English → Nepali · phrase
Hello in Nepali
नमस्ते
namaste
The standard greeting, used for both hello and goodbye, at any time of day.
Other ways to say it
| Nepali | Romanized | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| नमस्कार | namaskār | A shade more formal. Common on radio, television and in speeches. |
| के छ? | ke cha? | What's up? Casual, for people you already know well. |
Example sentences
- नमस्ते, कस्तो हुनुहुन्छ?namaste, kasto hunuhuncha?Hello, how are you?
- नमस्ते, भोलि भेटौँला।namaste, bholi bheṭaũlā.Goodbye, see you tomorrow.
- सर, नमस्कार।sar, namaskār.Hello, sir.
Usage note
It is normally said with palms pressed together at chest height. The gesture matters as much as the word.
Related words
Frequently asked questions
How do you say hello in Nepali?
Hello in Nepali is नमस्ते, romanized as namaste. The standard greeting, used for both hello and goodbye, at any time of day.
How is नमस्ते pronounced?
It is pronounced roughly as namaste. A macron marks a long vowel and a tilde marks nasalisation.
How do I type नमस्ते?
Use the Nepali typing tool — type the romanized spelling and the Devanagari appears as you go.
Write it yourself
To type नमस्ते without a Nepali keyboard, open the type Nepali in English letters and enter namaste. If you met this word inside an old document that displays as Latin gibberish, run it through the the Preeti converter first — and why old Nepali files break explains why that happens.
The letters in नमस्ते are covered in the Nepali alphabet explained, and you can search the dictionary in either script.