Numbers are one of the most practical things to learn in any language. In Nepali, knowing your numbers unlocks a surprising range of everyday situations: bargaining at a market in Kathmandu, asking how many hours to the next tea house on the Annapurna Circuit, telling a driver which floor your hotel is on, understanding prices, dates, phone numbers, and bus times. Even if your Nepali vocabulary is limited to a few dozen words, having solid numbers gives you real communicative power — you can confirm a price, agree on a meeting time, or follow directions that involve distances and landmarks.
The good news is that Nepali numbers follow clear, learnable patterns. Once you know the numbers 1 through 20 and a handful of tens (20, 30, 40…), you can construct any number up to 100 and beyond. The logic is consistent and, in some ways, more transparent than English. English, after all, asks you to memorise "eleven" and "twelve" with no obvious connection to "one" or "two." Nepali has its own irregularities in the teens, but the system rewards patient study with a satisfying internal logic that makes the higher numbers easier than you might expect.
This guide walks you through every number from 1 to 100, explains the patterns that make Nepali numerals learnable, and gives you practical exercises to lock them into memory. Audio for every number is available in BolNepali's numbers module.
Before You Start: A Note on Nepali Numeral Systems
Nepali uses two numeral systems in parallel.
Arabic numerals (0–9): These are the same numerals used in English and most of the world — 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 etc. They appear widely in Nepali contexts, especially on price tags, signs, digital displays, and formal documents aimed at international readers.
Devanagari numerals: Nepali also has its own set of written numerals in Devanagari script: ०, १, २, ३, ४, ५, ६, ७, ८, ९. You will see these on older signs, traditional documents, and contexts where Devanagari text predominates. They look quite different from Arabic numerals but follow the same base-10 system.
Both systems represent the same spoken numbers. The spoken Nepali for "five" is "paanch" regardless of whether it is written as 5 or ५. As a learner, focus first on the spoken forms and the Arabic numerals; Devanagari numerals can come later.
One practical note: when you are travelling in Nepal, you will encounter both systems in the same day, sometimes on the same street. A shop sign might display a price in Devanagari numerals while the receipt is printed in Arabic numerals. A bus timetable in a rural area is more likely to use Devanagari; a ticketing app or a hotel invoice is more likely to use Arabic. Being able to at least recognise Devanagari numerals — even before you can read Devanagari script fluently — is genuinely useful. The Devanagari numeral reference table at the bottom of this page gives you a quick visual guide to keep handy.
Numbers 1–10: The Foundation
These are the ten numbers you must know perfectly before anything else. Every higher number is built on them.
| Number | Nepali | Devanagari | Pronunciation Guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ek | एक | EK |
| 2 | Dui | दुई | DU-i |
| 3 | Teen | तीन | TEEN |
| 4 | Chaar | चार | CHAAR |
| 5 | Paanch | पाँच | PAANCH |
| 6 | Chha | छ | CHHA |
| 7 | Saat | सात | SAAT |
| 8 | Aath | आठ | AATH |
| 9 | Nau | नौ | NAU |
| 10 | Das | दस | DAS |
Pronunciation notes:
- Dui (2): The "ui" is a two-vowel combination — say "doo-ee" quickly.
- Teen (3): The long "ee" vowel, like "teen" in English.
- Chha (6): The "chh" is an aspirated "ch" sound — say "ch" with a breath of air.
- Nau (9): Rhymes with "now" in English.
A few additional notes for English speakers: Chaar (4) has a long "aa" vowel — hold it just slightly longer than you would in English "char." Paanch (5) also uses that long "aa" — think of it as "paanch" with the vowel stretched. Saat (7) and Aath (8) are a useful pair to keep distinct: saat ends in a "t" sound, while aath begins with a long "aa" and ends in a retroflex "th" — a sound made with the tongue curled slightly back, not the English "th" of "three." Getting these retroflex sounds right takes practice, but even an approximation will be understood.
Practise: Cover the Nepali column and say each number from the Arabic numeral alone. Then cover the Arabic numeral and say the number from the Nepali word alone. Repeat until immediate — no thinking required.
Numbers 11–19: The Teens
Nepali teens are not as regular as the English "-teen" pattern. Each one from 11 to 19 has its own distinct form that must be memorised.
| Number | Nepali | Devanagari | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | Eghaara | एघार | e-GHAA-ra |
| 12 | Baara | बाह्र | BAA-ra |
| 13 | Tera | तेह्र | TE-ra |
| 14 | Chaudha | चौध | CHAU-dha |
| 15 | Pandhra | पन्ध्र | PAN-dhra |
| 16 | Sora | सोह्र | SO-ra |
| 17 | Satra | सत्र | SAT-ra |
| 18 | Athaara | अठार | a-THAA-ra |
| 19 | Unnais | उन्नाइस | un-NAAI-s |
Memory tip for 11–19:
These do not follow an obvious pattern from 1–9, but several of them echo the base numbers in a recognisable way: "tera" (13) resembles "teen" (3); "chaudha" (14) starts like "chaar" (4); "paandhra" (15) starts like "paanch" (5); "satra" (17) echoes "saat" (7); "athaara" (18) echoes "aath" (8). Notice and use these echoes as memory pegs.
For the ones that lack an obvious echo — particularly 11 (eghaara), 12 (baara), 16 (sora), and 19 (unnais) — try grouping them into a short phrase you repeat until they feel automatic. Some learners find it helpful to write the teens out by hand repeatedly, or to associate each one with something concrete: 16 is the age when many people start driving, so "sora" could become your "driving age" word. 12 is "baara" — notice it has the same "-aa-ra" ending as eghaara (11) and athaara (18), which gives you a small cluster to memorise together. The more connections you create, the faster these take hold.
Also note that 19 — unnais — already contains the "una" prefix that will reappear throughout the higher numbers. This is your first glimpse of one of Nepali's most consistent number-forming patterns.
Numbers 20–100: Tens and Compounds
From 20 onwards, Nepali numbers follow a more systematic pattern: the tens word comes first, then the units word. The two are often merged into a single compound rather than said separately as in English.
The Tens
| Number | Nepali | Devanagari | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | Das | दस | DAS |
| 20 | Bees | बीस | BEES |
| 30 | Tees | तीस | TEES |
| 40 | Chaalis | चालीस | CHAA-lis |
| 50 | Pachaas | पचास | pa-CHAAS |
| 60 | Saath | साठी | SAAT-hi |
| 70 | Satari | सत्तरी | SAT-ta-ri |
| 80 | Assi | असी | AS-si |
| 90 | Nabbe | नब्बे | NAB-be |
| 100 | Say / Ek say | सय / एक सय | SAI / EK SAI |
Learning these ten base words as a separate task before you tackle the compound numbers is well worth the effort. If you know "pachaas" (50) and "nabbe" (90) firmly, the compounds in the fifties and nineties become a matter of recognising the tens base and identifying the units prefix — rather than memorising each number as an entirely new item. Spend a day just drilling the tens until you can produce any of them within a second of hearing the number.
Numbers 21–29
The twenties follow a regular compound pattern: Bees (20) + units.
| Number | Nepali | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| 21 | Ekkais | EK-kais |
| 22 | Baais | BAA-is |
| 23 | Teis | TEIS |
| 24 | Chaubis | CHAU-bis |
| 25 | Pachis | PA-chis |
| 26 | Chhabbis | CHAB-bis |
| 27 | Satais | sa-TAIS |
| 28 | Aathais | aa-THAIS |
| 29 | Unnatis | un-NA-tis |
Numbers 30–39
| Number | Nepali | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| 31 | Ekatees | EK-a-tees |
| 32 | Battees | BAT-tees |
| 33 | Tetees | TE-tees |
| 34 | Chauntees | CHAUN-tees |
| 35 | Paitees | PAI-tees |
| 36 | Chhattees | CHAT-tees |
| 37 | Saitetees | SAI-te-tees |
| 38 | Aithatees | AI-tha-tees |
| 39 | Unchaalis | un-CHAA-lis |
Numbers 40–49
| Number | Nepali | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| 41 | Ekchaalis | EK-chaa-lis |
| 42 | Bachaalis | ba-CHAA-lis |
| 43 | Techaalis | te-CHAA-lis |
| 44 | Chauwanchaalis | chau-WAN-chaa-lis |
| 45 | Paintaalis | pain-TAA-lis |
| 46 | Chhayaalis | chha-YAA-lis |
| 47 | Sattaalis | sat-TAA-lis |
| 48 | Atthaalis | at-THAA-lis |
| 49 | Unchaas | un-CHAAS |
Numbers 50–59
| Number | Nepali | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| 51 | Ekaun | EK-aun |
| 52 | Baun | BAUN |
| 53 | Tripan | tri-PAN |
| 54 | Chaunpan | chaun-PAN |
| 55 | Pachpan | PACH-pan |
| 56 | Chhappan | CHAP-pan |
| 57 | Santpan | SANT-pan |
| 58 | Athpan | ATH-pan |
| 59 | Unasath | u-na-SATH |
Numbers 60–69
| Number | Nepali | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| 61 | Eksath | EK-sath |
| 62 | Basath | ba-SATH |
| 63 | Tirsath | tir-SATH |
| 64 | Chausath | chau-SATH |
| 65 | Paisath | pai-SATH |
| 66 | Chhaisath | chhai-SATH |
| 67 | Satsath | sat-SATH |
| 68 | Athsath | ath-SATH |
| 69 | Unahattar | u-na-HAT-tar |
Numbers 70–79
| Number | Nepali | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| 71 | Ekahattar | e-ka-HAT-tar |
| 72 | Bahattar | ba-HAT-tar |
| 73 | Tirhattar | tir-HAT-tar |
| 74 | Chauhattar | chau-HAT-tar |
| 75 | Pachahattar | pa-cha-HAT-tar |
| 76 | Chhayahattar | chha-ya-HAT-tar |
| 77 | Sathattar | sat-HAT-tar |
| 78 | Athhattar | ath-HAT-tar |
| 79 | Unaassi | u-NAA-si |
Numbers 80–89
| Number | Nepali | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| 81 | Ekaassi | e-KAAS-si |
| 82 | Baassi | BAAS-si |
| 83 | Tiraassi | ti-RAAS-si |
| 84 | Chauraassi | chau-RAAS-si |
| 85 | Pachaassi | pa-CHAAS-si |
| 86 | Chhayaassi | chha-YAAS-si |
| 87 | Sataassi | sa-TAAS-si |
| 88 | Athaassi | a-THAAS-si |
| 89 | Unanabbe | u-na-NAB-be |
Numbers 90–99
| Number | Nepali | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| 91 | Ekanabbe | e-ka-NAB-be |
| 92 | Banabbe | ba-NAB-be |
| 93 | Tiranabbe | ti-ra-NAB-be |
| 94 | Chauranabbe | chau-ra-NAB-be |
| 95 | Pachanabbe | pa-cha-NAB-be |
| 96 | Chhayanabbe | chha-ya-NAB-be |
| 97 | Satanabbe | sa-ta-NAB-be |
| 98 | Athanabbe | a-tha-NAB-be |
| 99 | Unansay | u-nan-SAI |
| 100 | Ek say | EK SAI |
The Pattern Behind the Numbers
Once you see it, Nepali's number system has a clear structure. In compounds from 21 onwards:
- The tens base is modified — bees becomes "ek-kais" (21), "baais" (22), etc.
- From 91–99, the base "nabbe" (90) is preceded by the units prefix
- The teen-like construction "una" (meaning "one less than") appears in 19, 29, 39, 49, 59, 69, 79, 89, 99 — each being "one less than" the next ten
This "una" pattern is distinctive and worth noting: 19 = unnaais (one less than 20), 29 = unnatis (one less than 30), 39 = unchaalis (one less than 40), and so on.
It is a satisfying quirk of Nepali that the number just before each new ten is not formed by adding a units digit to the tens base, but by subtracting conceptually from the next ten. Once you internalise this, the "una" words become predictable and even elegant. You are not trying to remember a random sound — you are applying a rule. This is one of the places where Nepali number logic is arguably cleaner than English.
Another pattern worth noticing is how the units prefixes evolve across the decades. The core sound of each unit — ek (1), baa/ba (2), tir/te (3), chau (4), pa/pai (5), chha (6), sat (7), ath (8) — shows up consistently across the tens, even as the suffix changes to match the tens base. Once you have learned the sixties (eksath, basath, tirsath…), the seventies (ekahattar, bahattar, tirhattar…) use the same unit prefixes with a new tens suffix. The cognitive load drops significantly the further you go, because you are mostly recombining familiar pieces rather than learning entirely new words.
Practical Uses of Nepali Numbers
At the Market
The most common use of numbers for travellers is price negotiation. When a vendor tells you a price, they will often say it in Nepali, especially in local markets away from tourist centres.
- "Paanch say rupiya" — 500 rupees
- "Ek hajaar" — 1,000 (ek = one, hajaar = thousand)
- "Dui hajaar" — 2,000
When bargaining, common responses:
- "Ali sasto garnos" — Can you make it a bit cheaper?
- "Teen say diunchhu" — I'll give you 300
Markets in Kathmandu, Pokhara, and Bhaktapur can move quickly, and vendors will often name a price, hear your counter-offer, and respond with another number in the same breath. Having your numbers fast — not translated in your head, but heard and understood directly — makes the difference between a successful negotiation and a moment of confusion that stalls the exchange. The more you practise numbers as sounds rather than conversions, the better your market interactions will go.
It is also worth knowing that in Nepal, as in much of South Asia, rounding to clean numbers is common in everyday transactions. Amounts like paanch say (500), ek hajaar (1,000), and paanch hajaar (5,000) come up constantly. Getting these anchor prices locked in early gives you confidence even before you have mastered every number in between.
Telling the Time
Nepali uses a 12-hour clock. The structure