By this point, you have already studied हो (ho) / हुन् (hun) as the Nepali linking verb for identity and classification—used to say what or who something is (A = B).

This section introduces the second high-frequency “to be” pattern: छ (cha) / छन् (chan). Nepali uses this pattern when the meaning is not identity, but location (“where something is”), state or condition (“how something is”), or existence/availability (“there is/are…”).

Unlike English, which uses one verb (“to be”) for all these meanings, Nepali separates identity (हो / हुन्) from location, existence, and condition (छ / छन्).

Because छ (cha) / छन् (chan) is essential for everyday communication—finding objects, asking where people or things are, and describing availability—you will use this system frequently from here onward.

Location of objects in the present tense

To describe where an object is in Nepali, use the existence/location verbs छ (cha) for a single item and छन् (chan) for multiple items. Their negatives are छैन (chaina) and छैनन् (chainan).

The place is marked with the postposition –मा (-mā), meaning “in,” “on,” or “at,” depending on context. You may also add यहाँ (yahā̃) “here” or त्यहाँ (tyahā̃) “there” for clarity or emphasis.

This pattern is used for objects and non-human things (not honorific reference).

Basic structure:

• Singular: यो/त्यो + noun + [place]–मा (-mā) + छ/छैन (cha/chaina)

• Plural: यी/ती + noun + [place]–मा (-mā) + छन्/छैनन् (chan/chainan)

Table 6.4.1 – Present-tense location Sentences (objects)

Table 6.4.3 – Present-tense location forms (honorific/polite)

Asking “Where?” with kahā̃

To ask about location in Nepali, use the interrogative adverb कहाँ (kahā̃) meaning “where.”

In most cases, the place in both questions and answers is marked with the locative postposition –मा (-mā), which attaches to the noun and can mean “in,” “on,” or “at,” depending on context.

The verb follows the standard present-location system:

• छ (cha) for singular / one item

• छन् (chan) for plural

• Negative forms: छैन (chaina), छैनन् (chainan)

When the subject is a respectful person (especially तपाईं tapāī̃ or उहाँ uhā̃), Nepali often uses the honorific form हुनुहुन्छ (hunuhuncha) and its negative हुनुहुन्न (hunuhunna) to maintain politeness.

This section focuses on forming and answering “where” questions in natural, polite Nepali, with correct agreement for number and respect level.

Table 6.4.4 – Location Questions

Table 6.4.5 – Present location statements (affirmative)

Table 6.4.6 – Present location statements (negative)

Postpositions in Nepali

English uses prepositions like “in,” “on,” and “at” before a noun (e.g., “in the classroom”). Nepali typically uses postpositions, which come after the noun and are usually written attached.

The most common location marker is –मा (-mā), which can mean “in,” “on,” or “at,” depending on context.

Examples:

• कक्षा + मा → कक्षामा (kakṣāmā) “in the classroom”

• घर + मा → घरमा (gharmā) “at home”

• टेबल + मा → टेबलमा (ṭebalmā) “on the table”

Once you form the noun + –मा (-mā) phrase, you combine it with छ (cha) / छन् (chan) to express where someone or something is located in the present tense.

Table 6.4.7 – Example sentences (location with –मा)

Common location words (inside, under, in front of…)

In Nepali, you use a set of high-frequency location words to describe spatial relationships such as “inside,” “outside,” “under,” “on top of,” “in front of,” and “behind.” These are used in everyday communication for finding objects, giving directions, and describing places.

In sentences, these words typically follow the noun and function as relational markers, forming phrases like “under the table” or “in front of the school.” They are commonly used with the location/existence verbs छ (cha) / छन् (chan) to state where something is.

The table below lists essential beginner-level location words, along with their transliteration and English meaning.

Table 6.4.8 – Common location words

Table 6.4.9 – Location phrases

These phrases are commonly written as a single unit by attaching the location word directly to the noun.

Location phrases with specific places

When the reference noun is a specific place or institution (such as an office, school, building, or college), Nepali commonly links it to location words using the genitive marker –को (-ko). This structure shows a spatial relationship between the place and the location word.

This is especially common with words like अगाडि (agāḍi) “in front of,” पछाडि (pachāḍi) “behind,” भित्र (bhitra) “inside,” and बाहिर (bāhira) “outside.”

The pattern is essentially:

[Place + –को (-ko)] + [location word]

Meaning: “the front/inside/behind/outside of the place”

Examples:

• कलेजको भित्र (kalejko bhitra) — inside the college

• भवनको बाहिर (bhawanko bāhira) — outside the building

These phrases are then commonly used with छ (cha) / छन् (chan) to describe where something is located.

Table 6.4.10 – Using –को (–ko) with specific places

Table 6.4.11 – Using location words in full sentences

Past Location (Was / Were)

To describe where someone or something was in the past, Nepali uses past forms of हुनु (hunu) “to be,” built on the थि- (thi-) stem. In location sentences, these forms function as a linking (copular) verb that connects a subject to a place and expresses a past-time location meaning—“X was in/on/at Y.”

The basic structure remains the same as in the present:

[Subject] + [Location phrase] + Past copula

The difference is only in the verb form:

• Singular: थियो (thiyo) — “was”

• Plural: थिए (thiye) — “were”

• Honorific: हुनुहुन्थ्यो (hunuhunthyo) — respectful “was/were”

The location marker –मा (-mā) and other postpositional location expressions stay unchanged. Only the verb changes to show past time.

Key point:

Past time is expressed through the verb, not by changing the location marker.

Example pattern:

• घरमा थियो (gharmā thiyo) — was at home

• कक्षामा थिए (kakṣāmā thiye) — were in the classroom

• यहाँ हुनुहुन्थ्यो (yahā̃ hunuhunthyo) — was here (honorific)

Past location forms with pronouns

To express past location (“was/were”), Nepali uses past forms of हुनु (hunu) built on the थि- (thi-) stem, such as थियो (thiyo), थिए (thiye), and थिएँ (thiẽ). These forms change according to the subject pronoun and level of respect.

Non-honorific subjects use the regular थि- (thi-) forms:

• Singular: थियो (thiyo) — was

• Plural: थिए (thiye) — were

• First person: थिएँ (thiẽ) — I was

Their negative forms are:

• थिएन (thiena) — was not

• थिएनन् (thienan) — were not

Respectful subjects such as तपाईं (tapāī̃) and उहाँ (uhā̃) typically use the honorific form हुनुहुन्थ्यो (hunuhunthyo), with the negative हुनुहुन्नथ्यो (hunuhunnathyo).

Table 6.4.12 – Past location forms (non-honorific)

Table 6.4.13 – Past location forms (honorific/polite)

Table 6.4.14 – Past location questions

Past location questions use कहाँ (kahā̃) in the same way as present-time questions. Only the verb changes to the past form.

Table 6.4.15 – Past location statements (affirmative)

In affirmative past-time sentences, the location phrase (often with –मा –mā or other location words) stays the same. The verb changes to थियो / थिए (thiyo / thiye) or हुनुहुन्थ्यो (hunuhunthyo).

Table 6.4.16 – Past location statements (negative)

To make past-time location negative, Nepali uses the negative past forms (e.g., थिएन, थिएनन्) or the honorific negative हुनुहुन्नथ्यो (hunuhunnathyo).