Lessons
Grammar foundation #3
Nepali postpositions — they come after the noun
English uses prepositions: in Kathmandu, from home, with you. Nepali uses postpositions — the same words, attached after the noun. Once you flip that switch in your head, half of basic Nepali grammar falls into place.
The ten essential postpositions
| Postposition | Romanized | Meaning | Example (Nepali) | English | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| -मा | -maa | in / at / on | काठमाडौंमा | in Kathmandu | |
| -बाट | -baata | from | घरबाट | from home | |
| -सम्म | -samma | until / up to | साँझसम्म | until evening | |
| -लाई | -laai | to / for (dative) | मलाई | to me / for me | |
| -ले | -le | by / agent marker | रामले | by Ram (Ram did it) | |
| -सँग | -sa~ga | with (accompaniment) | तिमीसँग | with you | |
| -को | -ko | of / possessive | रामको | Ram's | |
| -भन्दा | -bhandaa | than (comparative) | मभन्दा ठूलो | bigger than me | |
| -को लागि | -ko laagi | for (purpose) | तपाईंको लागि | for you | |
| -देखि | -dekhi | since / from (time) | बिहानदेखि | since morning |
-मा (-maa)
The most common postposition. Covers in, at, on — context decides.
-लाई (-laai)
Used with verbs of giving, telling, and with feelings: 'मलाई भोक लाग्यो' (to-me hunger happened = I'm hungry).
-ले (-le)
Marks the doer in a transitive past-tense sentence. Required, not optional.
-को (-ko)
Forms possessives. 'राम-को किताब' = Ram's book.
-भन्दा (-bhandaa)
-भन्दा attaches to the standard of comparison (X-भन्दा), not the adjective: यो होटल त्यो भन्दा सस्तो छ। = 'This hotel is cheaper than that one.'
-देखि (-dekhi)
Use for time. -बाट is more general / used for places.
Quick check: pick the right postposition
1. Which postposition means 'in / at / on'?
2. Which postposition makes 'from home' (घर + ?)?
3. 'To me / for me' — मलाई — uses which postposition?
4. How do you say 'Ram's book'?
Combine postpositions with sentence patterns
Eight sentence frames + the postpositions on this page = thousands of real Nepali sentences you can speak today.
Open sentence patterns