म तिमीलाई माया गर्छु
ma timīlāī māyā garchu
The English phrase "I love you" is expressed in Nepali as म तिमीलाई माया गर्छु (ma timīlāī māyā garchu).
This phrase is used to affirm romantic feelings.
Meaning: affirmation of romantic feeling (phrase)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the following parts: ma (I), timīlāī (to you), māyā (love) and garchu (do).
Which one should you use?
While म तिमीलाई माया गर्छु is the standard version for partners, you can replace timīlāī with tapāīnlāī to say म तपाईंलाई माया गर्छु. This more formal version is used in respectful contexts or between close friends and family, though it is less common in intimate romantic settings.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
म तिमीलाई माया गर्छु is considered informal or neutral and is the standard way to address a romantic partner or a peer. The version using तपाईंलाई is more polite or formal.
How does it change in a sentence?
In this phrase, the object "you" takes the suffix -lāī (as seen in timīlāī) to indicate the person being loved.
How do you pronounce it?
ma timīlāī māyā garchu
Did you know?
- Young couples in modern Nepal often use the English phrase 'I love you' because the traditional Nepali phrasing can feel too heavy or formal.
- In Nepali, the word माया (māya) can describe not only romantic love but also a feeling of pity or tenderness toward someone in distress.
- In many Nepali households, the phrase म तिमीलाई माया गर्छु is rarely spoken aloud to parents or elders, as love is traditionally expressed through actions and care rather than verbal declarations.
Examples in context
- म तिमीलाई माया गर्छु।I love you.This sentence demonstrates the basic way to say "I love you."Tatoeba #12010680 by taro, translation #1434 by awael58
- फ्रान्सेली भाषामा "म तिमीलाई माया गर्छु" भन्दा कसरी भन्छौ?How do you say "I love you" in French?This sentence is used to ask how to translate the phrase into another language.Tatoeba #12215365 by taro, translation #2417967 by CK
Example conversation
A young couple is walking in a park during sunset.
- प्रतिक्षा Pratikshaरोशन, म तिमीलाई माया गर्छु।Roshan, ma timīlāī māyā garchu.Roshan, I love you.
- रोशन Roshanम पनि तिमीलाई माया गर्छु, प्रतिक्षा।Ma pani timīlāī māyā garchu, Pratiksha.I love you too, Pratiksha.
- प्रतिक्षा Pratikshaतिमी कति राम्रो छौ।Timī kati rāmro chau.You are so wonderful.
- रोशन Roshanधन्यवाद, माया।Dhanyabād, māyā.Thank you, love.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
