Most people who visit Nepal speak no Nepali. They survive perfectly well — English is widely spoken in Kathmandu, Pokhara, and along the major trekking routes, and Nepali guides, hotel staff, and restaurant owners are accustomed to working with foreign tourists.
But there is surviving, and then there is travelling well. The difference, in Nepal more than almost anywhere else, often comes down to a handful of words.
Nepal is a country where the effort to speak the local language is repaid with extraordinary generosity. Locals who would give a polite but transactional response to an English-speaking tourist will light up, laugh warmly, and treat you like a guest rather than a customer the moment you produce even rudimentary Nepali. A "Namaste" with hands pressed together, a "Dhanyabad" after your meal, a "Kasto chha?" directed at your guesthouse host — these small acts of linguistic respect carry an outsized social return.
This guide gives you the essential Nepali words every traveller needs, organised so you can use them from day one. No prior knowledge required.
The Golden Five: Start Here
If you learn nothing else, learn these five. They will serve you in every situation, every day, without exception.
1. Namaste (na-ma-STAY) — नमस्ते
Hello / Goodbye / Greetings
Namaste is the universal Nepali greeting. It is used at any time of day, in any situation, with anyone. Press your palms together in front of your chest — the "anjali" gesture — and say "Namaste" with a slight nod. It also works as a farewell.
The word carries the meaning "I bow to the divine in you" — a genuine gesture of respect, not just a casual hi. Using it sincerely, with the gesture, is always noticed and always appreciated.
2. Dhanyabad (dhan-ya-BAAD) — धन्यवाद
Thank you
You will need this dozens of times a day. Use it after every meal, after receiving directions, after someone helps you with your bag, after your guide explains something. There is no such thing as overusing dhanyabad in Nepal.
A more casual version used among friends and in informal situations is "shukriya" — borrowed from Urdu/Hindi and widely understood in Nepal.
3. Thik chha (THEEK chha) — ठीक छ
It's fine / Okay / Good
This is the most versatile phrase in Nepali. It means "it's fine", "okay", "that works", and "I'm alright" depending on context. When someone asks how you are and you want to say you are fine, "thik chha" works. When you want to confirm that a hotel room is acceptable, "thik chha" works. When a guide asks if the pace is okay, "thik chha" works.
4. Maaf garnus (MAAF gar-NUS) — माफ गर्नुस्
Excuse me / I'm sorry / Pardon
This phrase does triple duty. Use it to get someone's attention ("maaf garnus, bato kaha chha?"), to apologise ("maaf garnus, bujhina"), or to squeeze past someone in a crowded market.
5. Bujhina (buj-HI-na) — बुझिन
I don't understand
This is your emergency ejector button. When a conversation has gone beyond your vocabulary, "bujhina" communicates that you need a simpler approach, a repeat, or English. Follow it with "bistaarai bolnus" (please speak slowly) and you will usually get what you need.
Essential Words by Travel Situation
At the Hotel or Guesthouse
| English | Nepali | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Room | Kamara | ka-MA-ra |
| Do you have a room? | Kamara chha? | ka-MA-ra chha? |
| How much per night? | Ek raat kati parchha? | ek RAAT ka-ti PAR-chha? |
| Hot water | Tatoo paani | ta-TOO PAA-ni |
| Blanket | Sirak | SI-rak |
| Is there WiFi? | WiFi chha? | WiFi chha? |
| Key | Saanglo | SAANG-lo |
| Bathroom | Bathroom / Sauchalay | SAU-cha-lay |
| What time is breakfast? | Bihana khaana kati baje? | bi-HA-na KHA-na KA-ti BA-je? |
At the Restaurant
| English | Nepali | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Menu | Menu | ME-nu |
| Water | Paani | PAA-ni |
| Tea | Chiya | CHI-ya |
| Milk tea | Dudh chiya | DUDH chi-ya |
| Black tea | Kaalo chiya | KAA-lo chi-ya |
| Rice | Bhat | BHAT |
| Dal bhat | Dal bhat | dal BHAT |
| Vegetables | Tarkari | tar-KA-ri |
| No meat | Masu chaina | MA-su CHAI-na |
| I am vegetarian | Ma shaakahaari ho | ma shaa-ka-HAA-ri HO |
| It's delicious | Mitho chha | MI-tho chha |
| I'm full | Pugyo | PUG-yo |
| Bill please | Bill diinus | BILL di-NUS |
| How much? | Kati parchha? | KA-ti PAR-chha? |
At the Market and Shopping
| English | Nepali | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| How much is this? | Yo kati parchha? | YO ka-ti PAR-chha? |
| Too expensive | Mahango chha | ma-HAN-go chha |
| A bit cheaper? | Ali sasto garnos? | A-li SAS-to gar-NOS? |
| I'll buy it | Kinchhu | KIN-chhu |
| I don't need it | Chaina | CHAI-na |
| Good quality? | Ramro quality chha? | RAM-ro quality chha? |
| I'm just looking | Hernu matrai | her-NU ma-TRAI |
Getting Around
| English | Nepali | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Where is ___? | ___ kaha chha? | ___ ka-HA chha? |
| How far? | Kati tadha chha? | KA-ti TA-dha chha? |
| How many hours? | Kati ghanta lagchha? | KA-ti GHAN-ta LAG-chha? |
| Taxi | Taxi | TAXI |
| Bus | Bus | BUS |
| Airport | Vimaansthala | vi-MAAN-sthal |
| Left | Baaya | BAA-ya |
| Right | Daaya | DAA-ya |
| Straight | Sidha | SID-ha |
| Stop here | Yahaa roknus | ya-HAA ROK-nus |
In an Emergency
| English | Nepali | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Help! | Madat garnus! | ma-DAT gar-NUS! |
| I am lost | Ma haraaye | ma ha-RAA-ye |
| I am sick | Ma biraami chhu | ma bi-RAA-mi CHHU |
| I need a doctor | Doctor chaahiyo | DOC-tor chaa-HI-yo |
| Hospital | Aspatal | as-pa-TAL |
| Police | Police | po-LEES |
| Call an ambulance | Ambulance bolanus | am-bu-LANCE bo-LA-nus |
| Passport | Rahaadaani | ra-HAA-daa-ni |
The 20 Most Important Words in Nepal — Ranked
If we had to rank the 20 single most useful Nepali words for a traveller, in order of how often you will need them, the list would look like this:
- Namaste — hello/goodbye
- Dhanyabad — thank you
- Thik chha — okay/fine
- Paani — water
- Kati parchha? — how much?
- Maaf garnus — excuse me/sorry
- Bujhina — I don't understand
- Khana — food
- Ramro — good/beautiful
- Mitho — delicious
- Chaina — there isn't/I don't want it
- Bistaarai — slowly
- Kaha chha? — where is it?
- Hajur — yes (formal/polite)
- Hoina — no/not right
- Ek — one (for ordering)
- Pugyo — enough/I'm full
- Madat — help
- Biraami — sick
- Pheri bhetaula — see you again
Spend one week before your trip going through these twenty words with audio support on BolNepali, and you will arrive in Nepal with a foundation that most foreign visitors never develop in weeks of travel.
Pronunciation Traps for English Speakers
Several Nepali sounds trip up English speakers consistently. Here is what to watch for.
Aspirated consonants. Nepali distinguishes between plain consonants and aspirated ones — consonants with a small puff of air after them. The difference between "k" and "kh", "t" and "th", "p" and "ph", "d" and "dh", "g" and "gh" is significant. In English, "th" makes a specific sound ("the", "this"). In Nepali, "th" is simply an aspirated "t" — say "t" and add a breath of air.
"A" versus "aa." The short "a" in Nepali sounds like the "a" in "about" — a neutral, unstressed sound. The long "aa" sounds like the "a" in "father." These are different vowels and different words will use different ones.
"V" and "b." In many Nepali dialects, especially in everyday speech, "v" and "b" are used interchangeably. "Vimaansthala" (airport) may be pronounced "bimaansthala". Do not let this confuse you.
Double consonants. Words like "thamma" (wait) or "chha" have doubled consonants that are pronounced with a slight hold — not quite a full geminate as in Italian, but longer than a single consonant.
Cultural Notes: Using Nepali Respectfully
Knowing words is one thing. Using them appropriately is another. Here are the cultural dimensions of Nepali language use that every traveller should understand.
The formal/informal distinction is real and matters. Nepali has multiple levels of formality baked into its pronoun and verb system. "You" can be "tapaaī" (formal, respectful), "timi" (informal, used with friends and children), or "ta" (low-register, used with small children or in disrespectful contexts). Always use tapaaī with adults you do not know. Using timi or ta with a stranger or elder is a social error.
Elders receive greater formality. When speaking with older Nepalis, use the most respectful forms available to you — tapaaī, namaskar rather than namaste, and formal verb endings. This will be noticed and appreciated even by elders who speak excellent English.
Left hand associations. In Nepali culture, as in many South Asian cultures, the left hand is associated with impurity. Use your right hand (or both hands) when giving or receiving objects, money, or food.
Entering religious spaces. When visiting temples, monasteries, or religious sites, a quiet "Namaste" or "Namaskar" to religious figures is appropriate. Loud or casual conversation, and pointing at religious objects, is generally inappropriate.
A Word on Google Translate
Google Translate has improved significantly for Nepali in recent years and can be genuinely useful in written form. However, it struggles with spoken Nepali due to the phonological complexity of the language and the gap between formal written Nepali and everyday spoken Nepali.
Do not rely on it as a substitute for learning key phrases. Use it as a supplement — particularly for reading Devanagari text — but invest the time in learning the core vocabulary in this guide before you travel.
Take It Further with BolNepali
The words in this guide will serve you well on a short trip to Nepal. But if you want to go further — to hold real conversations, understand what locals are saying around you, or build a genuine connection with Nepal's language and culture — BolNepali offers structured learning that takes you from traveller phrases to real competency.
Our trekking vocabulary module, beginner grammar lessons, and Devanagari script instruction are all available on a free plan. Invest a few weeks of light study before your trip and you will arrive in Nepal ready for something beyond tourism.
Start free at bolnepali.com.
BolNepali helps Australian travellers, trekkers, and the Nepali diaspora learn Nepali online with structured lessons, native-speaker audio, and trekking vocabulary guides.