“I want to…” in Nepali

mān laagnu: Important verb "to want to" or "would like to". It is used in indirect speech and therefore the subject has the form "-laï" and the verb "mān laagnu" must be conjugated in the third person "mān laagchā." When accompanying a verb, the latter will replace its radical with "–naa."

a) mālaï chiyaa khaanaa mān laagchhā.

I feel like drinking a tea.

b) mālaï trekking jaanaa mān laagchhā.

I want to go trekking.

c) tāpaïlaï ke khaana mān laagchhā?

What would you like to eat?

d) wāhãlaï biraaTnāgār ghumnā mān laagchhā.

He/she would like to go/visit Biratnagar.

e) haamilaï email gārnā mān laagchhā.

We would like to write an email.

f) mero aamaa-laï māndir jaanā mān laagchhā.

My mother would like to go to the temple.

g) binod-laï chiso paani khaanā mān laagchhā.

Binod would like to drink some cold water. ्छ ।

h) mālaï ghār-maa jaanā mān laagchhā.

I would like to go home. मलार्इ घर जान मन लाग्छ ।

i) hari-laï hiDnā mān laagchhā.

Harry would like to walk. हरिलार्इ हिड्न मन लाग्छ ।

j) uslaï pub jaanā mān laagchhā.

He/she would like to go to the pub. उसलार्इ पब जान मन लाग्छ ।

k) haamilaï restaurant-maa khaanā mān laagchhā.

We would like to go to the restaurant. हामीलार्इ रेष्टुरेन्टमा खान मन लाग्छ ।

l) tāpaïlaï ke bhānnā mān laagchhā?

What do you want to tell me? तपार्इलार्इ के भन्न मन लाग्छ ?

m) mālaï umaaleko paani piunā mān laagchhā.

I would like to drink some boiled water. मलार्इ उमालेको पानी पिउन मन लाग्छ ।

n) mālaï usine-ko aalu khaanā mān laagchhā.

I would like to eat steamed potatoes. मलार्इ उसीनेको आलु खान मन लाग्छ ।

o) tāpaïlaï bhuteko bhaat khaanā mān laagchhā?

Would you like to eat some fried rice? तपार्इलार्इ भुटेको भात खान मन लाग्छ ?

If it is part of a question, it is possible to emphasize the idea of “wanting” without making the phrase too complex. This way, in order to ask “Do you want to drink tea?” Nepalese people will ask you “tāpaï chiyaa piunuhunchhâ? (तपार्इ चिया पिउनुहुन्छ ?_– You drink tea?” As a question, the notion of intention is implicit. Some examples of questions will follow.

a) tāpaï paani khaannuhunchhā?

Would you like to drink some water? तपार्इ पानी खानुहुन्छ ?

b) tāpaï chiyaa piunuhunchhā?

Would you like to drink some tea? तपार्इ चिया पिउनुहुन्छ ?

c) tāpaï mālaï chumnuhuhunchhā?

Do you want to kiss me? तपार्इ मलार्इ चुम्नुहुन्छ ?

d) tāpaï pheri nepaal aaunuhunchhā?

Do you want to come back to Nepal? तपार्इ फेरी नेपाल आउनुहुन्छ ?

e) tāpaï mero ghār-maa aaunuhunchhā?

Do you want to come to my home? तपार्इ मेरो घरमा आउनुहुन्छ ?

f) tāpaï sāgārmaathaa chaDhnuhunchhā?

Do you want to climb Everest? तपार्इ फेरी सगरमाथा चढ्नुहुन्छ ?