Chapter 11 – Family and Relationships
Unit 4 — Grammar Focus
Interrogative pronoun –ko
को (ko) means “who?” in Nepali and is used to ask about a person’s identity (name, role, or relationship). These are typically identity questions (X = Y), so they use a copular verb (“to be”).
The form को (ko) does not change. Instead, the copula changes based on number and respect level (e.g., हो, हुन्, हुनुहुन्छ).
Table 11.4.1 – Interrogative pronoun को (ko): “who?” identity questions
| Nepali | Transliteration | English |
|---|---|---|
| यो को हो? | yo ko ho? | Who is this? |
| त्यो को हो? | tyo ko ho? | Who is that? |
| उनीहरू को हुन्? | unīharū ko hun? | Who are they? |
| तपाईं को हुनुहुन्छ? | tapāī̃ ko hunuhuncha? | Who are you (polite)? |
| उहाँ को हुनुहुन्छ? | uhā̃ ko hunuhuncha? | Who is he/she (respectful)? |
Compound Nouns in Nepali
A compound noun is formed when two nouns join together and behave like one noun with a single combined meaning. Nepali uses compound nouns very frequently in everyday speech, especially for family pairs and relationship sets, because they sound short and natural.
A simple learner rule is that the first noun introduces the pair, and the second noun completes it.
Table 11.4.2 – Common family/relationship compound nouns (N + N → one noun)
| Parts | Compound noun | Transliteration | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| आमा + बुबा | आमाबुबा | āmābubā | parents |
| दिदी + बहिनी | दिदीबहिनी | didībahinī | sisters |
| दाइ + भाइ | दाइभाइ | dāibhāī | brothers |
| काका + काकी | काकाकाकी | kākākākī | uncle and aunt |
A compound noun works like a single noun, so you add grammar endings to the whole unit (not to each part).
Table 11.4.3 – Compound nouns with case endings
| Form | Transliteration | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| आमाबुबाको | āmābubāko | parents’ |
| आमाबुबासँग | āmābubāsãga | with (my) parents |
| आमाबुबालाई | āmābubālāī | to/for the parents |
Polite Simple Present Verbs
To ask about what someone does now or usually does (work, study, teach, live), Nepali commonly uses polite/honorific present verb forms. These forms show respect and are used with उहाँ (uhā̃) “he/she (hon.)” and, in this chapter, also with उहाँहरू (uhā̃harū) “they (hon.)” using the same verb form for simplicity.
Key idea
- Honorific present verbs often end in –नुहुन्छ (–nuhuncha).
Table 11.4.4 – Common polite simple present verbs (–नुहुन्छ forms)
| Verb | Transliteration | English Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| गर्नुहुन्छ | garnuhuncha | do / work |
| पढ्नुहुन्छ | paḍhnuhuncha | study / read |
| पढाउनुहुन्छ | paḍhāunuhuncha | teach |
| बस्नुहुन्छ | basnuhuncha | live / stay |
Table 11.4.5 – Asking polite questions about work/study/teaching/living
| What you want to ask | Polite Question (Nepali) | Transliteration | English Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| work/job | उहाँ के काम गर्नुहुन्छ? | uhā̃ ke kām garnuhuncha? | What does he/she do for work? |
| study | उहाँ के पढ्नुहुन्छ? | uhā̃ ke paḍhnuhuncha? | What does he/she study? |
| teach (subject) | उहाँ कुन विषय पढाउनुहुन्छ? | uhā̃ kun wiṣaya paḍhāunuhuncha? | What subject does he/she teach? |
| live now | उहाँ अहिले कहाँ बस्नुहुन्छ? | uhā̃ ahile kahā̃ basnuhuncha? | Where does he/she live now? |
Table 11.4.6 – Giving polite answers about work/study/teaching/living
| What you want to say | Polite Answer (Nepali) | Transliteration | English Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| work | उहाँ कार्यालयमा काम गर्नुहुन्छ। | uhā̃ kāryālaymā kām garnuhuncha. | He/She works in an office. |
| study | उहाँ विज्ञान पढ्नुहुन्छ। | uhā̃ wijñān paḍhnuhuncha. | He/She studies science. |
| teach | उहाँ गणित पढाउनुहुन्छ। | uhā̃ gaṇit paḍhāunuhuncha. | He/She teaches math. |
| live | उहाँ क्यानाडामा बस्नुहुन्छ। | uhā̃ kyānāḍāmā basnuhuncha. | He/She lives in Canada. |
