Numbers

1. एक, दुई, तीन

   Ek, du-i, tin

   One, two, three

   Usage

   Basic Nepali numbers. Essential for shopping and specifying quantities.

   Grammar Note

   Nepali numbers are very close to Hindi (ek, do, teen). "दुई" corresponds to Hindi "दो."

2. चार, पाँच, छ

   Chaar, paan-cha, chha

   Four, five, six

   Usage

   Used to state quantities of people or things.

   Grammar Note

   "छ" means both "six" and the copula "is" — context distinguishes them. Compare Hindi: "चार, पाँच, छह."

3. सात, आठ, नौ, दश

   Saat, aath, nau, das

   Seven, eight, nine, ten

   Usage

   Completing 1–10. Essential for stating trekking days and hours.

   Grammar Note

   Almost identical to Hindi "सात, आठ, नौ, दस." "दश" is the Nepali spelling/pronunciation.

4. बीस, पचास, सय

   Bis, pa-chas, sa-ya

   Twenty, fifty, one hundred

   Usage

   Larger numbers for shopping and payments. "सय" (hundred) is fundamental for Nepali rupee amounts.

   Grammar Note

   Similar to Hindi number system. "दुई सय" (200), "पाँच सय" (500) — number + सय for hundreds.

5. हजार, दश हजार

   Ha-zaar, das ha-zaar

   One thousand, ten thousand

   Usage

   For large amounts like trekking fees and hotel costs. Nepal also uses unique units: "लाख" (100,000), "करोड" (10 million).

   Grammar Note

   "हजार" is the same as Hindi. "लाख" (100,000) and "करोड" (10 million) are South Asian units different from other systems.

6. पहिलो, दोस्रो, तेस्रो

   Pa-hi-lo, dos-ro, tes-ro

   First, second, third

   Usage

   Ordinal numbers. Also used for floors: "पहिलो मजिला" (first floor), "दोस्रो तला" (second floor).

   Grammar Note

   Nepali ordinals differ from Hindi "पहला, दूसरा, तीसरा." The "-ो" suffix is characteristic of Nepali.

7. कति जना?

   Ka-ti ja-naa?

   How many people?

   Usage

   Commonly asked at restaurants and guesthouses. Answer: "दुई जना" (two people).

   Grammar Note

   "जना" is the counter for people. Other counters: "वटा" (for objects). Compare Hindi "जन."

8. तीन बजे

   Tin ba-je

   At three o'clock

   Usage

   Basic way to state time. Used for confirming trek departure times and meeting times.

   Grammar Note

   "बजे" is the postposition for clock time. Pair with "कति बजे?" (at what time?).

9. आधा घण्टा

   Aa-dha ghan-taa

   Half an hour / 30 minutes

   Usage

   Handy for stating trekking durations. Combine with "एक घण्टा" (1 hour), "दुई घण्टा" (2 hours).

   Grammar Note

   "आधा" (half) is the same as in Hindi. Learn: "पाँच मिनेट" (5 min), "आधा घण्टा" (30 min), "एक घण्टा" (1 hr).

10. पाँच हजार मिटर माथि

    Paan-cha ha-zaar mi-tar maa-thi

    Above five thousand meters (altitude)

    Usage

    Everest Base Camp is at about 5,364m. Used when discussing altitudes where AMS risk increases.

    Grammar Note

    "माथि" (above) contrasts with "तल" (below). Use "X मिटर माथि" to express altitudes.

11. दुवै

    Du-wai

    Both

    Usage

    Used to indicate both options, not just one.

    Grammar Note

    "दुवै" derives from "दुई" (two) and means "both." Example: "दुवैलाई दिनुहोस्" (give to both).

12. मेरो उमेर सत्ताईस वर्ष हो

    Me-ro u-mer sat-taa-ees bar-sha ho

    I'm 27 years old

    Usage

    How to answer when asked your age; the reply to "tapaaiṃko umer kati ho?"

    Grammar Note

    The answer replaces the interrogative "kati" with a numeral and keeps the copula "ho". "Sattaaiis" is a fused form of "saat" (7) and "biis" (20) and cannot be built by juxtaposing tens and units. 28 is "aṭṭhaaiis"; the short-vowel spellings "sattaais / aṭṭhaais" are also current.

13. यस वर्ष मेरो उमेर अट्ठाईस वर्ष हुन्छ

    Yas bar-sha me-ro u-mer at-thaa-ees bar-sha hun-chha

    I turn 28 this year

    Usage

    Saying what age you will reach this year

    Grammar Note

    "Hunchha" is the third-person present of "hunu" (to become) and also covers what is going to happen, as in "वर्षा ऋतु कहिले हुन्छ?". "Yas" is the oblique of "yo" and already appears in "yas paṭak" (this year).

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