तपाईंलाई कस्तो छ?
tapāī̃lāī kasto cha?
How are you doing? In Nepali is expressed as तपाईंलाई कस्तो छ? (tapāī̃lāī kasto cha?)
This phrase is a common greeting used to ask someone about their current well-being or general state.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase तपाईंलाई कस्तो छ? literally translates to 'To you, how is (it)?' In this construction, tapāī̃lāī means 'to you' and kasto cha means 'how is'.
Which one should you use?
While तपाईंलाई कस्तो छ? is the standard polite form, you can use तिमीलाई कस्तो छ? to make the greeting informal or familiar when speaking to friends, younger people or close peers. For a very casual way to ask 'What's up?', you can use Ke cha?
How does it change in a sentence?
The default form तपाईंलाई कस्तो छ? uses the honorific pronoun tapāī̃, which makes it appropriate for speaking to elders, strangers or in formal settings.
How do you pronounce it?
tapāī̃lāī kasto cha?
When do people say it?
When someone asks how you are, a standard response is मलाई सन्चै छ।, which means 'to me, it is well/fine'.
Did you know?
- In some rural regions of Nepal, instead of asking 'how are you', people may ask if you have eaten rice, खाना खानुभयो?, as a primary way to check on someone's well-being.
- While तपाईंलाई कस्तो छ? is polite, Nepali has an even higher level of honorifics called 'Royal Honorifics' used for royalty or high deities, which would change the pronoun and verb entirely.
- In Nepali culture, a greeting like तपाईंलाई कस्तो छ? is often accompanied by a 'Namaste' gesture, where the palms are pressed together and the head is slightly bowed.
Examples in context
- नमस्ते, तपाईंलाई कस्तो छ?namaste, tapāīnlāī kasto cha?Hello, how are you doing?
Example conversation
Maya and Sumit meet at a cafe.
- माया Mayaनमस्ते सुमित, तपाईंलाई कस्तो छ?Namaste Sumit, tapailai kasto cha?Hello Sumit, how are you doing?
- सुमित Sumitमलाई ठीक छ, माया। तपाईंलाई नि?Malai thik cha, Maya. Tapailai ni?I am doing well, Maya. And you?
- माया Mayaमलाई पनि धेरै राम्रो छ।Malai pani dherai ramro cha.I am also doing very well.
- सुमित Sumitसुनेर खुसी लाग्यो।Sunera khusi lagyo.I am glad to hear that.
