Nepali Transliteration Guide: Common Phrases
For common Nepali phrases in transliteration, choose the entry whose English gloss matches your whole message: a short reply, thanks, instruction, help request, or farewell. Keep the two farewells distinct: one means “See you soon,” while the other means “See you again.” These entries are a focused lookup set, not a complete grammar guide.
Start with these expressions
| English | Transliteration | Native script |
|---|---|---|
| Okay | thik chha | ठीक छ |
| Okay, I see | achha | अच्छा |
| See you soon | chaandai bhetaunla | चाँडै भेटौँला |
| Stop | roka | रोक |
| Excuse me, I need help. | maaf garnuhos, malai sahayog chahinchha. | माफ गर्नुहोस्, मलाई सहयोग चाहिन्छ। |
| Yes, thank you. That was a big help. | ho, dhanyabaad. dherai sahayog bhayo. | हो, धन्यवाद। धेरै सहयोग भयो। |
| Thank you | dhanyabaad | धन्यवाद |
| See you again | feri bhetaunla | फेरि भेटौँला |
Choose the whole meaning, not one translated word
Start by deciding what your entire message does. Use a short entry when you only mean a reply, thanks, or instruction. Use a complete expression when you are asking for help or combining agreement, thanks, and an evaluation. This prevents a single-word lookup from being stretched into a longer message with a different meaning.
The two farewell entries also need separate choices. Select the one glossed “See you soon” when the intended meeting is soon. Select the one glossed “See you again” when you mean another meeting without specifying that it will happen soon. The English gloss gives the practical distinction; do not treat both as interchangeable labels.
There is also a useful limit to dictionary-based interpretation. The cited dictionary passage records meanings such as “right,” “appropriate,” and a separate form glossed “okay, not so bad,” while another passage records “is” and “there is.” Those component meanings can help you notice vocabulary, but they do not prove every conversational use of a complete phrase. For everyday use, stay within the full gloss attached to each entry.
Source: dsal.uchicago.edu.
Source: dsal.uchicago.edu.
Try it
You are at a station and need to ask someone for help. Which entry should you choose?
Choose your answer before reading on.
Check your answer:
| English | Transliteration | Native script |
|---|---|---|
| Excuse me, I need help. | maaf garnuhos, malai sahayog chahinchha. | माफ गर्नुहोस्, मलाई सहयोग चाहिन्छ। |
Choose the help-request entry because its complete English gloss directly expresses that need. A short reply, thanks, instruction, or farewell would not communicate the request on its own.
Practise by choosing one situation at a time: acknowledge something, thank someone, ask for help, give an instruction, or say goodbye. Then select the entry whose full English gloss matches that situation.
Practise speaking with Bhol. Learn words and sentences written in English letters.
