So you want to learn Nepali and you are starting from zero. Maybe you are planning a trek to Everest Base Camp. Maybe your partner's family speaks Nepali and you want to understand what is happening at dinner. Maybe you are a second-generation Nepali-Australian and the language you heard as a child is finally calling you back. Maybe you just stumbled across the language and found it beautiful.
Whatever brought you here, welcome. Nepali is a genuinely wonderful language to learn — melodic, logical, and spoken by a warm and welcoming community that will meet your every attempt with encouragement.
This guide is your starting point. It is completely free, covers the most important foundations for absolute beginners, and links to further resources at BolNepali for when you are ready to go deeper. By the end of this guide, you will have your first vocabulary, your first grammar structures, and a clear picture of what the road ahead looks like.
What Kind of Language Is Nepali?
Nepali belongs to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European language family. Its closest relatives include Hindi, Bengali, and Marathi. It descends from Sanskrit, the classical literary language of South Asia, and carries a rich literary and poetic tradition.
Nepali is the official language of Nepal and is spoken by approximately 17 million people as a first language, with many millions more using it as a lingua franca across Nepal's ethnically diverse population. It is also spoken in parts of India (particularly Sikkim, Darjeeling, and the northeastern states) and by diaspora communities worldwide — including over 213,000 Nepal-born residents in Australia alone.
For English speakers, Nepali is generally considered a moderately difficult language — easier than Japanese, Mandarin, or Arabic, but more challenging than Spanish or Italian. The main hurdles are the Devanagari script, the different word order, and the system of verb conjugation that changes based on both tense and the social relationship between speaker and listener.
None of these hurdles are insurmountable. Thousands of people learn Nepali every year, and with the right approach, you will make rapid early progress.
Your First Ten Words
Let's start immediately with words you can use today. These ten words are among the most frequently used in the entire language. Learn them first.
| English | Nepali (Romanised) | Nepali (Devanagari) |
|---|---|---|
| Hello / Greetings | Namaste | नमस्ते |
| Thank you | Dhanyabad | धन्यवाद |
| Yes | Hajur / Ho | हजुर / हो |
| No | Hoina / Chaina | होइन / छैन |
| Water | Paani | पानी |
| Food | Khana | खाना |
| Good / Okay | Thik chha | ठीक छ |
| How much? | Kati? | कति? |
| Beautiful | Ramro | राम्रो |
| I don't understand | Bujhina | बुझिन |
Spend five minutes reading these aloud. Then cover the English column and test yourself. Then cover the romanisation and try to connect the Devanagari to the meaning. Do this exercise once a day for a week, and these ten words will be permanently embedded.
The Devanagari Script: Your Best Investment
Many beginners are tempted to skip the Devanagari script and rely entirely on romanised transliteration. This is understandable — the script looks complex at first glance — but it is a mistake for anyone who wants to progress beyond basic tourism phrases.
Here is why learning Devanagari is worth the investment:
It is phonetically consistent. Unlike English, where "through", "though", "tough", and "thorough" are all spelled with the same letters but pronounced completely differently, Nepali Devanagari spells words almost exactly as they sound. Once you know the letters, you can read any word and pronounce it correctly.
It improves your pronunciation. Romanisation systems for Nepali are inconsistent and often misleading. "Dhanyabad" written in English does not tell you that the "dh" is an aspirated "d" with a breath of air behind it, not the "th" sound in "the". Devanagari makes this distinction explicit.
It opens up the full language. All Nepali books, newspapers, signs, social media posts, and formal documents are written in Devanagari. Learners who know the script have access to authentic input that romanisation users simply cannot access.
How Devanagari Works
Devanagari is an abugida — a writing system where consonants carry an inherent vowel sound (the short "a" sound, written अ) that is modified or replaced by adding vowel signs to the consonant.
The script is written left to right. Most letters hang from a horizontal line at the top, called a "shirorekha" (head line). When you look at written Nepali, you will notice this continuous horizontal line running across the top of most letters — it is a distinctive visual feature.
The vowels (svaras) are the foundation:
| Letter | Sound | Romanisation |
|---|---|---|
| अ | Short "a" as in "about" | a |
| आ | Long "aa" as in "father" | aa |
| इ | Short "i" as in "bit" | i |
| ई | Long "ee" as in "see" | ii |
| उ | Short "u" as in "put" | u |
| ऊ | Long "oo" as in "moon" | uu |
| ए | "e" as in "cafe" | e |
| ओ | "o" as in "go" | o |
Start here. Write each vowel five times. Say the sound aloud as you write it. BolNepali's Devanagari module has audio for each letter so you can confirm your pronunciation.
Your First Grammar: The Basic Sentence Structure
Nepali sentences follow Subject-Object-Verb (SOV) order. This is the opposite of English (Subject-Verb-Object). Compare:
- English: "I eat rice." (Subject → Verb → Object)
- Nepali: "Ma bhat khaanchhu." (Ma = I, bhat = rice, khaanchhu = eat)
The verb always comes at the end of the sentence. This is a firm rule in Nepali, and getting used to it early prevents the persistent mental translation habit that trips up many learners.
The Verb "to be": Chhu, Chha, Chan
The Nepali verb "to be" is one of the first you need to master, because it appears in almost every basic sentence. The forms change based on who the subject is.
| Subject | Nepali verb "to be" | Example |
|---|---|---|
| I (ma) | chhu | Ma khushi chhu — I am happy |
| You, informal (timi) | chhau | Timi ramro chhau — You are beautiful |
| He / She / It (u) | chha | U thik chha — He/she is fine |
| You, formal (tapaaī) | hunuhunchha | Tapaaī kasto hunuhunchha? — How are you? |
| We (hami) | chhau | Hami Australia bata chhau — We are from Australia |
| They (uniharu) | chhan | Uniharu Nepali chhan — They are Nepali |
Notice that the formal "you" (tapaaī) uses a completely different verb form. Nepali has a system of social registers — levels of formality — baked into the grammar. The formal register (using tapaaī) is the safest option for beginners when speaking to any adult you do not know well.
Your First Conversations: Six Scenarios for Beginners
Here are six simple conversational exchanges that beginners can practise from day one.
1. Introducing Yourself
A: Namaste! B: Namaste! A: Mero naam Sarah ho. Tapaaīko naam ke ho? (My name is Sarah. What is your name?) B: Mero naam Bibek ho. Tapaaī kaha bata aunu bhaeko? (My name is Bibek. Where are you from?) A: Ma Australia bata ho. (I am from Australia.) B: Wah! Ramro! (Wow! Great!)
2. Asking for Water
A: Maaf garnus — paani diinus. (Excuse me — please give me water.) B: Thanda ki tatoo? (Cold or hot?) A: Tatoo, dhanyabad. (Hot, thank you.)
3. Asking How Much Something Costs
A: Yo kati parchha? (How much does this cost?) B: Paanch say rupiya. (Five hundred rupees.) A: Ali sasto garnos? (Can you make it a little cheaper?)
4. Saying You Don't Understand
A: Ma Nepali ali ali matrai bujhchhu. (I understand only a little Nepali.) B: Bistaarai bolnus. (Please speak slowly.) A: Dhanyabad!
5. Complimenting the Food
A: Yo khana ekdam mitho chha! (This food is very delicious!) B: Dhanyabad! Aafnai ghar jastu laagos. (Thank you! May it feel like home.)
6. Saying Goodbye
A: Jaanu parchha. (I must go.) B: Huncha. Bato ma dhyan dinos. (Alright. Take care on the road.) A: Pheri bhetaula. Namaste! (Until we meet again. Goodbye!)
Essential Beginner Vocabulary by Category
Here is a foundational vocabulary set to build on after your first ten words.
Numbers 1–10
| Number | Nepali | Devanagari |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ek | एक |
| 2 | Dui | दुई |
| 3 | Teen | तीन |
| 4 | Chaar | चार |
| 5 | Paanch | पाँच |
| 6 | Chha | छ |
| 7 | Saat | सात |
| 8 | Aath | आठ |
| 9 | Nau | नौ |
| 10 | Das | दस |
Family Words
| English | Nepali | Devanagari |
|---|---|---|
| Mother | Aama | आमा |
| Father | Baa / Buwa | बा / बुवा |
| Elder sister | Didi | दिदी |
| Younger sister | Bahini | बहिनी |
| Elder brother | Daa / Daai | दाइ |
| Younger brother | Bhai | भाइ |
| Grandmother | Hajurmaa | हजुरआमा |
| Grandfather | Hajurbaa | हजुरबुवा |
Colours
| English | Nepali | Devanagari |
|---|---|---|
| Red | Raato | रातो |
| Blue | Nilo | नीलो |
| Green | Hariyo | हरियो |
| White | Seto | सेतो |
| Black | Kaalo | कालो |
| Yellow | Pahelo | पहेलो |
Days of the Week
| English | Nepali |
|---|---|
| Monday | Sombaar |
| Tuesday | Mangalbaar |
| Wednesday | Budhbaar |
| Thursday | Bihibaar |
| Friday | Shukrbaar |
| Saturday | Shanibaar |
| Sunday | Aaitebaar |
Common Mistakes Beginners Make (and How to Avoid Them)
Mistake 1: Relying only on romanisation. Start learning Devanagari from the first week. Even slow, halting Devanagari reading is better than permanent romanisation dependency.
Mistake 2: Studying vocabulary without using it in sentences. Every new word should be used in at least one original sentence. This cements the word in context rather than as an isolated unit.
Mistake 3: Treating formal and informal registers as the same. Use tapaaī (formal you) and formal verb forms until you know someone well. Using the informal timi with an elder or stranger is a social misstep.
Mistake 4: Waiting until you are "ready" to speak. There is no ready. Begin speaking — even single words, even mispronounced — as early as possible.
Mistake 5: Stopping after the basics. Many learners master "Namaste" and "Dhanyabad" and stop there. The most rewarding part of Nepali learning begins when you push past the survival phrases into real grammar and vocabulary.
Your 30-Day Beginner Plan
Here is a simple, free, 30-day beginner plan using BolNepali and the content in this guide.
Week 1: Learn vowels in Devanagari. Learn 10 core vocabulary words per day. Complete BolNepali Module 1.
Week 2: Learn consonants in Devanagari (first half). Study the verb "to be". Practise the six introductory conversations aloud daily.
Week 3: Learn consonants in Devanagari (second half). Study numbers to 100. Learn family vocabulary. Complete BolNepali Module 2.
Week 4: Review Devanagari by reading simple words. Study basic SOV sentence structure. Write five original sentences in Nepali daily. Complete BolNepali Module 3.
By the end of 30 days you will have a genuine foundation: you can read Devanagari slowly, you understand the basic sentence structure, you have 200+ words of vocabulary, and you can handle simple introductions and transactions.
Continue Your Journey at BolNepali
This guide has given you the first steps. BolNepali gives you the complete path — structured lessons from beginner through to advanced, Devanagari script instruction, trekking and travel vocabulary, grammar modules, and content designed specifically for learners in Australia.
Everything in this guide is free. BolNepali's full course library is available with a free sign-up — no credit card required.
Start today at bolnepali.com.
BolNepali is Australia's dedicated Nepali language learning platform for beginners, diaspora learners, trekkers, and SACE students.