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Nepali for free
Why learn Nepali?
Nepali is one of the 67 languages you can learn on Lingocard with frequency-ranked flashcards, spaced repetition, and live speaking partners. Build vocabulary and pronunciation at your own pace, on web and mobile.
Nepali is written in the Devanagari script. In the US Foreign Service Institute ranking, Nepali is a Category III language - about 1100 class hours to professional working proficiency for English speakers. Nepali belongs to the Indo-European (Indo-Aryan) family - if you enjoy it, a natural next step is Hindi or Bengali.
50 essential Nepali words
Start with the words you will actually meet: learn these and you will recognize something in almost every Nepali sentence.
| # | Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | म | mah | I |
| 2 | तिमी | TEE-mee | you |
| 3 | ऊ | oo | he |
| 4 | हामी | HAH-mee | we |
| 5 | उनीहरू | oo-NEE-hah-roo | they |
| 6 | यो | yoh | this |
| 7 | त्यो | tyoh | that |
| 8 | के | keh | what |
| 9 | को | koh | of |
| 10 | होइन | HOH-ee-nah | no |
| 11 | र | rah | and |
| 12 | वा | wah | or |
| 13 | तर | TAH-rah | but |
| 14 | मा | mah | in |
| 15 | साथ | sahth | with |
| 16 | एक | ek | one |
| 17 | दुई | dooy | two |
| 18 | ठूलो | THOO-loh | big |
| 19 | सानो | SAH-noh | small |
| 20 | राम्रो | RAHM-roh | good |
| 21 | नयाँ | nah-YAHN | new |
| 22 | मानिस | MAH-nees | person |
| 23 | पानी | PAH-nee | water |
| 24 | दिन | din | day |
| 25 | वर्ष | barsh | year |
| 26 | समय | SAH-mah-yah | time |
| 27 | घर | ghar | house |
| 28 | काम | kahm | work |
| 29 | जीवन | JEE-vahn | life |
| 30 | शब्द | shahbd | word |
| 31 | हुनु | HOO-noo | be |
| 32 | गर्नु | GAR-noo | do |
| 33 | भन्नु | BHAN-noo | say |
| 34 | जान्नु | JAHN-noo | know |
| 35 | हेर्नु | HEHR-noo | see |
| 36 | जानु | JAH-noo | go |
| 37 | आउनु | AH-oo-noo | come |
| 38 | दिनु | DEE-noo | give |
| 39 | लिनु | LEE-noo | take |
| 40 | चाहनु | CHAH-hah-noo | want |
| 41 | खानु | KHAH-noo | eat |
| 42 | पिउनु | PEE-oo-noo | to drink |
| 43 | अहिले | ah-HEE-leh | now |
| 44 | यहाँ | yah-HAHN | here |
| 45 | त्यहाँ | tyah-HAHN | there |
| 46 | कहाँ | kah-HAHN | where |
| 47 | किन | KEE-nah | why |
| 48 | सबै | sah-bahy | all |
| 49 | धेरै | DHEH-rahy | many |
| 50 | आज | ahj | today |
Useful phrases in Nepali
- नमस्ते · na-mas-TE · Hello / Good day
- तपाईंलाई कस्तो छ? · ta-paai-LAI KAS-to chha · How are you?
- धन्यवाद · dhan-ya-VAD · Thank you
- कृपया · KRIP-ya · Please
- मेरो नाम... हो · ME-ro nam ... ho · My name is...
- ... कहाँ छ? · ka-HAA chha · Where is...?
- बिदा · bee-DAH · Goodbye
- माफ गर्नुहोस् · maaf gar-nu-HOS · Excuse me
- मैले बुझिनँ · MAI-le bu-jhee-NA · I don't understand
- के तपाईं मलाई मद्दत गर्न सक्नुहुन्छ? · ke ta-PAI ma-LAI MAD-dat garn sak-nu-HUN-chha · Can you help me?
- यो कतिको हो? · yo ka-tee-KO ho · How much is it?
- भोलि भेटौंला! · BHO-lee bhe-TOWN-la · See you tomorrow!
Learn Nepali with comprehensive language resources
- Pronunciation
- Numbers
- Verbs and adjectives
- Frequency dictionaries
- Basic sentences
- Thematic dictionaries
- Politeness
- Idioms
Learn Nepali, wherever you are
- AI-powered spaced repetition learning system on the go
- Audio processing for pronunciation
- Creation of visual language flash cards with images
- Search for speaking practice partners
- Frequency and thematic dictionaries for any language
- Alert system with exercise reminders
- Live video and messaging to facilitate learning
Join our global Nepali learning community
Collaborate with native Nepali speakers and fellow learners: exchange messages, correct each other's cards, and practice real conversation.
Send friend requests to the speakers you click with and build your own friends list - many practice partners become real friends.
Are you an educator? Teach Nepali online · Create an online Nepali school · Build a Nepali curriculum
Frequently asked questions about learning Nepali
How difficult is it to learn Nepali?
How difficult Nepali is depends on your background, but every language becomes manageable with consistent daily practice. Focusing on the most frequent words first means you can understand and say a lot early on. In the US Foreign Service Institute ranking, Nepali is a Category III language - about 1100 class hours to professional working proficiency for English speakers.
What should I learn first to reach a basic level in Nepali?
Start with the 100-500 most frequent words (free in our apps) and the thematic dictionaries most relevant to your daily life. Set clear goals and practise a few minutes every day - consistency is what produces results. Then connect with other learners to build confidence at your new basic level.
How long does it take to learn Nepali?
Most learners reach a comfortable conversational level in Nepali within 8-18 months of consistent daily study. Practising vocabulary with spaced repetition and speaking regularly speeds this up considerably. About 32 million people across 1 countries speak Nepali, so you will never run short of practice partners.
How do I improve my Nepali vocabulary?
Use the spaced-repetition and flashcard systems in the app. You can set daily, weekly, or yearly goals in our mobile apps and steadily reach the vocabulary size you’re aiming for.
Is Nepali pronunciation hard?
Every language has a few sounds that take practice, but Nepali pronunciation becomes consistent with regular listening and speaking. Hearing the language often matters more than memorising rules.
How do I get Free Nepali speaking practice?
Open the Practice or Friends page in the app, send practice requests, and start real conversations with other learners - don’t be shy! You can also mention that you want speaking practice when you create your account, and the platform will help match you with suitable partners.
Do I need to learn the Nepali alphabet first?
If Nepali uses a different script, learning it early unlocks reading - and it's usually faster than people expect. On Lingocard you'll find every alphabet, with example words, free.