SACE Stage 2 Nepali (continuers) cheat sheet

To open a formal conversation, use 'नमस्ते' or 'नमस्कार' with the appropriate honorific address; for peers, 'कसरी छ?' or 'के छ खबर?' is acceptable.

Turn-taking is signaled with discourse markers such as 'अनि' (and then), 'त्यसपछि' (after that), and 'होइन त' (isn't it so); these invite the listener to respond.

When addressing elders or strangers, use the high honorific verb forms (e.g., 'बस्नुहोस्', 'खानुहोस्') and the pronoun 'तपाईं'; with close friends, 'तँ' or 'तिमी' may be used but are inappropriate in formal contexts.

To ask for clarification politely, use 'क्षमा गर्नुहोस्, फेरि भन्नुहोस् न' or 'मैले बुझिनँ, अलि स्पष्ट पार्नुहोस् न'; these maintain face and keep the interaction going.

To express agreement, use 'हो', 'ठीक छ', 'मलाई पनि त्यस्तै लाग्छ'; to disagree politely, use 'मलाई भने अलि फरक लाग्छ' or 'त्यो कुरा ठीक भए पनि...'.

To close a conversation, use 'भेटौंला', 'फेरि कुरा गरौंला', or 'धन्यवाद, नमस्ते' depending on formality; a bare 'बाइ' is informal and limited to peers.

In oral assessments, sustain talk by adding reasons and examples: after a statement, add 'किनभने...' (because) or 'उदाहरणका लागि...' (for example) to extend the turn.

Repair strategies include self-correction with 'मेरो मतलब...' (I mean...) and paraphrasing when a word is unknown: describe the item ('त्यो चीज जसले...') rather than switching to English.

Nepali is written in Devanagari script; each consonant has an inherent 'अ' vowel, which is changed by dependent vowel signs (मात्रा) attached to the consonant.

In listening tasks, identify the register first: formal texts use 'तपाईं' and honorific verbs; informal texts use 'तिमी/तँ' and plain verb forms, which signals the relationship between speakers.

Recognize common cohesive devices in written texts: 'तर' (but), 'किनभने' (because), 'यसैले' (therefore), 'जब... तब...' (when... then...), and 'न... न...' (neither... nor...).

Verb tense is marked at the end of the clause in Nepali; scan the final verb form to determine time reference: '-यो' (past), '-छ' (present), '-नेछ' (future).

For inference questions, distinguish stated facts from implied meaning; a response must be supported by a specific word or phrase in the text, not by general knowledge.

Numbers, dates, and times appear in Devanagari digits (०–९); convert them accurately (e.g., २०७९ = 2079) when answering in English or when matching details.

In note-completion listening tasks, predict the part of speech needed (noun, number, verb) before the audio plays, then listen for the corresponding word class rather than every word.

When summarizing a reading text, retain the main idea and two or three supporting details; do not copy full sentences-paraphrase using your own words in Nepali or the required language.

Formal letters follow a fixed order: sender's address, date, receiver's address, subject line ('विषय:'), salutation ('महोदय/महोदया'), body, closing ('भवदीय/भवदीया'), and signature.

An essay (निबन्ध) has three parts: introduction (भूमिका), body paragraphs (विषयवस्तु) each with one main point, and conclusion (निष्कर्ष) that restates the thesis without new arguments.

Sentence structure is Subject–Object–Verb; the verb agrees with the subject in person, number, and honorific level (e.g., 'म जान्छु', 'उहाँ जानुहुन्छ').

Use connectives to link paragraphs: 'पहिलो कुरा', 'अर्को महत्त्वपूर्ण कुरा', 'यसका अतिरिक्त', 'अन्त्यमा'; these signal progression and improve coherence.

Postpositions follow the noun: 'घरमा' (in the house), 'विद्यालयबाट' (from school), 'साथीसँग' (with a friend); English prepositions cannot be translated word-for-word.

In descriptive writing, include sensory details and specific nouns rather than vague adjectives; show rather than tell (e.g., 'रातो गाला' instead of 'राम्री').

For transactional texts (emails, notices, invitations), state purpose in the first line, give essential details (who, what, when, where), and end with a clear call to action or contact information.

Proofread for spelling consistency in Devanagari: check that 'श/ष/स', 'ब/व', and 'ज्ञ/ग्य' are used according to standard orthography, and that matras are correctly attached.

Nepali society is hierarchical; age, caste, gender, and relationship determine pronoun choice and verb honorifics, so switching from 'तिमी' to 'तपाईं' can signal respect or social distance.

The greeting 'नमस्ते' is accompanied by joining palms at the chest (अञ्जुली); physical contact such as handshaking is less common in traditional settings, especially between different genders.

Major festivals mark the lunar calendar: Dashain (दशैं) celebrates the victory of goddess Durga, Tihar (तिहार) honors Laxmi and the brother–sister bond, and Chhath (छठ) is observed with sun worship.

Food etiquette: eating with the right hand is standard; many households observe dietary rules, and offering food (भात, दाल, तरकारी) to guests is a sign of hospitality-refusing outright can be seen as impolite.

The caste system historically shaped social interaction; while discrimination is legally prohibited, awareness of caste-sensitive language and avoidance of derogatory terms is essential in reflective writing.

Regional diversity: Nepali is the official language, but Nepal has over 120 languages; ethnic groups such as Newar, Tharu, Gurung, and Sherpa have distinct customs, festivals, and dress.

In reflective tasks, use the structure: describe the cultural practice, explain its meaning to members of that culture, compare with your own experience, and evaluate what you learned-avoid judging one culture by another's norms.

Kinship terms are specific and relational: 'दाजु' (older brother), 'भाइ' (younger brother), 'दिदी' (older sister), 'बहिनी' (younger sister); using the correct term signals cultural competence.