Likes and Dislikes

In Nepali, likes and dislikes are most commonly expressed using the verb phrase मन पर्छ (man parcha) for “like” and मन पर्दैन (man pardaina) for “don’t like.”

Literally, मन पर्नु (man parnu) means “to be pleasing to the mind/heart,” so preference is expressed as an experience rather than an action performed by the subject.

Because of this structure, the person who experiences the feeling is typically marked with –लाई (–lāī), while the thing liked or disliked functions as the grammatical subject.

Table 15.4.1 – Likes/dislikes in the present: मन पर्छ / मन पर्दैन (man parchha / man pardaina)

Past Preference (मन पर्‍यो / मन परेन) (man paryo / man parena)

When expressing preference in the past—especially after experiencing something such as tasting food, watching a movie, or visiting a place—Nepali uses the forms मन पर्‍यो (man paryo) for “liked” and मन परेन (man parena) for “didn’t like.”

This maintains the same experiential structure as the present tense. The meaning is still “something was pleasing/unpleasing,” but now located in the past.

As with the present form, the experiencer (the person who felt the reaction) is usually marked with –लाई (–lāī), while the thing liked or disliked remains the grammatical subject.

Table 15.4.2 – Past preference: मन पर्‍यो / मन परेन (man paryo / man parena)

Table 15.4.3 – Common questions for preferences (present and past)

Table 15.4.4 – Short answers for preferences

Alternative Expression: मन पराउनु (man parāunu)

Although everyday Nepali most commonly uses the experiencer pattern मलाई … मन पर्छ (malāī … man parchha), you may also encounter the verb मन पराउनु (man parāunu, “to like”), especially in written Nepali or more careful/formal speech.

Unlike the experiencer construction, मन पराउनु (man parāunu) behaves more like a typical transitive verb. The person who likes something appears as the grammatical subject, which makes the structure closer to English.

Table 15.4.5 – Alternative “like” verb (more subject-style): present

Table 15.4.6 – मन पराउनु (man parāunu) in the past: parāẽ / parāunubhayo

Need/Want and Availability

In Nepali, meanings such as “need/want (right now)” and “availability / ability to obtain something” are commonly expressed in an impersonal (passive-like) structure.

Instead of saying “I need X” as a subject-based action, Nepali typically frames it as:

• “X is needed for me”

• “X is available/obtainable (for me)”

Because of this structure, the thing being needed or available functions like the grammatical subject, while the person who needs or receives it is marked with –लाई (–lāī).

Core verbs

• चाहिनु (cāhinu) — “to be needed / wanted”

• पाइनु (pāinu) — “to be available / obtainable / get (something)”

These verbs often appear in forms like:

• चाहिन्छ (cāhincha) — is needed / want

• पाइन्छ (pāincha) — is available / can be obtained

1) चाहिन्छ / चाहिँदैन (cāhincha / cāhĩdaina)

चाहिन्छ (cāhincha) “is needed / is wanted” and चाहिँदैन (cāhĩdaina) “is not needed / is not wanted” are the most practical forms for stating what you want or need in the immediate situation.

They are especially common in cafés and restaurants because they express a present request (what you want right now), not a general preference.

Grammar pattern

This is an impersonal construction:

• The item behaves like the subject-like element

• The person is marked with –लाई (–lāī)

For learners, the key contrast is simple: use चाहिन्छ / चाहिँदैन for “want/need now,” and use मन पर्छ / मन पर्दैन for “like/dislike in general.”

Table 15.4.7 – Want/need now: चाहिन्छ / चाहिँदैन (cāhinchha / cāhĩdaina)

Table 15.4.8 – Polite want/need questions

2) पाइन्छ / पाइँदैन (pāincha / pāĩdaina)

पाइन्छ (pāincha) means “is obtainable / is available,” and पाइँदैन (pāĩdaina) means “is not obtainable / is not available.” These are the most common expressions for availability in everyday settings such as shops, cafés, restaurants, and services.

Instead of directly asking “Do you have X?”, Nepali often frames the question as whether something can be obtained at a place.

Grammar pattern

This is an impersonal construction:

• The item acts like the subject-like element

• The place (often यहाँ (yahā̃) “here”) provides the location of availability

Practically: use पाइन्छ to confirm something is available to buy/order, and use पाइँदैन to understand or state that it is not available.

Table 15.4.9 – Availability: पाइन्छ / पाइँदैन (pāinchha / pāĩdaina)

3) “Available” vs. “Can you get…?”

Literally, पाइन्छ (pāincha) means “is found / is available / can be obtained.” In natural English, this is often translated as “you can get …,” because English tends to express availability from the customer’s perspective.

Nepali, however, does not explicitly mention the person doing the action. The meaning is impersonal and general, so the “someone/you” interpretation is already understood from context.

Table 15.4.10 – Availability questions: kahā̃ pāincha? / … pāincha?

Asking Yes/No Questions with ki (“…or?”)

In Nepali, yes/no questions usually keep the same word order as statements. In speech, they are marked mainly by rising intonation at the end, while in writing the question mark (?) signals the interrogative form.

A very common feature of Nepali questions is the particle कि (ki), which literally means “or.” When used in questions, it creates a structure similar to “…or not?”, making the question more natural and conversational.

Basic use of ki

• यहाँ पानी छ कि?

  yahā̃ pānī cha ki?

  “Is there water here (or not)?”

Explicit alternative form

You can also state both options directly:

• हो कि होइन?

  ho ki hoina?

  “Is it or isn’t it?”

• छ कि छैन?

  cha ki chaina?

  “Is there or isn’t there?”

Pragmatic note

Questions like:

• यहाँ पानी छ कि?

  yahā̃ pānī cha ki?

often carry an implied polite request or expectation, such as the speaker being interested in getting water if it is available.

Table 15.4.11 – Yes/no questions with कि (ki)

Saying “because” with kinabhane

In everyday Nepali, the most common way to say “because” is किनभने (kinabhane). It is used to introduce a reason or explanation, especially in response to किन? (kina? “why?”).

Basic pattern

• किन? (kina?) — “why?”

• किनभने + कारण (kinabhane + kāraṇ) — “because + reason”

Examples

• किन आउनुभएन?

  kina āunubhaena?

  “Why didn’t you come?”

• किनभने म बिरामी थिएँ।

  kinabhane ma birāmī thiẽ.

  “Because I was sick.”

Alternative form

A more formal or written equivalent is:

• किनकि (kinki) — “because”

Key idea

• किनभने (kinabhane) = everyday spoken “because”

• किनकि (kinaki) = more formal/written “because”

The structure is straightforward: reason follows किनभने (kinabhane) without changing word order.

Table 15.4.12 – Giving reasons with किनभने (kinabhane)