Course
Unit 3 · Beginner
This, that, and what things are
Point at the world and name it: yo (this), tyo (that), and the difference between the two verbs of being, ho and chha.
In this unit you'll learn to
- Use yo (this) and tyo (that)
- Name objects with X ho
- Meet chha for location and state
- Ask yes/no questions with rising tone
Listen along
This and that — yo, tyo, demonstratives (lesson 3)
Public-domain audio — FSI Nepali Basic Course (via Live Lingua).
In a shop
Tourist
यो के हो?
Yo ke ho?
What is this?
Shopkeeper
यो ढाका टोपी हो।
Yo dhaka topi ho.
This is a dhaka topi (Nepali cap).
Tourist
त्यो पनि टोपी हो?
Tyo pani topi ho?
Is that a cap too?
Shopkeeper
होइन, त्यो पछ्यौरा हो।
Hoina, tyo pachhyauraa ho.
No, that is a shawl.
Tourist
पसलमा अरू पनि छ?
Pasalmaa aru pani chha?
Is there anything else in the shop?
Vocabulary
- यो yo
- this
- त्यो tyo
- that
- छ chha
- is / are (there is, state)
- किताब kitaab
- book
- पसल pasal
- shop
- टोपी topi
- cap / hat
- अरू aru
- other / more / else
- होइन hoina
- is not (identity)
Grammar
yo and tyo — this and that
yo means "this" (near you), tyo means "that" (further away). They sit at the front of the sentence and the verb stays at the end: Yo kitaab ho = "This is a book."
To ask "what is this?" simply slot in ke (what): Yo ke ho? Answer by replacing ke with the noun: Yo topi ho.
ho vs chha — two ways to "be"
Nepali splits English "is" into two verbs. Use ho to say what something IS (identity): Yo topi ho. Use chha for where something is or what state it's in (existence/location): Pasalmaa topi chha = "There is a cap in the shop."
A useful rule of thumb: if you could replace "is" with "equals", use ho; if you could replace it with "exists / is located / is (feeling)", use chha. Their negatives are hoina and chhaina.
Yes/no questions
You can turn most statements into a yes/no question just by raising your tone at the end — no extra words needed: Tyo topi ho? ("Is that a cap?"). The answer is the bare verb: ho (yes, it is) or hoina (no, it isn't).
Practice
1. Ask "What is this?"
Show answer
यो के हो? (Yo ke ho?)
2. Say "That is a book."
Show answer
त्यो किताब हो। (Tyo kitaab ho.)
3. Choose ho or chha: "There is a shop here." — Yahaa pasal ___.
Show answer
छ (chha) — it states location/existence.
4. Answer "no" to "Yo topi ho?"
Show answer
होइन। (Hoina.)