Lessons for English speakers
Learn to read Nepali
A short, active path into reading Nepali: learn how a Devanagari letter carries its own vowel, decode ten real words before the full alphabet, follow the verb to the end of the sentence, and read a small story before opening your first book.
13 core sections · ≈ 33 min + 3 optional lookups · ≈ 45 min with everything
3
Read ten real words from those twelve letters
≈ 1 min
What you'll learn
- All ten words are built from the twelve consonants and the vowel marks you have just seen.
- Every one of them turns up again later on this path and in the first book.
- Each hint names the syllables; you supply the sound and decide about the final a.
No new letters. This is the win, and it comes before the alphabet.
Ten words the two stories are built from
Sound each word out aloud, then reveal it.
- घर
gha + ra
Show answer +Hide answer −
घरghar“house, home” - बन
ba + na
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बनban“forest” - दिन
di + na
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दिनdin“day” - नाम
nā + ma
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नामnām“name” - बाघ
bā + gha
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बाघbāgh“tiger” - रूख
rū + kha — the mark under र is a long u
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रूखrūkh“tree” - मुसा
mu + sā
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मुसाmusā“mouse” - पानी
pā + nī
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पानीpānī“water” - बाटो
bā + ṭo — the tongue curls back on the middle letter
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बाटोbāṭo“road, path” - सानो
sā + no
Show answer +Hide answer −
सानोsāno“small”