Theory #6 - Nepali Particles - Ko

Front 1

Particle: को (ko)

Back 1

Ko is a part of the three genitive markers, the others being ka and ki. Ko, Ka and Ki are the three genitive markers of Nepali. It marks a noun as modifying another noun. It often marks a noun as being the possessor of another noun; however, it can also indicate various other relationships than possession. Ko is used in singular nouns, ka is used in plural nouns and ki is the feminine version. Here we will be using ‘ko’. In other words, if two nouns X and Y are taken and ko is added in the middle, then X will be agreeing with Y or it will be: X’s Y.

Also, if instead of Ko/ka/ki, Ma (I), Timi (you; informal) and Ta (you; informal rude) take Ro/ra/ri. It follows the same rule like ko/ka/ki though. So instead of ‘तिमीको’ it will be ‘तिम्रो’.

Front 2

Possession

Attaching Ko to the noun indicates possession of the item. It can also be similary to apostrophe of English.

Back 2

इसकिको जुत्ता (isaki ko jutta)

Isaki’s Shoes

Isaki is X and Jutta is Y. Here, X is agreeing with Y and shows that X is the possessor of Y. So the shoes belong to Isaki.

रामको खुट्टा (ram ko khutta)

Ram’s Feet

कविताको कवि (kabita ko kabi)

Author of (this) poem

Front 3

Composition

Attaching ko to the noun indicates it’s composition. It is similar to X of Y. Sometimes, words that appear to have no genitive marker in English actually have one in Nepali. For example, Iron Rod would be ‘phalam ko danda’. If you didn’t know, Iron rod can be rephrased to ‘Rod of Iron’. So, you can use this trick if you are not sure if ko goes or not.

Back 3

काठको चक्का (kath ko chakka)

Wheel of Wood

It shows that the X (wood) is agreeing with Y (Wheel). So, the Wheel is made of Wood.

सिसाको टुक्रा (sisa ko tukra)

A Piece of Glass

मान्छेको हुल (manche ko hul)

A crowd of people

Why ka instead of ko? It is because ka is used in plurals.

कमिलाको ताँती (kamila ko tati)

A line of ants

Front 4

Origin

Dictates the origin of something, like where a person belongs to.

Back 4

काठमाडौँको मान्छे (kathmandau ko manche)

Person from Kathmandu

It shows that the people (X) originates from Kathmandu (Y).

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Relative Position

It indicates the relative position of the first noun it modifies:

Back 5

खाटको तल (khatko tala)

Under the bed

छतको माथि (chat ko mathi)

Above the rooftop

घरको भित्र (ghar ko bhitra)

Inside the house

स्कुलको बाहिर (skulko bahira)

Outside the school

Front 6

'Ko' can be used many times in a sentence. But unlike in english, the order of nouns will be exactly opposite, i.e. It goes from big to small, unlike small to big (as in English). It also goes from general to specific.

Back 6

इसकी अमेरिकाको बिश्वबिद्यालयको विद्यार्थी हो। (isaki amerikaa ko bishwabidyalaya ko bidhyarthi ho)

Isaki is a student of a university in America.

बिरुवाको पातको रेखा (biruwa ko paat ko rekha)

The lines of a plant’s leaves

Front 7

KA AND KI

Ka is used when the word is plural and that (plural) word is something you should respect while ki is used in feminine speech respectively. The basic rule is that ko/ ka/ ki depends on the form of the word that modifies. For example, if a word is Xko Y, then the status of Y determines the Ko/ Ka/ Ki placement. Ka’s rules are loose, but Ki’s rule are pretty much solid. One thing about feminine speech is that even if a male is speaking, if that male refers a girl, then he has to use feminine speech. More about this later. Nowadays, though, it is ‘acceptable’ to use ko in almost all situations.

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Front 8

Ka

If the word is plural and you must use respect.

Back 8

उसका छोराहरु (uska choraharu)

His Sons

रामका पिता (ramka pita)

Father of Ram

Front 9

Ki

रामकी आमा (ramki aamaa)

Ram’s Mother

रामकी पत्नी (ramki patni)

Ram’s Wife

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Front 10

Ro/Ra/Ri

Only a few words use the ro/ra/ro conjugation and all of them are pronouns. The words are: तिमी (timi), तँ (ta), म (ma) and हामी (hami). The functions are the same, though. I’ll conjugate it for you:

Back 10

Original | Ro | Ra | Ri

तिमी = तिम्रो, तिम्रा, तिम्री (Timro, timra, timri)

तँ = तेरो, तेरा, तेरी (tero, tera, teri)

म = मेरो, मेरा, मेरी (mero, mera, meri)

हामी = हाम्रो, हाम्रा, हाम्री (hamro, hamra, hamri)

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Example Usage:

तिम्रो नाम के हो? (timro nam ke ho)

What is your name?

तेरो बाउको टाउको (tero bauko tauko)

Your Father’s Head

This phrase is an insult. It is used when someone doesn’t get you and you get annoyed and say this. Literally means ‘Your father’s head’. ‘Father’ can be exchangeable with 'baaje'.

मेरो नाम (mero naam)

My name

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Front 12

No/ Na/ Ni
There is also a rare form, that is no/ na/ ni. ONLY one word is conjugated with this and that word is आफु (afu). Afu means ‘self’.
Original | No | Na | Ni
आफु = आफ्नो, आफ्ना, आफ्नी (afno, afna, afni)

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Front 13

SUMMARY
Ko is used to show possession, composition, origin
Ko has two other forms; ki and ka
Ko is used in Singular or Gender-Neutral Form
Ka is used in Plural form
Ki is used in Feminine Speech
Nowadays, ko is also used in place of Ka and ki
Ro/ Ra/ Ri are the variant of Ko/ Ka/ Ki
Only four words are conjugated in Ro/ Ra/ Ra, and they are Timi, Ta, Ma and Hami

Back 13

Summary cont.

No/ Na/ Ni are variant of Ko/ Ka/ Ki
Only one word is conjugated using No/ Na/ Ni, and that is Afu
If multiple ko’s are used, then it follows ‘big to small’ order, the opposite of ‘small to big’ order in English
Ko modifies noun
Ko is also used to show relative position

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EXERCISE

FILL IN THE BLANKS WITH THE APPROPRIATE ARTICLE (le, lai, ko, ma):

1. Ram _ ma _ kath _ khelauna diyo. (Ram gave me a wooden toy)

2. Hari _ ball khola _ harayo. (Hari’s Ball got lost in the river)

3. Ruchi _ kalam hari _ harayo. (Hari lost Ruchi’s pen)

4. Kathmandu _ basindarharu pashupatinath _ goyera puja garchan. (The people of Kathmandu worship in Pashupatinath)

5. Isaki _ cha. (Isaki has it)

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ANSWERS:

1. le, lai, ko

2. ko, ma

3. ko, le

4. ko, ma

5. ko