Introduction
ड has a strong retroflex sound. When you pronounce it, your tongue curls slightly backward. This makes ड different from द, which has a softer dental sound.
Today, instead of learning only words that begin with ड, we’ll learn 30 useful Nepali words that contain the letter ड.
This will help you recognize ड when reading real Nepali words.
30 Useful Vocabulary
| English Meaning | Romanized Nepali | Nepali |
|---|---|---|
| Box | Dabba | डब्बा |
| Rope | Dori | डोरी |
| Hill / ridge | Daanda | डाँडा |
| Doctor | Daaktar | डाक्टर |
| A lump of soil | Dallo | डल्लो |
| To run | Daudinu | दौडिनु |
| Running / run | Daud | दौड |
| Stick / rod | Daandi | डाँडी |
| To drown / sink | Dubnu | डुब्नु |
| Boat | Dunga | डुङ्गा |
| Cutting down vegetation / trees | Fadani | फडानी |
| Fear | Dar | डर |
| Forest fire | Dadhelo | डढेलो |
| To burn | Dadnu | डढ्नु |
| Lophophorus / Himalayan monal | Daaphe | डाँफे |
| Drum | Damaru | डमरु |
| Basket | Daalo | डालो |
| Big lump | Dallo | डल्लो |
| Wrist | Naadi | नाडी |
| Knee | Ghunda | घुँडा |
| Egg | Anda | अण्डा |
| Hindu priest | Pandit | पण्डित |
| Cold / cold weather | Jaado | जाडो |
| To be cold | Jaado hunu | जाडो हुनु |
| To add / calculate | Jodnu | जोड्नु |
| Addition / sum | Jod | जोड |
| Thorn | Kaanda | काँडा |
| Watch / clock | Ghadi | घडी |
| Disorder / mess | Gadbadi | गडबडी |
| Decision | Nirnaya | निर्णय |
Reading Tip: The letter ड does not always appear at the beginning of a word. Look for it in different positions and combinations as you read Nepali.
Notice the Letter ड
Here are some useful examples containing ड:
डब्बा · डोरी · डाँडा · डाक्टर · डढेलो · डमरु · डुब्नु · डुङ्गा · घडी · गडबडी
You can also find ड in words such as:
अण्डा · पण्डित · नाडी · जाडो · जोड्नु · काँडा
Try to identify ड each time you read these words.
15 Useful Sentences
| English | Romanized Nepali | Nepali |
|---|---|---|
| Put it in the box. | Yeslai dabbaama raakhnuhos. | यसलाई डब्बामा राख्नुहोस्। |
| Where is the rope? | Dori kahaã chha? | डोरी कहाँ छ? |
| The hill is beautiful. | Daadaa sundar chha. | डाँडा सुन्दर छ। |
| I need to see a doctor. | Malai daaktarlai dekhaaunu chha. | मलाई डाक्टरलाई देखाउनु छ। |
| Don’t run. | Na daudinu hos. | नदौडिनुहोस्। |
| The boat is in the water. | Dunga paanimaa chha. | डुङ्गा पानीमा छ। |
| Be careful not to fall. | Naladnu hola. | नलड्नु होला। |
| I am cold. | Malai jaado bhayo. | मलाई जाडो भयो। |
| Please calculate the total for all the items. | Sabai saamaanko hisaab jodnuhos. | सबै सामानको हिसाब जोड्नुहोस्। |
| The egg is broken. | Anda futyo. | अण्डा फुट्यो। |
| I made a decision. | Maile nirnaya garẽ. | मैले निर्णय गरें। |
| The priest is performing a puja ceremony. | Panditle puja garnuhudai chha. | पण्डितले पूजा गर्नुहुँदै छ। |
| The road goes up the hill. | Baato daadaa tira jaanchha. | बाटो डाँडातिर जान्छ। |
| I am going for a run. | Ma daudina jaandai chhu. | म दौडिन जाँदै छु। |
| My watch broke. | Mero ghadi bigriyo. | मेरो घडी बिग्रियो। |
Final Reading Challenge
Read this sentence slowly:
डाँडामा डोरी बोकेर डाक्टरसँग जानुहोस्।
Now try to identify every word containing ड.
The more you practice recognizing ड in different words and positions, the easier Nepali reading will become.
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