नमस्ते
namaste[nʌmʌst̪e]
The English phrase goodbye is translated into Nepali as नमस्ते (namaste).
नमस्ते can be used as a formal way to say goodbye. While English distinguishes between 'hello' and 'goodbye', the Nepali term नमस्ते serves both functions for both greeting and parting.
Meaning: farewell (intj)
Which one should you use?
फेरी भेटौला translates to "let's meet again" and is a polite way to bid farewell.
How do you pronounce it?
namaste
Did you know?
- In many Nepali households, the act of touching the feet of an elder while saying नमस्ते is a traditional sign of extreme respect and seeking blessings.
- Beyond a greeting, नमस्ते carries a spiritual meaning of acknowledging the divine spark or soul within the other person.
- When using नमस्ते as a goodbye, your eyes should ideally be lowered or directed towards the other person's feet in very respectful circumstances. Direct, prolonged eye contact during a formal parting can sometimes be perceived as too intense.
Examples in context
- नमस्ते, अब म जान्छु।namaste, aba ma janchhu.Goodbye, I am leaving now.
- नमस्ते, फेरि भेटौँला।namaste, pheri bhetaula.Goodbye, see you again.
- नमस्ते, भोलि भेटौँला।namaste, bholi bhetaula.Goodbye, see you tomorrow.
Example conversation
Sumit and Srijana are leaving a cafe after a meeting.
- सुमित Sumitनमस्ते, सृजना।namaste, Srijana.Goodbye, Srijana.
- सृजना Srijanaनमस्ते, सुमित।namaste, Sumit.Goodbye, Sumit.
- सुमित Sumitफेरि भेटौँला।pheri bhetaula.See you again.
- सृजना Srijanaहुन्छ, भोलि भेटौँला।hunchha, bholi bhetaula.Okay, see you tomorrow.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “goodbye” translations and entries नमस्ते, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
