Nepali Help With Nepali Words Hagi - Why Can't I Remember What This Means?

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kariina Thursday 24th of November 2005 09:54:39 AM
help with Nepali words - Namaste-

I'm new to this forum. I've been studying Nepali mostly on my own but I took a class over the summer. I try to speak Nepali when I can, but I don't get to use it very often. I know a lot of the Nepali learning books that I can recommend if anyone is interested, but for now I have a question for any Nepali bolne manche on the forum:

A new Nepali friend wrote to me "Nepali ta majja sanga aune rahecha ni hagi" - I understand something like it will be fun to keep learning Nepali, or that Nepali will keep improving, but what exactly does 'hagi' mean? Also, what does it mean to say "chai chutti cha"? is chai=chiya? I can figure out a lot but native speakers always use words that aren't in the dictionary ;) Of course that's part of the fun - can anyone help?

Thanks!
Corinna

Anya Thursday 24th of November 2005 10:23:53 AM
- Namaste Corinna!
Welcome to PhraseBase, I'm really excited you're here to learn with us!

Hopefully Shyam will be able to help you with the translations (I'm not far enough along in my studies to really know).

I is exciting to hear that you were able to take a class over the summer (was it here in the US?) Also, I would be incredibly grateful if you can share the book resources that you know about... I've been having the hardest time finding books and ESPECIALLY dictionaries (I don't have one :()

Dhanyabaad

kariina Thursday 24th of November 2005 10:14:22 PM
Nepali words and online dictionaries - My Nepali is a little rusty, and sometimes more comes back when I go back and look again. So now I have some guesses. I think maaaaybe 'hagi' marks a tag question, as in "learning Nepali is fun, isn't it?" but I'm not sure. With the question of "chai chutti cha" - I think the context helps - she was talking about the times she works, and then said "Saturday chai chutti cha" - I think chutti might be a day off or free day, and 'chai' is probably 'chahi' which puts contrastive emphasis on the word it follows, so I think that means "Saturday, I have off". This seems to work, but I'm still unsure about the structure of the first sentence.

Anyway, I think the teach yourself Nepal is pretty good, but I prefer Matthews' "A course in Nepali" - the class I took was at Cornell, where that 16-lesson intro that someone posted is from, and they are excellent. If anyone is a student and wants to study in Nepal, they also have a study abroad program that uses the same materials, and they are also very good. Most of the Nepal programs have been cancelled but this one is still running.

There is an online dictionary that works for some things
http://www.thdl.org/reference/dictionary/nepali/index.php - this page also has a link to a word list arranged by lesson in that workbook you guys have - be sure to check around for the other links too.
the dictionary I have in book form is online here (it also has limitations - unfortunately I don't know any Nepali dictionary that really seems complete)
http://dsal.uchicago.edu/dictionaries/schmidt/

Hope some of that helps!
Corinna

Anya Thursday 24th of November 2005 10:26:59 PM
- Corinna!

I like the Matthews course much better also. That is what I'm following right now. I made it to Ch 7 in TYS, but I just started Matthews and I like it much better. I spent last night going through the course (16 chapters) that Lindsay posted and I found it a really good review.

Now that I look at your question again, I'm wondering if it may be some truncation of "ho ki hoina?" construction? Just as you've surmised.

Your links are super helpful! Dhanyabaad.

I'm trying to go there this summer, so I think a study abroad is out of the question for me, since I'd really like to get involved in a healthcare project when I go. I heard great things of the Cornell program, actually!
I hope that we can all practice here and get unrusty :)

pheri betaũlā!

Shyam Saturday 26th of November 2005 01:57:00 PM
- Swagat cha Corrina timilae!
Ma Shyam hu. Ma Nepali hun. Ma tapaein lae maddat garna sakchu. Ma maddat garnechu.
Aja dherai jado cha hagi?
Today is very cold, isn't it?
The explanation that u put up on ur second log was absolutely correct to add to it some more let me give some examples.

A: Shyam, mero sombar chutti cha. Timro ni Lindsay?
B: Mero chahi mangalbar chutti cha. (Mine is on Tuesday)

A: Shyam bhai malae bhok lageko cha(Shyam I am hungry).
B: Corinna didi malae chahi nidra lageko cha.(I am sleepy).
C: Anya didi lae chahi tirkha lageko cha.(Anya is thirsty).

Hope this helped to clear off the confuion. It could bring up some more confusions too so let me know if u feel that way. Dhanaybad.
-Shyam

Phrasebase Archive
	kariina	Thursday 24th of November 2005 09:54:39 AM
	help with Nepali words - Namaste- I'm new to this forum. I've been studying Nepali mostly on my own but I took a class over the summer. I try to speak Nepali when I can, but I don't get to use it very often. I know a lot of the Nepali learning books that I can recommend if anyone is interested, but for now I have a question for any Nepali bolne manche on the forum: A new Nepali friend wrote to me "Nepali ta majja sanga aune rahecha ni hagi" - I understand something like it will be fun to keep learning Nepali, or that Nepali will keep improving, but what exactly does 'hagi' mean? Also, what does it mean to say "chai chutti cha"? is chai=chiya? I can figure out a lot but native speakers always use words that aren't in the dictionary ;) Of course that's part of the fun - can anyone help? Thanks! Corinna
	Anya	Thursday 24th of November 2005 10:23:53 AM
	- Namaste Corinna! Welcome to PhraseBase, I'm really excited you're here to learn with us! Hopefully Shyam will be able to help you with the translations (I'm not far enough along in my studies to really know). I is exciting to hear that you were able to take a class over the summer (was it here in the US?) Also, I would be incredibly grateful if you can share the book resources that you know about... I've been having the hardest time finding books and ESPECIALLY dictionaries (I don't have one :() Dhanyabaad
	kariina	Thursday 24th of November 2005 10:14:22 PM
	Nepali words and online dictionaries - My Nepali is a little rusty, and sometimes more comes back when I go back and look again. So now I have some guesses. I think maaaaybe 'hagi' marks a tag question, as in "learning Nepali is fun, isn't it?" but I'm not sure. With the question of "chai chutti cha" - I think the context helps - she was talking about the times she works, and then said "Saturday chai chutti cha" - I think chutti might be a day off or free day, and 'chai' is probably 'chahi' which puts contrastive emphasis on the word it follows, so I think that means "Saturday, I have off". This seems to work, but I'm still unsure about the structure of the first sentence. Anyway, I think the teach yourself Nepal is pretty good, but I prefer Matthews' "A course in Nepali" - the class I took was at Cornell, where that 16-lesson intro that someone posted is from, and they are excellent. If anyone is a student and wants to study in Nepal, they also have a study abroad program that uses the same materials, and they are also very good. Most of the Nepal programs have been cancelled but this one is still running. There is an online dictionary that works for some things http://www.thdl.org/reference/dictionary/nepali/index.php - this page also has a link to a word list arranged by lesson in that workbook you guys have - be sure to check around for the other links too. the dictionary I have in book form is online here (it also has limitations - unfortunately I don't know any Nepali dictionary that really seems complete) http://dsal.uchicago.edu/dictionaries/schmidt/ Hope some of that helps! Corinna
	Anya	Thursday 24th of November 2005 10:26:59 PM
	- Corinna! I like the Matthews course much better also. That is what I'm following right now. I made it to Ch 7 in TYS, but I just started Matthews and I like it much better. I spent last night going through the course (16 chapters) that Lindsay posted and I found it a really good review. Now that I look at your question again, I'm wondering if it may be some truncation of "ho ki hoina?" construction? Just as you've surmised. Your links are super helpful! Dhanyabaad. I'm trying to go there this summer, so I think a study abroad is out of the question for me, since I'd really like to get involved in a healthcare project when I go. I heard great things of the Cornell program, actually! I hope that we can all practice here and get unrusty :) pheri betaũlā!
	Shyam	Saturday 26th of November 2005 01:57:00 PM
	- Swagat cha Corrina timilae! Ma Shyam hu. Ma Nepali hun. Ma tapaein lae maddat garna sakchu. Ma maddat garnechu. Aja dherai jado cha hagi? Today is very cold, isn't it? The explanation that u put up on ur second log was absolutely correct to add to it some more let me give some examples. A: Shyam, mero sombar chutti cha. Timro ni Lindsay? B: Mero chahi mangalbar chutti cha. (Mine is on Tuesday) A: Shyam bhai malae bhok lageko cha(Shyam I am hungry). B: Corinna didi malae chahi nidra lageko cha.(I am sleepy). C: Anya didi lae chahi tirkha lageko cha.(Anya is thirsty). Hope this helped to clear off the confuion. It could bring up some more confusions too so let me know if u feel that way. Dhanaybad. -Shyam