from nine o’clock to ten o’clock

सोमबारदेखि बुधबारसम्म
sombārdekhi budhabārsamma
from Monday to Wednesday

घरदेखि स्कुलसम्म
ghardekhi skulsamma
from home to school

का लागि / को लागि: For

का लागि / को लागि (kā lāgi / ko lāgi) means “for.”

It has two common uses:

• recipient or beneficiary
• purpose

For example:

तपाईंका लागि
tapāī̃kā lāgi
for you

बालबालिकाका लागि
bālbālikākā lāgi
for children

अभ्यासका लागि
abhyāsakā lāgi
for practice

पढाइका लागि
paḍhāikā lāgi
for study

Table 13.4.26 – का लागि / को लागि (kā lāgi / ko lāgi) “for”: sentence examples

Learner Tip

In many beginner sentences, लागि (lāgi) can be understood as “for.” The form before लागि may change depending on the noun phrase.

Can You Do This Now?

At the end of this section, you should be able to:

• identify the dictionary form of Nepali verbs ending in –नु (–nu)
• find a practical verb base by removing –नु (–nu)
• use habitual present forms for routines, habits, and general truths
• recognize plain forms such as जान्छ (jāncha) and respectful forms such as जानुहुन्छ (jānuhuncha)
• distinguish C-verbs, V-verbs, and VV-verbs
• ask “when?” questions with कहिले (kahile)
• use frequency words such as सधैँ (sadhaĩ) and कहिलेकाहीँ (kahilekāhī̃)
• understand कहिल्यै (kahilyai) as “never” in negative sentences and “ever” in questions
• use –बाट (–bāṭa) and –मा (–mā) with vehicles
• use postpositions such as पछि (pachi), सम्म (samma), देखि…सम्म (dekhi…samma), and लागि (lāgi)