In this lesson, we’ll break down how to correctly use “writing” across different subjects and time frames—including present, past, and future continuous forms. Whether you’re brushing up on Nepali grammar or just getting started, this lesson will help you understand the structure of continuous tenses and hear clear examples of each conjugation.
To form the continuous tense in Nepali, follow these two simple steps. Using “to write” (लेख्नु / lekhnu) as an example, we’ll show you how to build the continuous form that is used across all three tenses.
| Step | Action | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | Remove the suffix -nu from the verb infinitive | लेख्नु (lekhnu) → लेख (lekh) |
| Step 2 | Add दै (dai) to the verb root to form the continuous base | लेख (lekh) + दै → लेख्दै (lekhdai) |
Once you have the continuous form (लेख्दै), you add different conjugative suffixes depending on the tense (present, past, or future) and the subject pronoun.
Structure: Subject + लेख्दै (lekhdai) + छु/छे/छ/छौँ/छौ/छन् (chu/che/cha/chau/chau/chan)
The present continuous tense describes actions that are happening right now. Each subject pronoun has a different conjugative suffix to match the person and number.
| English | Romanized Nepali | Nepali Script |
|---|---|---|
| I am writing. | Ma lekhdai chu | म लेख्दै छु। |
| You (informal) are writing. | Timi lekhdai chau | तिमी लेख्दै छौ। |
| You (formal) are writing. | Tapai lekhdai hunuhuncha | तपाईं लेख्दै हुनुहुन्छ। |
| He is writing. (informal) | Uh lekhdai cha | ऊ लेख्दै छ। |
| She is writing. (informal) | Uni lekhdai chin | उनी लेख्दै छिन्। |
| He/She is writing. (formal) | Uha lekhdai hunuhuncha | उहाँ लेख्दै हुनुहुन्छ। |
| We are writing. | Hami lekhdai chau | हामी लेख्दै छौं। |
| They are writing. | Uniharu lekhdai chan | उनीहरू लेख्दै छन्। |
Structure: Subject + लेख्दै (lekhdai) + थियो/थिए/etc. (thiyo/thiye/etc.)
The past continuous tense describes actions that were happening at a specific time in the past. The suffix changes to match the subject pronoun while using the past tense marker.
| English | Romanized Nepali | Nepali Script |
|---|---|---|
| I was writing. | Ma lekhdai thiye | म लेख्दै थिएँ। |
| You (informal) were writing. | Timi lekhdai thiyou | तिमी लेख्दै थियौ। |
| You (formal) were writing. | Tapai lekhdai hunuthiyo | तपाईं लेख्दै हुनुहुन्थ्यो। |
| He was writing. (informal) | Uh lekhdai thiyo | ऊ लेख्दै थियो। |
| She was writing. (informal) | Uni lekhdai thien | उनी लेख्दै थिइन्। |
| He/She was writing. (formal) | Uha lekhdai hunuthiyo | उहाँ लेख्दै हुनुहुन्थ्यो। |
| We were writing. | Hami lekhdai thiyou | हामी लेख्दै थियौं। |
| They were writing. | Uniharu lekhdai thiye | उनीहरू लेख्दै थिए। |
Structure: Subject + लेख्दै (lekhdai) + हुनेछ/हुनेछन्/etc. (hunecha/hunechan/etc.)
The future continuous tense describes actions that will be happening at a specific time in the future. The future marker हुनेछ is added with the appropriate conjugation for each subject.
| English | Romanized Nepali | Nepali Script |
|---|---|---|
| I will be writing. | Ma lekhdai hunechu | म लेख्दै हुनेछु। |
| You (informal) will be writing. | Timi lekhdai hunechau | तिमी लेख्दै हुनेछौ। |
| You (formal) will be writing. | Tapai lekhdai hunu hunecha | तपाईं लेख्दै हुनुहुनेछ। |
| He will be writing. (informal) | Uh lekhdai hunecha | ऊ लेख्दै हुनेछ। |
| She will be writing. (informal) | Uni lekhdai hunechin | उनी लेख्दै हुनेछिन्। |
| He/She will be writing. (formal) | Uha lekhdai hunu hunecha | उहाँ लेख्दै हुनुहुनेछ। |
| We will be writing. | Hami lekhdai hunechau | हामी लेख्दै हुनेछौं। |
| They will be writing. | Uniharu lekhdai hunechan | उनीहरू लेख्दै हुनेछन्। |
See how the three continuous tenses differ and how they function in real conversations with objects and specific contexts.
| Tense | English | Romanized Nepali | Nepali Script |
|---|---|---|---|
| Present | I am writing. | Ma lekhdai chu | म लेख्दै छु। |
| Past | I was writing. | Ma lekhdai thiye | म लेख्दै थिएँ। |
| Future | I will be writing. | Ma lekhdai hunechu | म लेख्दै हुनेछु। |
| Tense & Context | Romanized Nepali | Nepali Script |
|---|---|---|
| Present Continuous We are writing poems. |
Hami kabita lekhdai chau. | हामी कविता लेख्दै छौं। |
| Past Continuous We were writing poems. |
Hami kabita lekhdai thiyou. | हामी कविता लेख्दै थियौं। |
| Future Continuous We will be writing poems. |
Hami kabita lekhdai hunechau. | हामी कविता लेख्दै हुनेछौं। |
By mastering the conjugation of “to write” (लेख्नु) in all continuous tenses, you’ve learned a pattern that applies to virtually any Nepali verb. The consistent structure of removing -nu, adding दै, and then applying the appropriate conjugative suffix for tense and subject makes it straightforward to describe writing and other ongoing actions in Nepali with confidence and precision. This skill forms the foundation for expressing yourself fluently across different time periods.
|
Principle 01
Universal Pattern
The formation process (remove -nu, add दै, add conjugative suffix) works for all Nepali verbs, making it highly transferable knowledge. |
Principle 02
Time Expression
The only thing that changes between present, past, and future is the conjugative suffix—the continuous form (लेख्दै) stays exactly the same. |
Principle 03
Practical Fluency
With this foundation, you can describe any writing activity in any time period and sound like a native speaker. |
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