Unit 4 — Grammar Focus

Commands and Requests

In Nepali, commands and requests change according to the relationship between the speaker and the listener.

In English, politeness is often added with words such as “please.” In Nepali, politeness is usually shown directly through the verb ending. This means that the same basic command can sound direct, familiar, polite, or very respectful depending on the form used.

For example, the idea “sit” can be expressed in different ways:

बस्
bas
Sit. Very direct.

बस
basa
Sit. Familiar / softer.

बस्नुहोस्
basnuhos
Please sit.

बस्नुहोला
basnuholā
Please sit. Very polite / deferential.

To use commands and requests correctly, think about two things:

• the relationship between the speaker and listener
• the correct verb form for that level of politeness

For beginners, the safest form is the polite तपाईं (tapāī̃) level. This form is respectful and appropriate in many everyday situations, including classrooms, shops, travel, public places, and conversations with people you do not know well.

Table 9.4.1 – Politeness Levels and “You” Forms

Nepali commonly uses four levels when giving commands and requests. Speakers often omit the pronoun, but the verb form still shows the level.

Table 9.4.2 – Four imperative levels

These are the common command/request forms using गर्नु (garnu).

Table 9.4.3 – Negative imperatives with na-

To say “don’t…,” Nepali adds न- (na-) to the imperative form.

Simple Rule

Use polite forms when speaking to strangers, teachers, elders, guests, or people in public settings.

For beginners, polite request forms such as आउनुहोस् (āunuhos), बस्नुहोस् (basnuhos), खानुहोस् (khānuhos), and भन्नुहोस् (bhannuhos) are safe and respectful.

Try It Now

Read the polite request forms aloud.

आउनुहोस्
āunuhos
Please come.

बस्नुहोस्
basnuhos
Please sit.

खानुहोस्
khānuhos
Please eat.

भन्नुहोस्
bhannuhos
Please say. / Please tell.

गर्नुहोस्
garnuhos
Please do.

Learner Tip

The word कृपया (kṛpayā) means “please,” but it is not always necessary in Nepali. A polite verb form such as बस्नुहोस् (basnuhos) is already polite.

कृपया बस्नुहोस्।
kṛpayā basnuhos.
Please sit.

This form is correct, but it sounds more formal than simply saying बस्नुहोस् (basnuhos).

Imperative Formation by Verb Class

Nepali verbs form commands in slightly different ways depending on the verb type.

At the polite and very polite levels, the pattern is usually simple:

dictionary form ending in –नु (–nu) + polite ending

For example:

बस्नु + होस् → बस्नुहोस्
basnu + hos → basnuhos
Please sit.

खानु + होस् → खानुहोस्
khānu + hos → khānuhos
Please eat.

The main differences appear in the lower and more casual command forms.

1. C-Verb Imperatives

C-verbs are verbs whose base ends in a consonant.

For many C-verbs, the low command is the bare base. This form can sound very direct or abrupt.

A softer middle form often adds a short vowel sound, commonly heard as -a. This makes the command sound smoother and more conversational.

For polite and respectful requests, use the dictionary form ending in –नु (–nu) plus a respectful ending.

Common polite endings include:

–नुहोस्
–nuhos
standard polite request

–नुहोला
–nuholā
extra-polite or more deferential request

Table 9.4.4 – Imperative Forms of basnu “to sit” (by politeness level)

A quick reference to basnu (C-Verb) in four politeness levels, showing matching affirmative and negative forms (na- for “don’t”).

Try It Now

Compare the forms.

बस्
bas
Sit. Very direct.

बस
basa
Sit. Familiar / softer.

बस्नुहोस्
basnuhos
Please sit.

बस्नुहोला
basnuholā
Please sit. Very polite / deferential.

Common Mistake

Do not use the direct low form with strangers, teachers, elders, or guests.

For example, बस् (bas) may sound too blunt in many situations. Use बस्नुहोस् (basnuhos) instead.

2. V-Verb Imperatives

V-verbs are verbs whose base ends in a single vowel.

The low command is often the bare base. The middle form may add –ऊ (–ū) to make the command sound more conversational or familiar.

For polite requests, use the dictionary form ending in –नु (–nu) plus the polite ending.

Table 9.4.5 – Imperative Forms of (khānu) “to eat” (by politeness level)

A quick reference to khānu (V-Verb) across four politeness levels, with matching affirmative and negative forms (negative uses na- “don’t”).

Try It Now

Read the forms aloud.

खा
khā
Eat. Direct.

खाऊ
khāū
Eat. Familiar / softer.

खानुहोस्
khānuhos
Please eat.

खानुहोला
khānuholā
Please eat. Very polite / deferential.

3. VV-Verb Imperatives

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

At the low level, the final -u sound may be dropped in short command forms.

For example:

आउ
āu
to come

आ
ā
Come. Direct.

पिउ
piu
to drink

पी
pī
Drink. Direct.

At the middle level, speakers often use a friendlier form with –ऊ (–ū).

At the polite level, VV-verbs follow the regular pattern:

dictionary form + –नुहोस् (–nuhos)

Table 9.4.6 – Imperative Forms of (piunu) “to drink” (by politeness level)

A quick reference to piunu (VV-Verb) across four politeness levels, with matching affirmative and negative forms (negative uses na- “don’t”).

Try It Now

Compare the forms.

आ
ā
Come. Direct.

आऊ
āū
Come. Familiar / softer.

आउनुहोस्
āunuhos
Please come.

पिउ
piu
to drink

पिउनुहोस्
piunuhos
Please drink.

Irregular Imperative Bases

Some very common Nepali verbs have special short command forms. These forms do not follow the regular pattern at the low and middle levels.

It is best to learn them as fixed forms.

The good news is that the polite forms are usually regular. For polite requests, use the dictionary form ending in –नु (–nu) plus –होस् (–hos).

Table 9.4.7 – Irregular Imperative Bases (Common Verbs)

Common verbs with special low/middle command forms; the polite (high) form stays regular with –nuhos.

Spoken Nepali Note

In everyday spoken Nepali, polite forms are often shortened.

For example:

खानुहोस्
khānuhos
Please eat.

खानुस्
khānus
Please eat.

बस्नुहोस्
basnuhos
Please sit.

बस्नुस्
basnus
Please sit.

Both full and shortened forms are common. In this book, the full forms are introduced first because they are clearer for learners.

Try It Now

Read the full form and the common spoken form.

आउनुहोस्
āunuhos

आउनुस्
āunus

बस्नुहोस्
basnuhos

बस्नुस्
basnus

भन्नुहोस्
bhannuhos

भन्नुस्
bhannus

Simple Past Tense

The simple past tense is used to talk about completed actions, events, and situations.

It often matches English simple past forms such as:

• I went.
• She came.
• They ate.
• It was.

Nepali also uses the simple past for recent updates. In English, we might use the present perfect, but Nepali often uses a simple past form.

For example:

पानी आयो।
pānī āyo.
It started raining. / It has started raining.

उहाँ आउनुभयो?
uhā̃ āunubhayo?
Did he/she arrive? / Has he/she arrived?

Simple Rule

Nepali simple past shows that something happened or was completed.

It can also be used for recent news or recent changes.

How Simple Past Forms Are Built

Simple past forms are built from two parts:

past stem + past ending

The stem gives the main meaning of the verb.

The ending shows who did the action.

Once you know the past stem of a verb, you can add different endings for different subjects.

Table 9.4.8 – Simple Past: Stem + Ending (How Forms Are Built)

The table shows how simple past verbs are formed by past stem + subject ending.

Try It Now

Look at the pattern.

पढ्नु
paḍhnu
to read

पढ्–
paḍh–
read stem

पढें
paḍhẽ
I read.

पढ्यो
paḍhyo
He/She read.

पढे
paḍhe
They read.

Past Tense Verb Bases

A. Regular Past Bases

For many Nepali verbs, the past stem is easy to form.

Start with the dictionary form ending in –नु (–nu).

Remove –नु (–nu).

Use the remaining base as the past stem.

Then add the correct past ending.

For example:

लेख्नु
lekhnu
to write

लेख्–
lekh–
write stem

लेखें
lekhẽ
I wrote.

Table 9.4.9 – Regular Past Stems (C-Verbs and V-Verbs)

Verbs whose past stem is the same as the basic stem (drop –nu, then add endings).

Try It Now

Find the stem.

पढ्नु
paḍhnu
to read

पढ्–
paḍh–

लेख्नु
lekhnu
to write

लेख्–
lekh–

खोल्नु
kholnu
to open

खोल्–
khol–

VV-Verbs in the Past

Some verbs have a vowel + u sound in the present base.

Examples include:

आउनु
āunu
to come

पिउनु
piunu
to drink

पकाउनु
pakāunu
to cook

In the simple past, the -u part often disappears before the past ending is added.

Table 9.4.10 – VV-Verbs in the Past (u-Drop Past Stems)

VV-verbs (double-Vowel verbs) have a present stem that includes a vowel + u sound, like आउ- (āu-), पिउ- (piu-), or पकाउ- (pakāu-). In the simple past, Nepali usually makes the stem shorter: the -u part disappears. After that, you add the same regular past endings (like -एँ, -यो, -ए).

Try It Now

Compare the forms.

आउनु
āunu
to come

आएँ
āẽ
I came.

पिउनु
piunu
to drink

पिएँ
piẽ
I drank.

पकाउनु
pakāunu
to cook

पकाएँ
pakāẽ
I cooked.

B. Irregular Past Bases

Some very common verbs have irregular past stems.

These verbs do not follow the simple “remove –नु” rule in a regular way.

Because they are common, it is best to memorize them.

Table 9.4.11 – Irregular Past Stems

Very common verbs with stem changes (learn these past stems as fixed).

Learner Tip

Do not worry if irregular forms feel difficult at first. Learn them through common sentences and repeated practice.

For example:

म गएँ।
ma gaẽ.
I went.

उहाँ आउनुभयो।
uhā̃ āunubhayo.
He/She came.

मैले गरें।
maile garẽ.
I did.

Past Tense Verb Endings

In Nepali, past-tense endings change according to the subject.

The ending can show:

• person
• number
• honorific level
• sometimes gender in third-person forms

Because the same endings appear with many verbs, it is useful to learn them as a pattern.

Table 9.4.12 – Simple Past Endings (Affirmative and Negative)

The core past endings by subject—a reusable pattern for many verbs.

Table 9.4.13 – Simple Past of āunu “to come”

A complete conjugation model for a VV-verb (ā- past stem).

Table 9.4.14 – Simple Past of jānu “to go” (Irregular Past Stem)

जानु has an irregular plain past stem: ग- (ga-). So plain past forms use ग- + ending.

Try It Now

Read the past-tense sentences aloud.

मैले किताब पढें।
maile kitāb paḍhẽ.
I read a book.

उहाँले किताब पढ्नुभयो।
uhā̃le kitāb paḍhnubhayo.
He/She read a book.

म गएँ।
ma gaẽ.
I went.

उहाँ जानुभयो।
uhā̃ jānubhayo.
He/She went.

The Simple Past Forms of हुनु

The verb हुनु (hunu) “to be” has important past forms.

Nepali uses two main past series:

थियो-series
thiyo-series

भयो-series
bhayo-series

The थियो-series is often used for past location, condition, or state.

For example:

किताब टेबलमा थियो।
kitāb ṭebalmā thiyo.
The book was on the table.

म घरमा थिएँ।
ma gharmā thiẽ.
I was at home.

The भयो-series often shows becoming, happening, completion, or change of state.

For example:

रात भयो।
rāt bhayo.
It became night.

काम भयो।
kām bhayo.
The work was done. / The work happened.

For respectful subjects such as तपाईं (tapāī̃), उहाँ (uhā̃), and उहाँहरू (uhā̃harū), Nepali usually uses honorific forms.

हुनुभयो
hunubhayo
was / became / happened, respectful

हुनुभएन
hunubhaena
was not / did not become / did not happen, respectful

Table 9.4.15 – Past of hunu: thiyo vs bhayo (State vs Change)

The table compares the two past series: थियो-forms (past state) vs भयो-forms (change/outcome), with negatives.

Simple Rule

Use the थियो-series for past location, condition, or state.

Use the भयो-series for becoming, happening, completion, or change of state.

Use honorific forms such as हुनुभयो (hunubhayo) with respectful subjects.

Transitive and Intransitive Verbs

Nepali verbs can be grouped into two broad types:

• transitive verbs
• intransitive verbs

This difference is important in the simple past because many transitive past sentences mark the subject with –ले (–le).

Transitive Verbs

A transitive verb takes a direct object. The action is done to something or someone.

Examples:

• read a book
• write a letter
• eat rice
• open the door
• make food
• give money

In Nepali simple past sentences with transitive verbs, the doer is commonly marked with –ले (–le).

For example:

मैले किताब पढेँ।
maile kitāb paḍhẽ.
I read a book.

Here, किताब (kitāb) is the direct object. It is the thing being read.

Intransitive Verbs

An intransitive verb does not take a direct object.

Many intransitive verbs describe movement, posture, or change.

Examples:

• go
• come
• arrive
• sit
• stand
• fall
• happen

For example:

म गएँ।
ma gaẽ.
I went.

This sentence has no direct object. The subject is not marked with –ले (–le).

Transitive Verbs and –ले in the Simple Past

In Nepali, the subject of a transitive verb in the simple past is often marked with –ले (–le).

This marker shows the doer of a completed action.

For example:

मैले किताब पढें।
maile kitāb paḍhẽ.
I read a book.

उहाँले ढोका खोल्नुभयो।
uhā̃le ḍhokā kholnubhayo.
He/She opened the door.

Here, the subjects are marked with –ले:

मैले
maile
I, as the doer

उहाँले
uhā̃le
he/she, as the doer

With pronouns, the form before –ले may change.

For example:

म → मैले
ma → maile

ऊ → उस्ले
ū → usle

यो → यस्ले
yo → yasle

त्यो → त्यस्ले
tyo → tyasle

Table 9.4.16 – Subject + –ले Forms (Pronouns)

The most useful pronoun + –ले forms used for past transitive subjects and “who did it?” (kasle).

Try It Now

Read the –ले forms aloud.

मैले
maile
I, as doer

तपाईंले
tapāī̃le
you, as doer

उहाँले
uhā̃le
he/she, as doer

कस्ले
kasle
who, as doer?

Table 9.4.17 – Transitive Past with –ले

Examples where the subject is marked with –ले because the verb has a direct object.

Common Mistake

Do not add –ले (–le) to every past-tense subject.

Use –ले especially when the verb is transitive and has a direct object.

Compare:

मैले किताब पढें।
maile kitāb paḍhẽ.
I read a book.

म घर गएँ।
ma ghar gaẽ.
I went home.

In the first sentence, किताब (kitāb) is a direct object.

In the second sentence, घर (ghar) is a destination, not a direct object.

Intransitive Verbs in the Simple Past

Intransitive verbs do not take a direct object.

Because there is no direct object, the subject is usually not marked with –ले (–le).

For example:

म गएँ।
ma gaẽ.
I went.

म बसें।
ma basẽ.
I sat.

उहाँ जानुभयो।
uhā̃ jānubhayo.
He/She went.

उहाँ बस्नुभयो।
uhā̃ basnubhayo.
He/She sat.

Table 9.4.18 – Intransitive Past Without –ले

Examples of past movement/posture verbs where –ले is not used.

Simple Rule

Transitive past sentence with a direct object → subject often takes –ले (–le)

Intransitive past sentence with no direct object → no –ले (–le)

Compare:

मैले किताब पढें।
maile kitāb paḍhẽ.
I read a book.

म घर गएँ।
ma ghar gaẽ.
I went home.

Try It Now

Decide whether the sentence uses –ले.

मैले चिया पिएँ।
maile ciyā piẽ.
I drank tea.

म स्कुल गएँ।
ma skul gaẽ.
I went to school.

उहाँले खाना खानुभयो।
uhā̃le khānā khānubhayo.
He/She ate food.

उहाँ घर जानुभयो।
uhā̃ ghar jānubhayo.
He/She went home.

Further Uses of –ले

Although –ले (–le) is very important in transitive past sentences, it does not only mean “past tense.”

It is better to think of –ले (–le) as a role marker.

It can mark:

• the doer or agent
• the questioned doer
• the instrument or tool
• the cause or force

The tense comes from the verb, not from –ले.

1. Typical Agent in Habitual or General Statements

Sometimes –ले (–le) marks the person or thing that usually does an action.

This can appear in general statements, instructions, or descriptions of typical behaviour.

Table 9.4.19 – ले (le) in General Truths (Habit / Role Statements)

The table shows –ले as an agent-focus marker in non-past general statements.

Learner Tip

In casual speech, speakers may not always use –ले in non-past sentences.

However, you may hear –ले when the speaker wants to emphasize the doer or responsible person.

2. Questioned Agent: कस्ले

The form कस्ले (kasle) means “who” as the doer of an action.

It is very common in questions.

For example:

कस्ले गर्‍यो?
kasle garyo?
Who did it?

कस्ले भन्यो?
kasle bhanyo?
Who said it?

कस्ले लेख्छ?
kasle lekhcha?
Who writes? / Who will write?

Table 9.4.20 – Asking “Who?” with कस्ले (kasle)

“Who (as the doer)?” questions typically use कस्ले, especially with actions.

3. Instrument or Means

–ले (–le) can also show the instrument or means used to do something.

In English, this often means “with” or “by using.”

For example:

कलमले लेखें।
kalamle lekhẽ.
I wrote with a pen.

चक्कुले काटें।
cakkule kāṭẽ.
I cut with a knife.

Table 9.4.21 – ले (le) for Instruments (“with”)

–ले can mark the tool/body part used to do an action (“with”).

4. Cause or Force

–ले (–le) can also mark a cause or force.

This is common with weather, illness, heat, cold, stress, or other conditions that cause something to happen.

For example:

ज्वरोले थाक्यो।
jwarole thākyo.
He/She became tired because of fever.

चिसोले गाह्रो भयो।
cisole gāhro bhayo.
It became difficult because of the cold.

Table 9.4.22 – –ले (le) for Cause (“because of”)

–ले can mark a cause/reason (“due to”), not an agent.

Key Point

–ले (–le) does not always mean past tense.

It shows the role of a noun in the sentence.

The verb tells you the tense.

Honorific –जी and –ज्यू in Respectful Address

Nepali uses honorific endings to show respect when addressing or referring to people.

Two common honorific forms are:

–जी
–jī

–ज्यू
–jyū

Using –जी

–जी (–jī) is commonly added to names and some kinship terms to show respect.

It is similar to polite address in English, but it is more flexible and common in everyday Nepali.

For example:

रामजी
rāmjī
Ram-ji

सीताजी
sītājī
Sita-ji

Using –जी can make greetings, questions, and requests sound more polite.

Table 9.4.23 – –जी (-jī) in Respectful Address

–जी is a common polite marker used with names and kin terms in everyday respectful speech.

Using –ज्यू

–ज्यू (–jyū) is more respectful and formal than –जी (–jī).

It is often used with titles, roles, and formal address.

For example:

गुरुज्यू
gurujyū
respected teacher / guru

Table 9.4.24 – –ज्यू (-jyū) with Titles (More Formal Respect)

-ज्यू (-jyū) is a more respectful honorific commonly used with titles/roles, especially in formal settings.

Learner Tip

Use –जी (–jī) for polite everyday respect with names.

Use –ज्यू (–jyū) in more formal or highly respectful situations.

Can You Do This Now?

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

• recognize different levels of Nepali commands and requests
• use polite request forms such as आउनुहोस्, बस्नुहोस्, खानुहोस्, and भन्नुहोस्
• understand that Nepali politeness is shown through verb endings
• recognize common shortened spoken forms such as आउनुस् and बस्नुस्
• form simple past-tense sentences
• recognize when –ले is used with transitive verbs in the simple past
• distinguish between transitive and intransitive verbs
• understand that –ले can also mark doer, instrument, means, cause, or force
• use –जी and –ज्यू to show respect in address