Nepali Medical Phrases — Printable Emergency Card
When you're too sick to explain in English at a rural clinic or teahouse, this card says it in Nepali for you. Each phrase is shown in Devanagari (what staff read) and romanized (what you can try to say). Print it, fold it, carry it next to your passport.
24 useful phrasesFour situations. One card to carry.
Emergency — आपत्कालीन
Symptoms — लक्षणहरू
Medical History — स्वास्थ्य इतिहास
On the Trail — ट्रेलमा
Companion Card — Allergy Translation
For food allergies specifically, use our printable Nepali allergy card — it lists common allergens and kitchen phrases in the same format.
The Phrases That Open Doors
Learning ten Nepali phrases does not make you fluent — it makes you a guest who tried. The Namaste that opens an interaction, the Dhanyabad that closes one, the effort that signals respect — these are not linguistic achievements but social acknowledgments. The Nepali people respond to effort; the English speaker who learns phrases finds doors that remain closed to the English-only visitor.
The essential ten
- Namaste — hello/goodbye, the universal greeting
- Dhanyabad — thank you
- Hajur — polite acknowledgment, yes
- Kati ho? — how much? (for bargaining)
- Malai ... chahiyo — I need ... (insert item)
Beyond the Basics
The medical phrases matter when they matter — Malai doctor chahiyo is the emergency request. The food phrases order meals; the direction phrases navigate; the bargaining phrases avoid overpaying. The full phrase list is here; the usage is wherever Nepali opens communication that English cannot.
The Essential Phrases
Essential Nepali phrases: the namaste (the greeting), the dhanyavaad (the thank you), the paani (the water), the katti (the how much — the asking for the price), and the ramro (the good).
The Emergency Phrases
Emergency Nepali: the madat chahiyo (the help is needed), the birami (the sick), the aspatal (the hospital), and the phone number that is the emergency contact.
The Medical
Medical phrases: the "malai birami" (the I am sick), the "dukha" (the pain), the "aspatal" (the hospital). For the medical emergency, the phrase that communicates the need.
The Emergency
Emergency phrases: the "saayata" (the help), the "ambulance" (the understood), and the pointing that supplements the limited vocabulary.
The Card Cost
Phrase card — the free (the printable that is provided). For the communication, the printed card that is carried.
The Interpreter Cost
Medical interpreter — the ~ $10-25 (the clinic that may arrange). For the complex consultation, the interpreter that is available.
The Card Cost
Nepali-phrase card — the free (the printable that is carried). For the communication, the shown that is the tool.
The Interpreter
Nepali interpreter — the ~$20-50 (the medical that is hired if needed). For the complex, the arranged that is the option.
What Nepali phrases should I learn?
Namaste (hello/goodbye), Dhanyabad (thank you), Hajur (polite acknowledgment/yes), Kati ho? (how much?), Pani (water), Khana (food), Malai ... chahiyo (I need ...), Bujhina (I don't understand), Malai doctor chahiyo (I need a doctor). The ten phrases that handle most interactions.
Is English widely spoken in Nepal?
In tourist areas — yes, extensively. Thamel, trekking lodges, tourism industry workers speak functional to fluent English. In villages and among older Nepalis, less so. The tourist infrastructure is English-capable; the remote village encounter may require Nepali or translation.
What is the script for Nepali?
Devanagari — the same script used for Hindi and Sanskrit. The Latin transliteration (Namaste, Dhanyabad) is what travelers learn; the written script requires study. For practical purposes, the spoken phrases matter; the script is for signage and documents you will not need to read.
How do I ask about prices and bargain?
Kati ho? (how much?) — the essential bargaining phrase. Then negotiation: Daam dherai bhayo (too expensive). Bargaining is expected in markets and for taxis — the first price is the opening, not the final. In shops with fixed prices and established services, bargaining is not appropriate.
What phrases help in medical situations?
Malai doctor chahiyo (I need a doctor), Malai pira chha (I have pain), ... ko pain (pain in ...), Malai birami lagyo (I feel sick), Aspataal kata chha? (where is the hospital?). The medical phrases matter when communication is urgent — learn them or have them written down.
