In Nepali, past conditionals express hypothetical situations that could have happened in the past but didn’t. This is similar to saying “would have,” “could have,” or “should have” in English.
Here’s how you can form past conditional sentences in Nepali, along with examples.
Structure
Past conditional sentences in Nepali often use the verb form “भएको भए” (bhaeko bhae), which roughly translates to “if it had happened.”
Structure:
[subject] + [verb root + को/की/का/यो/छु] + भए + [consequence in past tense]
- If I had gone, I would have helped him.
- म गएको भए, मैले उसलाई मद्दत गर्थे।
- Ma gaeko bhae, maile uslai maddat Garthey.
- If she had studied, she would have passed.
- उसले पढेको भए, उ पास हुन्थी।
- Usle padheko bhae, u pass hunthi.
- If it had rained, we would have stayed inside.
- पानी परेको भए, हामी भित्रै बसेका हुने थियौं।
- Pani pareko bhae, haami bhitrai baseka hune thiyau.
- If they had known, they would not have come.
- उनीहरूले थाहा पाएको भए, उनीहरू आउने थिएनन्।
- Uniharule thaaha paeko bhae, uniharu aaune thiyenan.
- If you had told me, I would have done it.
- तिमीले भनेको भए, मैले त्यो गर्थे
- Timi le bhaneko bhae, maile tyo garthiye.
- If I had money, I would have bought the book.
- मसँग पैसा भएको भए, मैले किताब किन्थेँ।
- Ma sanga paisa bhaeko bhae, maile kitab kinthe.
In these examples, “भएको भए” (bhaeko bhae) introduces the hypothetical situation, while the main clause explains what would have happened if that condition had been met.
