INTRODUCTION
Imagine if you had no words to describe how you did something. You caught a big fish? Well, too bad you can’t tell what happened because you lack the word to describe the action. Fortunately, we do have verbs, allowing us to describe what exactly we did to others.
This way, verbs are very important because it allows communication of action(s) performed by someone or something. Verbs are those words which describe an action, state or occurrence. Examples in English include, but not limited to, to sleep, to eat, to run etc.
Verbs are called क्रियापद (kriyāpad) in Nepali.
INFLECTION AND ROOT OF THE VERB
Before we proceed to the list, we need to note that Nepali declines verbs according to the properties possessed by the subject, much like English. For example:
I go to school. (verb inflected for the singular 1st person subject)
He goes to school. (verb inflected for the singular 3rd person subject)
Note that the verbs listed below are in their dictionary form i.e. they are not inflected and are in the infinitive form. All verbs listed in Dictionary form are of the following structure:
Root + नु (nu)
For example:
खानु (khānu) = खा (khā) [root] + नु (nu)
The root is important to know, as it helps us conjugate the verb.
The list below is not exhaustive.
LIST
Verbs whose root is one syllable long
To be/ To have = हुनु (hunu)
To cry = रुनु (runu)
To eat = खानु (khānu)
To get = लिनु (linu)
To go = जानु (jānu)
To touch = छुनु (chunu)
Verbs whose root ends in a vowel sound
To come = आउनु (āunu)
To cook = पकाउनु (pakāunu)
To drink = पिउनु (piunu)
To forget = बिर्सनु (birsanu)
To remember = सम्झनु (samjhanu)
To return = फर्कनु (pharkanu)
To run = दौडनु (dauḍanu)
To slip = चिप्लनु (ciplanu)
To stand = उभिनु (ubhinu)
To use = चलाउनु (calāunu)
To wait = पर्खनु (parkhanu)
To wear = लगाउनु (lagāunu)
Verbs whose root ends in a consonant sound
To buy = किन्नु (kunnu)
To cut = काट्नु (kāṭnu)
To die = मर्नु (marnu)
To do = गर्नु (garnu)
To hear = सुन्नु (sunnu)
To laugh = हाँस्नु (hām̐snu)
To live (in an area)/ To sit = बस्नु (basnu)
To lose (a competition) = हार्नु (hārnu)
To meet = भेट्नु (bheṭnu)
To open = खोल्नु (kholnu)
To play = खेल्नु (khelnu)
To read/ To study = पढ्नु (paḍhnu)
To say = भन्नु (bhannu)
To see = देख्नु (dekhnu)
To sell = बेच्नु (becnu)
To sleep = सुत्नु (sutnu)
To speak/ To talk = बोल्नु (bolnu)
To stop = रोक्नु (roknu)
To take = लग्नु (lagnu)
To wake up = उठ्नु (uṭhnu)
To walk = हिँड्नु (him̐ḍnu)
To watch/ To look = हेर्नु (hernu)
To win = जित्नु (jitnu)
To write = लेख्नु (lekhnu)
EXERCISES
A. WHAT IS THE ROOT OF THE FOLLOWING VERBS?
1. जित्नु (jitnu) /to win/
2. रुनु (runu) /to cry/
3. पकाउनु (pakāunu) /to cook/
4. पर्खनु (parkhanu) /to wait/
5. गर्नु (garnu) /to do/
B. GIVE THE TRANSLATIONS FOR THE FOLLOWING VERBS.
1. भेट्नु (bheṭnu)
2. लेख्नु (lekhnu)
3. जानु (jānu)
4. दौडनु (dauḍanu)
5. हार्नु (hārnu)
ANSWERS
A.1. जित् (jit)
A.2. रु (ru)
A.3. पकाउ (pakāu)
A.4. पर्ख (parkha)
A.5. गर् (gar)
B.1. To meet
B.2. To write
B.3. To go
B.4. To run
B.5. To lose (a competition)
Nepalgo 