Zaban
Chapter 14 of 16 · Explore the Nepali path

Reading · Chapter 14 of 16

First reading with help: two animals meet on the road

Read eight lines about a mouse and a jackal, with the pronunciation and the English beside each one. Practise finding the verb at the end and following who spoke.

≈ 3 min of reading · Practise at your own pace

What’s in this chapter
  • Read the Nepali line first, then use the pronunciation and the English beside it.
  • Every sentence ends in its verb, and a quotation is closed with भनेरbhanera whenever the line names who spoke.
  • The two animals speak to each other as equals, so they use तिमीtimī.
  • The last line has two doers, so its verb takes the -ए ending.
  • Re-read it once without looking at the English.

One verb ending to have ready

The story asks one animal where it is going and hears the answer. The verb is the same both times, and only the person ending moves.

जान्छुjānchu“I go”
जान्छौjānchau“you go”
the same verb, asked of the other animal — the person ending is the only thing that moved

Read the story: on the road

Read the Nepali line first and work out what it says. Then use the pronunciation and the English beside it to check yourself.

  1. एक दिन मुसा बाटोमा थियो।

    ek din musā bāṭomā thiyo

    One day the mouse was on the road.

  2. त्यहाँ एउटा स्याल आयो।

    tyahā̃ euṭā syāl āyo

    A jackal came there.

  3. “नमस्ते,” भनेर स्यालले भन्यो।

    “namaste,” bhanera syālle bhanyo

    “Hello,” said the jackal.

  4. “तिमी कहाँ जान्छौ?” भनेर उसले सोध्यो।

    “timī kahā̃ jānchau?” bhanera usle sodhyo

    “Where are you going?” he asked.

  5. “म खोलामा जान्छु,” भनेर मुसाले भन्यो।

    “ma kholāmā jānchu,” bhanera musāle bhanyo

    “I am going to the stream,” said the mouse.

  6. “त्यहाँ पानी छ। त्यो राम्रो छ।”

    “tyahā̃ pānī cha. tyo rāmro cha.”

    “There is water there. That is good.”

  7. “म पनि जान्छु,” भनेर स्यालले भन्यो।

    “ma pani jānchu,” bhanera syālle bhanyo

    “I am going too,” said the jackal.

  8. अनि मुसा र स्याल खोलामा गए।

    ani musā ra syāl kholāmā gae

    And then the mouse and the jackal went to the stream.

Three delayed recalls before the new story

These first appeared several sections ago. No hints this time.

  1. रूख
    Show answer +
    रूखrūkh“tree”
  2. घर
    Show answer +
    घरghar“house, home”
  3. ठूलो
    Show answer +
    ठूलोṭhūlo“big”
Come back to these chapters whenever you need them.All Nepali chapters ↗