Your guide speaks English. The teahouse owners along the major routes speak enough English to take your order and tell you the price. The signs are bilingual. The menus have English translations. You can walk from Lukla to Everest Base Camp, from Besisahar to Muktinath, from Syabrubesi to Kyanjin Gompa, and never speak a word of Nepali. English will get you fed, housed, and directed. It will not get you invited into the kitchen.
The kitchen is where the real food is. Not the dal bhat on the menu — though that is good — but the version the family makes for themselves after the trekkers have gone to bed. Spicier. More generous with the ghee. Accompanied by achar that never appears on the English menu. The kitchen is also where the stories are — stories about the mountain, about the weather, about the expedition team that came through last week, about the yak that escaped last month, about the grandmother who walked this trail before the teahouses existed.
You get invited into the kitchen with Nepali. Not fluent Nepali. Not grammatically correct Nepali. Just enough Nepali to show that you are trying, that you see the person in front of you as a person rather than a service provider, and that you have taken twenty minutes at some point before your trek to learn the sounds that their children learn first.
Twenty minutes. That is all it takes. The following phrases, pronounced approximately right, will transform more interactions on your trek than any piece of gear you carry.
The Essential Five
These five phrases cover eighty percent of daily trekking interactions. Learn these and nothing else, and you will already be ahead of ninety percent of foreign trekkers.
Namaste (nah-mah-STAY) — Hello. Goodbye. I see you. I honour you. The word is a greeting, a farewell, and a gesture of respect simultaneously. Spoken with hands pressed together at the chest — the anjali mudra — it is the most versatile word in the Nepali language. Say it to everyone. The guide. The teahouse owner. The porter. The child standing by the trail staring at you. The old woman spinning a prayer wheel. Every "namaste" you speak creates a micro-connection that "hello" does not.
Dhanyabad (dhun-yah-BAHD) — Thank you. Used after meals, after receiving help, after any service. The emphasis is on the last syllable. Some speakers shorten it to "dhanyabad" with all syllables roughly equal. Either way, the word lands with a warmth that "thank you" in English, filtered through the transactional context of tourism, often lacks.
Mitho chha (MEE-toh chah) — It's delicious. Two words that will make any teahouse cook smile. After eating dal bhat, look at the cook or the person who served you, say "mitho chha" and watch what happens. Often what happens is a second serving arriving unsolicited.
Ramro (RAHM-ro) — Beautiful. Good. Nice. Use it for everything: the view (ramro), the weather (ramro), the food (ramro), the trail (ramro), the village (ramro). Combined with a gesture toward whatever you are describing, it communicates appreciation without requiring a dictionary. "Ramro, ramro" — said twice with genuine feeling while looking at the mountains — is a complete conversation.
Bistari, bistari (bis-TAR-ee) — Slowly, slowly. This is the trekking mantra. Your guide will say it when you are climbing too fast. You will say it to yourself at 4,500 metres when your lungs are burning. It is practical advice (trekking at altitude requires slow, steady pace), cultural wisdom (Nepal does not rush), and philosophical instruction (the mountain will wait). Two words. Repeat them. Live by them.
Greetings and Basics
Subha prabhat (SOO-bah prah-BAHT) — Good morning. More formal than "namaste" but occasionally used, especially by guides greeting you at dawn.
Subha ratri (SOO-bah RAH-tree) — Good night. Say it when retiring to your room at the teahouse.
Kasto chha? (KAHS-toh chah?) — How are you? The standard follow-up to "namaste." The expected response is "sanchai" (fine/well).
Sanchai (san-CHAI) — Fine. Well. Healthy. The answer to "kasto chha?" Even if you have a splitting headache at 4,800 metres, the social convention is to say "sanchai" and smile. The headache can be discussed afterward.
Mero naam ___ ho (MAY-ro nahm ___ ho) — My name is ___. Fill in your name. Simple, useful, and appreciated when meeting new people.
Tapai ko naam ke ho? (tah-PIE ko nahm kay ho?) — What is your name? The polite form (tapai is the respectful "you"). Using this with teahouse staff or village elders shows respect.
Hajur (hah-JOOR) — Yes (polite/respectful). Also used as "pardon?" or "I'm listening" or "sir/madam." One of the most useful words in Nepali — it is polite filler that communicates attention and respect.
Ho (ho) — Yes (informal). Short, simple, used among peers.
Hoina (HOY-nah) — No. Useful but use gently — Nepali culture tends to avoid direct refusal, so "hoina" is often softened with a smile or a qualification.
On the Trail
Paani (PAH-nee) — Water. Essential vocabulary. "Paani chha?" means "Is there water?" — useful when approaching a village or teahouse.
Chiya (CHEE-yah) — Tea. The lifeblood of Nepali trekking. "Chiya dinus" (CHEE-yah dee-NOOS) means "please give me tea." You will use this phrase four to six times per day.
Daal bhat (dahl baht) — The national meal: rice (bhat) with lentil soup (daal), vegetables, and pickle. "Daal bhat dinus" gets you fed at any teahouse in Nepal. Pronunciation note: "bhat" rhymes with "hot," not "bat."
Kati paisa? (KAH-tee PIE-sah?) — How much money? Useful at teahouses and shops. "Paisa" technically means small change but is colloquially used for money in general.
Mahal (mah-HALL) — Expensive. If you are buying something in Thamel and the price seems high, a gentle "mahal chha" (it's expensive) with a smile opens the negotiation. Do not use this on the trek — teahouse prices at altitude are high because transport costs are high, and bargaining is not appropriate.
Sasto (SAHS-toh) — Cheap. The opposite of mahal. Used in Kathmandu shopping, never on the trek trail.
Bato (BAH-toh) — Trail/path/road. "Bato kahaa chha?" (where is the trail?) is useful if you are somehow separated from your guide, though with the mandatory guide rule this should not happen.
Dada (DAH-dah) — Hill/ridge. You will hear guides reference dadas throughout the trek when describing the terrain ahead.
Khola (KHO-lah) — River. The suffix appears in many place names: Dudh Koshi (milk river), Imja Khola, Modi Khola.
Tato paani (TAH-toh PAH-nee) — Hot water. The two most useful words at altitude. "Tato paani dinus" (give me hot water) fills your water bottle at the teahouse for a few rupees — much cheaper than buying bottled water and infinitely better for the environment.
Charpi kahaa chha? (CHAR-pee kah-HAH chah?) — Where is the toilet? Practical and frequently needed. "Charpi" is informal but universally understood. "Shauchalay" (SHOW-chah-lie) is the formal word if you prefer.
Politeness and Social Phrases
Dinus (dee-NOOS) — Please give (me). Added after any food or drink to make a polite request. "Chiya dinus" = tea please. "Paani dinus" = water please. "Menu dinus" = menu please.
Maaf garnos (maaf GAR-nohs) — Excuse me / I'm sorry. Useful when squeezing past people on narrow trails, accidentally bumping someone, or getting someone's attention.
Kripaya (kree-PAH-yah) — Please (formal). Less commonly used in casual conversation but good to know for more formal interactions.
Pugyo (POOG-yoh) — Enough. When the teahouse cook is heaping a third mountain of rice on your plate and you genuinely cannot eat more, "pugyo" with a hand gesture stops the avalanche. This word gets heavy use during dal bhat meals, where refills are free and enthusiastic.
Malai Nepali aaudaina (mah-LIE neh-PAH-lee OW-dye-nah) — I don't speak Nepali. Ironically, saying this in Nepali earns immediate respect and usually prompts the other person to try their English or to speak slower, simpler Nepali.
Ali ali (AH-lee AH-lee) — A little bit. "Nepali ali ali" means "I speak a little Nepali." Combined with a self-deprecating smile, this sets expectations appropriately and generates goodwill.
Numbers
Nepali numbers are useful for understanding prices and negotiating in Kathmandu. On the trek, where prices are displayed in English, they are less critical — but knowing the basics helps.
Ek (ek) — One. Dui (doo-ee) — Two. Tin (teen) — Three. Char (char) — Four. Paanch (pahnch) — Five. Chha (chah) — Six. Saat (saht) — Seven. Aath (aht) — Eight. Nau (now) — Nine. Das (dahs) — Ten.
For prices: Sau (sow) — Hundred. Hajaar (hah-JHAR) — Thousand. "Paanch sau" = five hundred. "Ek hajaar" = one thousand. These cover the range of most teahouse transactions.
Emergency Phrases
Knowing a few emergency phrases can be important even with a guide present:
Malaai biraami chha (mah-LIE bee-RAH-mee chah) — I am sick. Tell your guide immediately if you feel unwell.
Tauko dukhyo (TOW-koh DOOK-yoh) — I have a headache. The most common altitude complaint. Your guide needs to know.
Maddat garnos (MAH-daht GAR-nohs) — Please help. Hopefully never needed, but essential to know.
Aspatal kahaa chha? (ahs-pah-TAHL kah-HAH chah?) — Where is the hospital? The HRA clinic at Pheriche or Manang is the relevant "hospital" on most treks.
Cultural Words You Will Hear
Didi (DEE-dee) — Older sister. Used to address any woman who is older than you or in a position of respect. The teahouse owner is "didi." Your female guide is "didi."
Dai (DIE) — Older brother. Used to address any man who is older or in a position of respect. Your male guide is "dai." The shopkeeper is "dai."
Bahini (bah-HEE-nee) — Younger sister. Bhai (by) — Younger brother. Used for people younger than you.
Mani (MAH-nee) — The carved prayer stones stacked in walls along the trail. Always pass mani walls on the left (keeping them to your right). This is not a suggestion. It is cultural respect, and your guide will ensure you follow it.
Stupa (STOO-pah) — Buddhist shrine with the distinctive painted eyes. Chorten (CHOR-ten) — Smaller trail-side Buddhist monument.
Kani (KAH-nee) — The stone archway at village entrances, often painted with Buddhist imagery. Walk through it (not around it).
Om mani padme hum (ohm MAH-nee PAHD-may hoom) — The most common Buddhist mantra, carved on every mani stone and spun in every prayer wheel. The rough translation is "the jewel is in the lotus" — a phrase that carries layers of meaning about wisdom, compassion, and the nature of enlightenment. You will see and hear it thousands of times.
Pronunciation Notes
Nepali is a phonetic language — words are pronounced as they are written, unlike English. A few pronunciation rules help:
Aspirated consonants: Nepali distinguishes between aspirated and unaspirated consonants. "Cha" and "chha" are different sounds. "Ta" and "tha" are different sounds. The aspirated version has a puff of air. English speakers naturally aspirate most consonants, so this distinction is less challenging than it might seem — but be aware that spelling variations in romanised Nepali often reflect this aspiration difference.
The "aa" sound: a long "a" as in "father," not as in "cat." "Daal" rhymes with "hall." "Paani" sounds like "pah-nee."
Retroflex consonants: some Nepali consonants are pronounced with the tongue curled back against the palate (retroflex position). The difference between "ta" (dental, tongue against teeth) and "ta" (retroflex, tongue curled back) changes meaning. For trekking-level Nepali, do not worry about this — context carries the meaning even if your pronunciation is imperfect.
Gender and politeness levels: Nepali has formal and informal registers. "Tapai" (you, formal) and "timi" (you, informal) serve different social functions. When in doubt, use the formal register — it is never wrong to be more polite than necessary.
The Real Vocabulary
The most important Nepali word is not in any phrasebook. It is the willingness to try. The willingness to say "namaste" instead of "hi." The willingness to mangle "dhanyabad" after dinner and see the cook's face light up. The willingness to point at the mountains and say "ramro" with an enthusiasm that needs no translation.
Nobody on the trail expects you to speak Nepali. The surprise when you do — even badly, even just five words — opens doors that remain closed to the trekker who communicates only in English. The teahouse cook brings extra achar. The porter shares his phone's music. The village elder tells a story about the 1953 expedition that his grandfather witnessed. The child, who was hiding behind the door, comes out and says "namaste" back.
These moments are not in the itinerary. They cannot be purchased. They arise from the simple human act of learning someone's language — even a fragment of it — before entering their home. And on a Nepal trek, every teahouse is someone's home, every trail passes through someone's village, and every "namaste" you speak is a reminder that you came here not just to see the mountains but to meet the people who live among them.
Bistari, bistari. Slowly, slowly. One word at a time.
