Culture & Etiquette

1. दशैं कति राम्रो पर्व हो

   Da-shain ka-ti raam-ro par-va ho

   Dashain is such a wonderful festival

   Usage

   Used when talking with locals about Dashain, Nepal's biggest festival — a 15-day celebration of family and blessings

   Grammar Note

   "Kati + adjective + ho" forms an exclamatory sentence. On Dashain's 10th day (Bijaya Dashami), elders apply "tika" (vermilion blessing marks) on younger family members' foreheads.

2. तिहारमा दीपावली मनाउँछन्

   Ti-haar-maa dii-paa-va-li ma-nau-chhan

   During Tihar they celebrate Deepawali (festival of lights)

   Usage

   Used to explain Tihar, Nepal's 5-day festival of lights that includes Deepawali

   Grammar Note

   Tihar includes days honoring crows, dogs, and cows — each garlanded with flowers. "Manaunu" means "to celebrate." Tihar is often called the "festival of lights" for its oil lamp decorations.

3. नेवारी खाना खान मन छ

   Ne-waa-ri khaa-naa khaan man chha

   I would like to eat Newari food

   Usage

   Used when wanting to try traditional Newari cuisine from the indigenous Newar people of the Kathmandu Valley

   Grammar Note

   "Man chha" = "I want to" (lit. "the heart is there"). Popular Newari dishes: chatamari (rice crepe), bara (lentil fritter), and wo (lentil pancake). Newari cuisine is among Asia's most distinct.

4. थङ्का चित्र कहाँ पाइन्छ?

   Thang-kaa chit-tra ka-haan paa-in-chha?

   Where can I find thangka paintings?

   Usage

   Used to ask where to find traditional Tibetan-Nepali Buddhist scroll paintings (thangka)

   Grammar Note

   "Painchha" is an impersonal passive meaning "it is obtained/found." Thangkas are Buddhist meditation scrolls; quality ones in Kathmandu can be found in Boudhanath and Thamel areas.

5. ट्रेकिङ संस्कृति मलाई मन पर्छ

   Trek-king san-skri-ti ma-lai man par-chha

   I love the trekking culture

   Usage

   Expressing appreciation for Nepal's unique trekking culture, including teahouses, porters, and mountain community interactions

   Grammar Note

   "Man parchha" (I like it) is idiomatic Nepali — literally "it falls into the heart." Negate with "man pardaina" (I don't like). Nepal's teahouse trekking culture is a model of sustainable mountain tourism.

6. इन्द्रजात्रा कहिले हुन्छ?

   In-dra-jaa-traa ka-hi-le hun-chha?

   When is the Indra Jatra festival?

   Usage

   Used to ask about the dates of Indra Jatra, the traditional Newari festival in Kathmandu Durbar Square

   Grammar Note

   "Kahile" = when. Indra Jatra runs for 8 days in August–September, featuring the chariot procession of Kumari, the living goddess. It's Kathmandu's most spectacular street festival.

7. यो मूर्ति कुन देवताको हो?

   Yo muur-ti kun dev-taa-ko ho?

   Which deity does this statue represent?

   Usage

   Used at Hindu or Buddhist temples in Nepal to ask about a deity's statue or image

   Grammar Note

   "Kun" = which. Nepal's unique religious culture blends Hindu, Buddhist, and Tantric traditions — the same deity image is often venerated by both Hindus and Buddhists.

8. नमस्ते भन्नु पर्छ कि नमस्कार?

   Na-mas-te bhan-nu par-chha ki na-mas-kaar?

   Should I say "Namaste" or "Namaskar"?

   Usage

   Used to ask a local about the difference between "Namaste" and "Namaskar" greetings in Nepal

   Grammar Note

   "Namaste" is used casually; "Namaskar" is more formal — used with elders or in respectful contexts. "Ki" is the disjunctive conjunction meaning "or." Both are accompanied by the añjali mudrā (palms together).

9. नेपाली हस्तशिल्प किन्न कहाँ जाने?

   Ne-paa-li has-ta-shil-pa kin-na ka-haan jaa-ne?

   Where should I go to buy Nepali handicrafts?

   Usage

   Used to find where to buy Nepali handicrafts (thangka, pashmina, woodcarving) in Kathmandu

   Grammar Note

   "Kinna" is the infinitive of "kinnu" (to buy) used for purpose. For handicrafts: Thamel (general), Bhaktapur Pottery Square (ceramics), and Patan for metalwork.

10. पहाडी संस्कृति र तराई संस्कृति फरक छ

    Pa-haa-di san-skri-ti ra ta-raa-i san-skri-ti pha-rak chha

    Hill culture and Tarai (lowland) culture are different

    Usage

    Used when discussing Nepal's remarkable cultural diversity between hill and lowland regions

    Grammar Note

    "Pharak" means "difference." Nepal's remarkable diversity includes hill peoples (Tamang, Rai, Gurung), Kathmandu Valley Newars, and the Tarai's Madheshi communities — over 125 distinct ethnic groups.

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