Language/Nepali-individual-language/Grammar/Present-Tense-in-Nepali
As a Nepali language teacher with 20 years of experience, I am excited to introduce my students to the present tense in Nepali. In this lesson, we will explore how the present tense is used in different types of sentences. It's important to understand that the present tense is one of the most frequently used tenses in Nepali, hence it's essential to learn it well. Let's dive into it!
Introduction
The present tense is used to describe actions that are happening right now or are habitual. In Nepali, the present tense usually doesn't require any specific markers or auxiliary verbs. Nonetheless, the verb conjugation changes according to the subject of the sentence. We express the present tense by dropping the infinitive form's "नु/nu" at the end of the verb, and depending on the subject, add different conjugated forms of that verb. For example:
| Nepali (individual language) | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| मैं खान्छु। | Main khan-chhu. | I eat. |
| हामी खान्छौ। | Hami khan-chhau. | We eat. |
| तिनी खान्छिन्। | Tini khan-chhin. | She eats. |
| तपाईं खानुहुन्छ। | Tapai khaanuhunchha. | You eat. |
Please note that the verb "खानु khānu" means "to eat," and it was changed according to the conjugation rules.
Usage with Different Types of Sentences
Now let's look at how the present tense is used in different types of Nepali sentences, such as affirmative, negative, and interrogative sentences.
Affirmative Sentences
Affirmative sentences in Nepali use the present tense as it is without any modification. For example:
- म घरमा छु। (Ma gharma chhu.) - I am at home.
- हामी फुटबल खेल्दछौ। (Hami futbal kheldachhau.) - We play football.
- तिनी नेपाली सङ्ग बोल्दैन। (Tini Nepali sang boldain.) - She doesn't speak Nepali.
- तपाईं सफल नै हुनुहुन्छ। (Tapai safal nai hunuhunchha.) - You are bound to succeed.
Negative Sentences
To make the negative present tense, we add "छैन्/chain" a morpheme at the end of the verb. For example:
- म घरमा छैन्। (Ma gharma chain.) - I am not at home.
- हामी फुटबल खेल्दैनौ। (Hami futbal kheldainau.) - We don't play football.
- तिनी नेपाली सङ्ग बोल्दैनन्। (Tini Nepali sang boldainan.) - She doesn't speak Nepali.
- तपाईं सफल नै हुन्नुहुन्नै गर्नुहोस्। (Tapai safal nai hunnuhunna garuhos.) - You are not bound to succeed.
Interrogative Sentences
Interrogative sentences require the verb "छ/cha" at the end of the sentence, which indicates a question. For example:
- के तपाईं घरमा हुनुहुन्छ? (Ke tapai gharma hunuhunchha?) - Are you at home?
- हामी फुटबल खेल्दछौ? (Hami futbal kheldachhau?) - Do we play football?
- तिनी नेपाली सङ्ग बोल्छिन्? (Tini Nepali sang bolchin?) - Does she speak Nepali?
- तपाईं सफल हुनुहुन्छ? (Tapai safal hunuhunchha?) - Will you succeed?
Conclusion
In conclusion, the present tense in Nepali is straightforward, and with practice, you will be able to master it in no time. In this lesson, we learned how to use the present tense in different types of sentences, such as affirmative, negative and interrogative sentences. Keep practicing and don't hesitate to speak Nepali as much as possible. As the famous Nepali saying goes, "सफलताको रहस्य होत, सिकिर र कठिन परिश्रम।" - "The secret to success is grit and hard work." Happy learning!