Note: In casual spoken Nepali, speakers sometimes keep the -o form more widely (especially for objects). In this book, you learn the standard forms so you can recognize them in reading and use them in careful speech.

B) Invariable adjectives

Invariable adjectives do not change form. The adjective stays the same regardless of:

• gender (masculine/feminine)

• number (singular/plural)

Only the noun (and sometimes the verb) shows grammatical information.

Table 8.4.6 – Invariable adjectives

Adjective	Masculine (sg.)	Feminine (sg.)	Plural	Meaning
सफा (saphā)	सफा केटो (saphā keṭo)	सफा केटी (saphā keṭī)	सफा केटाहरू / सफा केटीहरू (saphā keṭāharū / saphā keṭīharū)	clean
गरिब (garib)	गरिब केटो (garib keṭo)	गरिब केटी (garib keṭī)	गरिब केटाहरू / गरिब केटीहरू (garib keṭāharū / garib keṭīharū)	poor
धनी (dhanī)	धनी केटो (dhanī keṭo)	धनी केटी (dhanī keṭī)	धनी केटाहरू / धनी केटीहरू (dhanī keṭāharū / dhanī keṭīharū)	rich
नयाँ (nayā̃)	नयाँ केटो (nayā̃ keṭo)	नयाँ केटी (nayā̃ keṭī)	नयाँ केटाहरू / नयाँ केटीहरू (nayā̃ keṭāharū / nayā̃ keṭīharū)	new

Key idea

• Inflecting adjectives → change form to match the noun

• Invariable adjectives → stay the same in all contexts

Understanding this distinction helps you predict when adjective endings will change (such as -o / -ī / -ā) and when they will remain fixed.

Strengthening and Softening Adjectives

Words placed before adjectives can either soften or strengthen their meaning.

• अलि (ali) — “a little / somewhat” (softens)

• धेरै (dherai) — “very / much” (strengthens with adjectives)

अलि (ali) — “a little / somewhat”

अलि (ali) is used to describe degree or intensity, so it modifies adjectives (and sometimes verbs). It softens the meaning of an adjective.

Examples:

• अलि चिसो छ (ali ciso cha) — it is a little cold

• अलि महँगो छ (ali mahaṅgo cha) — it is a bit expensive

धेरै (dherai) — “very”

Table 8.4.7 – Degree words with adjectives (अलि / धेरै)

Word	Function	Example	Transliteration	Meaning
अलि	a little / somewhat	अलि चिसो छ।	ali ciso cha.	It’s a little cold.
अलि	a bit (softening)	झोला अलि महँगो छ।	jholā ali mahaṅgo cha.	The bag is a bit expensive.
धेरै	very (with adjectives)	मौसम धेरै राम्रो छ।	mausam dherai rāmro cha.	The weather is very good.
धेरै	very (with adjectives)	उहाँ धेरै व्यस्त हुनुहुन्छ।	uhā̃ dherai byasta hunuhuncha.	He/She is very busy.

2) Using the emphatic suffix –ै (-ai)

Nepali can also intensify adjectives by adding the suffix –ै (-ai) directly to the adjective. This adds emphasis and makes the meaning stronger or more expressive.

Examples:

• राम्रो (rāmro) → राम्रै (rāmrāi) — really good / quite good

• ठूलो (ṭhūlo) → ठूलै (ṭhūlāi) — very big / quite big

Table 8.4.8 – Emphasis with -ै (-ai)

A second way to emphasize an adjective is to use -ै (-ai). For many adjectives ending in -ो (-o), the ending commonly changes to -ै (-ai) in emphatic speech.

Base adjective	Transliteration	Emphatic (-ै ai)	Transliteration
दुब्लो	dublo	दुब्लै	dublai
मोटो	moṭo	मोटै	moṭai
अग्लो	aglo	अग्लै	aglai
सानो	sāno	सानै	sānai
ठूलो	ṭhūlo	ठूलै	ṭhūlai

The question word कस्तो (kasto) means “what kind?” In everyday Nepali, it is commonly used to ask about the quality or condition of something—such as whether it is good or bad, hot or cold, okay or not okay.

Basic structure

After कस्तो (kasto), Nepali uses:

• छ (cha) for singular or mass nouns

• छन् (chan) for plural nouns

With plural nouns, कस्तो (kasto) changes to कस्ता (kastā).

Structure:

• कस्तो + noun + छ (cha)

• कस्ता + plural noun + छन् (chan)

Table 8.4.9 – kasto questions and answers (quality/condition)

Nepali	Transliteration	English
मौसम कस्तो छ?	mausam kasto cha?	How is the weather?
मौसम राम्रो छ।	mausam rāmro cha.	The weather is good.
कोठा कस्तो छ?	koṭhā kasto cha?	How is the room?
कोठा न्यानो छ।	koṭhā nyāno cha.	The room is warm.
तपाईंलाई कस्तो छ?	tapāī̃lāī kasto cha?	How are you? (polite)
मलाई ठीक छ।	malāī ṭhīk cha.	I feel fine.

Understanding the Nepali Postposition –lāi

In English, relationships like “to” and “for” are often shown with prepositions (to me, for you). In Nepali, these meanings are commonly expressed with the postposition –लाई (–lāi), which attaches directly to a noun or pronoun.

In basic grammar terms, –लाई is used in two very frequent ways:

(1) recipient/goal (“to/for someone”), and

(2) experiencer, the person who feels or experiences a condition (such as being okay, cold, hungry, sick, etc.).

The experiencer use is especially important because it appears in everyday greetings and “How are you?” questions.

Table 8.4.10 – Common –लाई (-lāi) forms

Base form	With –लाई	Transliteration	Approximate meaning
म	मलाई	malāī	to/for me
तपाईं	तपाईंलाई	tapāī̃lāī	to/for you (polite)
उहाँ	उहाँलाई	uhā̃lāī	to/for him/her (respectful)
जो	जोलाई	jolāī	to/for Jo

1) –लाई (–lāi) as a recipient marker (“to/for”)

In Nepali, –लाई (-lāī) is commonly used to indicate the recipient or target of an action—the person who receives something such as an object, information, help, or attention. In English, this often corresponds to “to” or “for” (give to someone, tell someone, do something for someone).

Nepali expresses this by attaching –लाई (-lāī) directly to the person (or living being) who receives the action.

Examples:

• मलाई भन्नुहोस्।
  malāī bhannuhos.
  Tell me.
• उहाँलाई सोध्नुहोस्।
  uhā̃lāī sodhnuhos.
  Ask him/her.

This marker is not limited to physical objects. It is also used with speech, instructions, advice, and attention.

Table 8.4.11 –लाई (–lāi) as recipient (“to/for”)

Nepali	Transliteration	English
जोलाई कलम दिनुहोस्।	jolāī kalam dinuhos.	Give the pen to Jo.
मलाई भन्नुहोस्।	malāī bhannuhos.	Tell me.

2) –लाई (–lāi) as an experiencer marker (feelings and states)

In Nepali, many everyday feelings and states—such as being okay, sick, cold, hot, worried, or comfortable—are commonly expressed using an experiencer pattern with –लाई (-lāī).

In this structure, the person is marked as the experiencer of a condition. The sentence is framed as a state that holds “for/to” that person, rather than describing the person as the direct subject of the adjective.

This is why greetings and health check-ins often use the pattern:

[Person + –लाई (-lāī)] + [condition] + छ/छैन (cha/chaina)

Examples:

• तपाईंलाई कस्तो छ?
  tapāī̃lāī kasto cha?
  How are you?
  Literally: How is it for you?
• मलाई ठीक छ।
  malāī ṭhīk cha.
  I am fine.
  Literally: It is fine for me.
• उहाँलाई ठीक छ।
  uhā̃lāī ṭhīk cha.
  He/She is fine.
  Literally: It is fine for him/her.

Better natural option:

• उहाँलाई सञ्चै छ।
  uhā̃lāī sañcai cha.
  He/She is well.

Key idea

In English, we say:

• “I am fine”
• “I am cold”
• “I am okay”

In Nepali, this is often expressed more literally as:

• “For me, it is fine/cold/okay”

So –लाई (-lāī) marks who experiences the state, and छ (cha) expresses that the condition is true.

Table 8.4.12 –लाई (–lāi) as experiencer (states/feelings)

Nepali	Transliteration	Literal sense	Natural English
तपाईंलाई कस्तो छ?	tapāī̃lāī kasto cha?	How is it for you?	How are you? (polite)
मलाई ठीक छ।	malāī ṭhīk cha.	It is fine for me.	I’m fine.
उहाँलाई राम्रो छ।	uhā̃lāī rāmro cha.	It is good for him/her.	He/She is doing well.

Expressing feelings and physical states with लागेको छ (lāgeko cha)

In Nepali, many common physical and mental states—such as hunger, thirst, sleepiness, tiredness, and fear—are often expressed using the verb लाग्नु (lāgnu), meaning “to feel” or “to come on.”

This is an experiencer construction. The person who feels the state is marked with –लाई (-lāī), and the feeling itself is expressed as a noun. The verb then appears as लागेको (lāgeko) + छ/छैन (cha/chaina) to indicate whether the feeling is present.

Basic structure

[Person + –लाई (-lāī)] + [feeling noun] + लागेको छ/छैन (lāgeko cha/chaina)

Key idea

Instead of saying “I am hungry” in a simple adjective form, Nepali expresses it more literally as: “Hunger has come to me / I am experiencing hunger.”

Table 8.4.13 – lāgeko cha: feelings and physical states

Nepali	Transliteration	English
मलाई थकाइ लागेको छ।	malāī thakāi lāgeko cha.	I feel tired.
तपाईंलाई भोक लागेको छ?	tapāī̃lāī bhok lāgeko cha?	Are you hungry? (polite)
उहाँलाई निद्रा लागेको छ।	uhā̃lāī nidrā lāgeko cha.	He/She feels sleepy.
मायालाई भोक लागेको छैन।	māyālāī bhok lāgeko chaina.	Maya is not hungry.

Past forms of हुनु (hunu): थियो (thiyo) vs भयो (bhayo)

1) थियो-form (thiyo) — past state or condition

The थियो-form (thiyo; including forms like thiẽ, thiyau, thie, thī) is used to describe a state or condition in the past. It expresses something that was true for a period of time.

Meaning focus: “was / were” (description, situation)

• मौसम चिसो थियो।
  mausam ciso thiyo.
  The weather was cold.

Table 8.4.14 – थियो-form: past states/conditions (examples)

Nepali	Transliteration	English
म घरमा थिएँ।	ma gharmā thiẽ.	I was at home.
म घरमा थिइनँ।	ma gharmā thiinã.	I was not at home.
के तपाईं घरमा हुनुहुन्थ्यो?	ke tapāī̃ gharmā hunuhunthyo?	Were you at home?
हिजो मौसम खराब थियो।	hijo mausam kharāb thiyo.	Yesterday the weather was bad.
हिजो मौसम खराब थिएन।	hijo mausam kharāb thiena.	Yesterday the weather was not bad.
के हिजो मौसम खराब थियो?	ke hijo mausam kharāb thiyo?	Was the weather bad yesterday?

2) भयो-form (bhayo) — change or event

The भयो-form (bhayo; including forms like bhaẽ, bhayau, bhae, bhaī) is used to express a change, event, or result. It highlights that something became true or happened.

Meaning focus: “became / happened / turned”

• मौसम चिसो भयो।

  mausam ciso bhayo.

  The weather became cold.

Table 8.4.15 – भयो-form: past change/outcome (examples)

Nepali	Transliteration	English
ऊ धनी भयो।	ū dhanī bhayo.	He became rich.
ऊ धनी भएन।	ū dhanī bhaena.	He did not become rich.
के ऊ धनी भयो?	ke ū dhanī bhayo?	Did he become rich?
खाना चिसो भयो।	khānā ciso bhayo.	The food became cold.
खाना चिसो भएन।	khānā ciso bhaena.	The food did not become cold.
के खाना चिसो भयो?	ke khānā ciso bhayo?	Did the food become cold?

Key distinction

• थियो (thiyo) → past state (what it was like)

• भयो (bhayo) → change/event (what happened)

Past forms of हुनु (hunu) — conjugation overview

In Nepali, the verb हुनु (hunu) has two common past patterns. The choice between them depends on meaning: whether you are describing a state/condition or a change/event. The forms also vary by person, number, and respect level.

Now see the full conjugation patterns below.

Table 8.4.18 – Past forms of hunu: थियो vs भयो (conjugation)

Pronoun(s)	थियो-form	Negative	भयो-form	Negative
म	थिएँ (thiẽ)	थिइनँ (thiinã)	भएँ (bhaẽ)	भइनँ (bha’inã)
हामी	थियौँ (thiyaũ)	थिएनौं (thienaũ)	भयौं (bhayaũ)	भएनौं (bhaenaũ)
तिमी	थियौ (thiyau)	थिएनौ (thienau)	भयौ (bhayau)	भएनौ (bhaenau)
तपाईं	हुनुभयो (hunubhayo)	हुनुभएन (hunubhaena)	हुनुभयो (hunubhayo)	हुनुभएन (hunubhaena)
ऊ / यो / त्यो (m.)	थियो (thiyo)	थिएन (thiena)	भयो (bhayo)	भएन (bhaena)
ऊ / यो / त्यो (f.)	थिई (thī)	थिइन (thiina)	भई (bhaī)	भइन (bhaina)
उनी / यिनी / तिनी (m.)	थिए (thie)	थिएनन् (thienan)	भए (bhae)	भएनन् (bhaenan)
उनी / यिनी / तिनी (f.)	थिइन् (thiin)	थिइनन् (thiinan)	भइन् (bhain)	भइनन् (bhainan)
उहाँ	हुनुहुन्थ्यो (hunuhunthyo)	हुनुहुन्नथ्यो (hunuhunnathyo)	हुनुभयो (hunubhayo)	हुनुभएन (hunubhaena)
यी / ती / उनीहरू	थिए (thie)	थिएनन् (thienan)	भए (bhae)	भएनन् (bhaenan)
उहाँहरू	हुनुहुन्थ्यो (hunuhunthyo)	हुनुहुन्नथ्यो (hunuhunnathyo)	हुनुभयो (hunubhayo)	हुनुभएन (hunubhaena)

Honorific Past

These two tables show two common honorific past patterns. The first table uses तपाईं (tapāī̃) with हुनुहुन्थ्यो / हुनुहुन्नथ्यो to describe a past state. The second table uses उहाँ (uhā̃) with हुनुभयो / हुनुभएन to describe a past outcome (becoming a doctor).

Table 8.4.19 – Honorific past state

Nepali	Transliteration	English
तपाईं हिजो यहाँ हुनुहुन्थ्यो।	tapāī̃ hijo yahā̃ hunuhunthyo.	You were here yesterday.
तपाईं हिजो यहाँ हुनुहुन्नथ्यो।	tapāī̃ hijo yahā̃ hunuhunnathyo.	You were not here yesterday.
के तपाईं हिजो यहाँ हुनुहुन्थ्यो?	ke tapāī̃ hijo yahā̃ hunuhunthyo?	Were you here yesterday?

Table 8.4.20 – Honorific past outcome

Nepali	Transliteration	English
उहाँ डाक्टर हुनुभयो।	uhā̃ ḍākṭar hunubhayo.	He/She became a doctor.
उहाँ डाक्टर हुनुभएन।	uhā̃ ḍākṭar hunubhaena.	He/She did not become a doctor.
के उहाँ डाक्टर हुनुभयो?	ke uhā̃ ḍākṭar hunubhayo?	Did he/she become a doctor?