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Auxiliary verbs are the backbone of English and Nepali grammar, working alongside main verbs to express tense, mood, and meaning. Also called “helping verbs” (सहायक क्रिया, sahayak kriya), they enable you to form questions, negatives, continuous tenses, and perfect tenses—essential structures for any fluent speaker.
An auxiliary verb is a verb such as be, do, and have used with main verbs to show tense and to form questions and negatives. Read the definitions below and identify which category each example belongs to.
What is the primary difference between modal and primary auxiliary verbs?
Name three modal auxiliary verbs and give an example sentence for each.
What are the three primary auxiliary verbs mentioned in this lesson?
How do auxiliary verbs help form negatives and questions in English?
Modal auxiliary verbs do not need to be conjugated for tense or subject-verb agreement. They are used specifically to express possibility, capability, willingness, or permission.
- I can swim.
- You should study for the test.
- We must leave now.
- He cannot drive a car.
- They should not go there.
- Can you help me?
- Should we wait?
Primary auxiliary verbs, also known as primary helping verbs, are used to form various verb tenses, question forms, negative forms, and the passive voice.
- She is running fast.
- They were singing beautifully.
- He has eaten lunch.
- We had finished the task.
- I do not like coffee.
- She was not working yesterday.
- Is she coming?
- Have they arrived?
Work through these exercises to strengthen your mastery of auxiliary verbs in real-world contexts.
Transform these statements into questions using the correct auxiliary verb: “She likes coffee” / “They have finished the project.”
Write negative forms using the correct auxiliary: “I can help you” / “They should arrive on time.”
Fill in the blanks with the correct auxiliary verb: “She ____ been studying all day” / “We ____ not go there.”
Create 5 original sentences using different modal auxiliary verbs to express ability, necessity, and permission.
Example 1: I am reading a book.
नेपाली:
म किताब पढ्दै छु।
Ma kitab padhdai chu.
Example 2: They are playing football.
नेपाली:
उनीहरू फुटबल खेल्दैछन्।
Uniharu football kheldaichan.
Example 1: She has finished her homework.
नेपाली:
उनले गृहकार्य समाप्त गरिसकिन्।
Uni le grihakarya samapta garisakin.
Example 2: We have been waiting for an hour.
नेपाली:
हामी एक घण्टादेखि पर्खिरहेका छौं।
Haami ek ghantadeekhi parkhiraheka chhau.
Example 1: Do you like coffee?
नेपाली:
के तिमीलाई कफी मन पर्छ?
Ke timilai coffee man parchha?
Example 2: He does not go to school on Saturdays.
नेपाली:
ऊ शनिबार स्कुल जान्न।
U Shanibaar school jaandaina.
Example 1: I will call you tomorrow.
नेपाली:
म भोलि तिमीलाई फोन गर्नेछु।
Ma bholi timilai phone garnechu.
Example 2: Will they attend the meeting?
नेपाली:
के उनीहरू बैठकमा सहभागी हुनेछन्?
Ke uniharu baithakma sahabhagi hunechan?
Example 1: You can do it!
नेपाली:
तिमी यो गर्न सक्छौ!
Timi yo garna sakchhau!
Example 2: Can I help you?
नेपाली:
के म तिमीलाई मद्दत गर्न सक्छु?
Ke ma timilai maddat garna sakchhu?
Example 1: You should study hard.
नेपाली:
तिमी मेहनत गरेर पढ्नुपर्छ।
Timi mehnat garera padhnuparcha.
Example 2: Should we wait for them?
नेपाली:
के हामी उनीहरूको पर्खाइमा बस्नुपर्छ?
Ke haami uniharuko parkhaima basnuparcha?
Master these essential principles to confidently use auxiliary verbs in everyday communication.
Modal auxiliaries (can, should, will, must) do not conjugate and express ability, permission, or necessity. Primary auxiliaries (be, have, do) conjugate with tense and are used to form continuous tenses, perfect tenses, questions, and negatives.
Auxiliary verbs follow predictable patterns in sentences. Remember: Modal + base verb, Be + -ing form, Have + -ed form, Do + base verb. These patterns unlock your ability to form any tense correctly.
Auxiliary verbs are everywhere in natural conversation. Listen for them in songs, movies, and everyday speech. The more you practice forming questions, negatives, and continuous sentences, the more natural and fluent you’ll become.
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