Unit 4 — Grammar Focus

Giving Directions

In this section, you will learn how to ask for and give directions in Nepali.

Direction-giving in Nepali is usually polite and respectful, especially when speaking with strangers, elders, teachers, shopkeepers, or people you do not know well.

Nepali often uses respectful verb endings such as –नुहोस् (–nuhos) in directions and polite requests.

For example:

जानुहोस्
jānuhos
Please go.

मोड्नुहोस्
moḍnuhos
Please turn.

हेर्नुहोस्
hernuhos
Please look.

When giving directions, Nepali often uses short, step-by-step clauses. This makes the directions easier to follow.

Interaction Opener

Before asking for directions, Nepali speakers often begin with a polite opener.

A very common phrase is:

माफ गर्नुहोस्
māph garnuhos
Excuse me. / Please excuse me.

This phrase helps begin the conversation politely.

For example:

माफ गर्नुहोस्, बसपार्क कहाँ छ?
māph garnuhos, baspārk kahā̃ cha?
Excuse me, where is the bus station?

माफ गर्नुहोस्, मन्दिर कता छ?
māph garnuhos, mandir katā cha?
Excuse me, which way is the temple?

Table 17.4.1 – Polite openers: starting a directions question

Try It Now

Read the polite openers aloud.

माफ गर्नुहोस्, अस्पताल कहाँ छ?
māph garnuhos, aspatāl kahā̃ cha?
Excuse me, where is the hospital?

माफ गर्नुहोस्, स्कुल कता छ?
māph garnuhos, skul katā cha?
Excuse me, which way is the school?

माफ गर्नुहोस्, बजार कहाँ छ?
māph garnuhos, bajār kahā̃ cha?
Excuse me, where is the market?

Polite Asking

In Nepali, direction requests are often formed as polite questions rather than direct commands.

This makes the request sound respectful and natural.

For example:

मलाई बाटो बताइदिनुहुन्छ?
malāī bāṭo batāidinuhuncha?
Could you please tell me the way?

बसपार्क कसरी जान सकिन्छ?
baspārk kasarī jāna sakincha?
How can one get to the bus station?

अस्पताल कता पर्छ?
aspatāl katā parcha?
Which way is the hospital?

Forms such as –हुन्छ (–huncha) and –हुनुहुन्छ (–hunuhuncha) can make a question sound softer and more polite.

Table 17.4.2 – Polite requests for help (question form)

Learner Tip

For beginners, question-based requests are safer than direct commands.

Instead of saying only:

बाटो बताउनुहोस्।
bāṭo batāunuhos.
Please tell the way.

You can say:

मलाई बाटो बताइदिनुहुन्छ?
malāī bāṭo batāidinuhuncha?
Could you please tell me the way?

Polite Instructions

When giving directions respectfully, Nepali often uses the honorific imperative ending –नुहोस् (–nuhos).

The subject “you” is usually not stated because the polite verb form already shows respect.

For example:

सीधा जानुहोस्।
sīdhā jānuhos.
Please go straight.

दायाँ मोड्नुहोस्।
dāyā̃ moḍnuhos.
Please turn right.

बायाँ मोड्नुहोस्।
bāyā̃ moḍnuhos.
Please turn left.

अगाडि हेर्नुहोस्।
agāḍi hernuhos.
Please look ahead.

Table 17.4.3 – Polite route-step commands

Simple Rule

Use –नुहोस् (–nuhos) for polite direction instructions.

Keep directions short and step-by-step.

Try It Now

Read the directions aloud.

सीधा जानुहोस्।
sīdhā jānuhos.
Please go straight.

त्यसपछि दायाँ मोड्नुहोस्।
tyaspachi dāyā̃ moḍnuhos.
Then turn right.

अनि बायाँ मोड्नुहोस्।
ani bāyā̃ moḍnuhos.
And then turn left.

Where-Questions for Places

Nepali uses different question words for location and direction.

Two very important forms are:

कहाँ
kahā̃
where

कता
katā
which way / in which direction

Use कहाँ (kahā̃) when asking for the location of a place.

Use कता (katā) when asking for direction or route.

कहाँ छ?

कहाँ छ? (kahā̃ cha?) asks where something is located.

It is used when you want to know the fixed location of a place.

For example:

अस्पताल कहाँ छ?
aspatāl kahā̃ cha?
Where is the hospital?

बसपार्क कहाँ छ?
baspārk kahā̃ cha?
Where is the bus station?

बजार कहाँ छ?
bajār kahā̃ cha?
Where is the market?

Answers usually give a location phrase.

For example:

अस्पताल अगाडि छ।
aspatāl agāḍi cha.
The hospital is ahead.

बसपार्क बजार नजिकै छ।
baspārk bajār najikai cha.
The bus station is near the market.

Table 17.4.4 – “Where is it?” questions (place/location)

Table 17.4.5 – Answers to kahā̃ cha?: location phrases (in/near/in front of)

Simple Rule

Use कहाँ छ? (kahā̃ cha?) when asking “Where is it?”

Use छ (cha) because the question is about location, not identity.

कता छ?

कता छ? (katā cha?) asks which way something is or which direction to go.

It is more direction-focused than कहाँ छ? (kahā̃ cha?).

For example:

मन्दिर कता छ?
mandir katā cha?
Which way is the temple?

बजार कता छ?
bajār katā cha?
Which way is the market?

स्कुल कता छ?
skul katā cha?
Which way is the school?

Answers often give route instructions.

For example:

सीधा जानुहोस्, अनि दायाँ मोड्नुहोस्।
sīdhā jānuhos, ani dāyā̃ moḍnuhos.
Go straight, and then turn right.

यहाँबाट बायाँ जानुहोस्।
yahā̃bāṭa bāyā̃ jānuhos.
From here, go left.

Table 17.4.6 – “Which way?” questions (direction/route): katā cha?

Table 17.4.7 – Answers to katā cha?: short direction steps

Simple Difference

कहाँ (kahā̃) asks for a place.

कता (katā) asks for a direction or route.

Compare:

अस्पताल कहाँ छ?
aspatāl kahā̃ cha?
Where is the hospital?

अस्पताल कता छ?
aspatāl katā cha?
Which way is the hospital?

Sequencing Directions: अनि, त्यसपछि, पछि

Directions are often given as a sequence of short steps.

Nepali uses discourse markers to show the order of steps.

अनि
ani
and then

त्यसपछि
tyaspachi
then / after that

पछि
pachi
after / later

For example:

सीधा जानुहोस्। त्यसपछि दायाँ मोड्नुहोस्।
sīdhā jānuhos. tyaspachi dāyā̃ moḍnuhos.
Go straight. Then turn right.

पहिले बायाँ जानुहोस्। अनि अगाडि जानुहोस्।
pahile bāyā̃ jānuhos. ani agāḍi jānuhos.
First go left. Then go ahead.

Table 17.4.8 – Sequencing steps in directions: ani / tyaspachi / pachi

Try It Now

Read the sequence aloud.

पहिले सीधा जानुहोस्।
pahile sīdhā jānuhos.
First, go straight.

त्यसपछि दायाँ मोड्नुहोस्।
tyaspachi dāyā̃ moḍnuhos.
Then, turn right.

अनि बजार आउँछ।
ani bajār āũcha.
Then the market comes / you will reach the market.

Clarifying and Repairing

When asking for or giving directions, speakers often check understanding.

A common tag question is:

होइन?
hoina?
right? / isn’t it?

For example:

यो बाटो हो, होइन?
yo bāṭo ho, hoina?
This is the road, right?

दायाँ जानुपर्छ, होइन?
dāyā̃ jānuparcha, hoina?
I should go right, right?

Responses are often short.

हो।
ho.
Yes.

होइन।
hoina.
No.

If the answer is no, the speaker often gives a correction.

For example:

होइन, बायाँ जानुहोस्।
hoina, bāyā̃ jānuhos.
No, please go left.

होइन, सीधा जानुहोस्।
hoina, sīdhā jānuhos.
No, please go straight.

Table 17.4.9 – Checking and correcting

Try It Now

Practise the short exchange.

A: दायाँ जानुपर्छ, होइन?
dāyā̃ jānuparcha, hoina?
I should go right, right?

B: होइन, बायाँ जानुहोस्।
hoina, bāyā̃ jānuhos.
No, please go left.

A: यो बाटो हो, होइन?
yo bāṭo ho, hoina?
This is the road, right?

B: हो, यही बाटो हो।
ho, yahī bāṭo ho.
Yes, this is the road.

Common Direction Exchange

Practise this short conversation.

A: माफ गर्नुहोस्, बसपार्क कता छ?
māph garnuhos, baspārk katā cha?
Excuse me, which way is the bus station?

B: सीधा जानुहोस्। त्यसपछि दायाँ मोड्नुहोस्।
sīdhā jānuhos. tyaspachi dāyā̃ moḍnuhos.
Go straight. Then turn right.

A: दायाँ, होइन?
dāyā̃, hoina?
Right, isn’t it?

B: हो, दायाँ मोड्नुहोस्। बसपार्क अगाडि छ।
ho, dāyā̃ moḍnuhos. baspārk agāḍi cha.
Yes, turn right. The bus station is ahead.

A: धन्यवाद।
dhanyawād.
Thank you.

Can You Do This Now?

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

• begin a direction request politely with माफ गर्नुहोस् (māph garnuhos)
• ask where a place is using कहाँ छ? (kahā̃ cha?)
• ask which way to go using कता छ? (katā cha?)
• understand the difference between कहाँ (kahā̃) and कता (katā)
• give polite directions using –नुहोस् (–nuhos)
• use direction words such as सीधा (sīdhā), दायाँ (dāyā̃), बायाँ (bāyā̃), and अगाडि (agāḍi)
• sequence directions using अनि (ani), त्यसपछि (tyaspachi), and पछि (pachi)
• check understanding with होइन? (hoina?)
• correct directions politely when needed