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In this lesson, we explore Nepali conjunctions — the essential words that join sentences, ideas, and phrases together. You’ll learn the most common coordinating and subordinating conjunctions with clear examples and translations, building your confidence in connecting thoughts naturally in Nepali.
Coordinating conjunctions connect words, phrases, or clauses of equal importance. Study each conjunction with its Nepali form and English meaning below.
| English | Romanized Nepali | नेपाली |
| And | Ra | र |
| But | Tara | तर |
| Or | Wa / Aathawa | वा / आथवा |
| Nor | Na ta | न त |
| So | Tyasaile | त्यसैले |
| For | Laagi | लाई / लाग्गी |
| Yet | Taipani / Ajhai | तापनि / अझै |
Subordinating conjunctions connect a dependent clause to an independent clause, showing cause, condition, time, and purpose. These are more complex connectors that express deeper relationships between ideas.
| English | Romanized Nepali | नेपाली |
| Because | Kinabhane | किनभने |
| Although | Yadhyapi | यद्यपि |
| If | Yedi | यदि |
| Unless | Jaba samma | जबसम्म |
| While | Garda / Jaba | गर्दा / जब |
| When | Jaba / Kahile / Bela | जब / कहिले / बेला |
| Before | Aghi | अगि |
| After | Pachhi | पछी |
| Since | Dekhi / Hunale | देखि / हुनाले |
| Though | Tara pani | तर पनि |
| As | Jasari / Jaba | जसरी / जब |
| Even if | Bhaye pani | भए पनि |
| Until / Till | Samma | सम्म |
“Ma dhila bhaye kinabhane mero bus chhutyo.” — I’m late because I missed the bus.
“Chiso thiyo yadhyapi haami baahira gayou.” — Although it was cold, we went out.
“Yedi paani paryo bhane, haami yatra radda garnechhau.” — If it rains, we’ll cancel the trip.
Study these complete sentences to see how conjunctions function in real Nepali communication.
| Romanized Nepali | English Translation |
| Paani pariraheko thiyo, tyasaile haami gharmai basyau. | It was raining, so we stayed home. |
| Ma paddai garda geet sunne garchu. | I listen to songs while studying. |
| Jaba timle malaai phone garyou, ma sutiraheko thiye. | I was sleeping when you called me. |
| Khana khanu aghi haat dhau. | Wash your hands before eating. |
| Khana pachhi haami bahira janchau. | We’ll go out after lunch. |
| Ma bihana dekhi yaha chhu. | I’ve been here since morning. |
| Usle dherai kosis garyo tara pani asafal bhayo. | Though he tried hard, he failed. |
| Jaba ma hidiraheko thiye, maile biralo dekhe. | As I was walking, I saw a cat. |
| Ma byasta pani timlai maddat garnechhu. | I’ll help you even if I’m busy. |
| Ma aaunjel samma parkha. | Wait until I come. |
| Maile mero saathi ko laagi gift kiney. | I bought a gift for my friend. |
| Usle maasu khadaina, na ta dudh piuchha. | He doesn’t eat meat, nor drink milk. |
Notice how each conjunction changes the relationship between clauses. Time conjunctions mark sequence; reason conjunctions explain why; condition conjunctions show “what if”; contrast conjunctions show surprise or unexpected outcomes.
Master these essential conjunctions and you’ll be able to express complex ideas in Nepali with clarity and fluency.
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Principle 01
Coordinating Conjunctions
Connect equal ideas: Ra (and), Tara (but), Wa (or). Use these to join simple sentences. |
Principle 02
Subordinating Conjunctions
Show relationships: Kinabhane (because), Yedi (if), Jaba (when). Express complex thoughts. |
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Principle 03
Practice with Patterns
Build sentences by combining clauses. Start with simple patterns and progress to complex thoughts. |
Principle 04
Listen and Imitate
Hear how native speakers use conjunctions. This builds natural intuition for when to use each one. |
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