Signification
Experiencing images or thoughts during sleep.
Contexte culturel
Dreams are often shared with elders in the morning to seek interpretations. If a dream is particularly bad, one might be advised to tell it to a 'tulsi' plant to wash away the bad luck. The 'Swapna Shastra' is an ancient text that categorizes dreams into different types based on the time they were seen. Dreams seen just before dawn (Brahmamuhurta) are believed to come true soon. Among the younger generation, 'Sapana dekhnu' is heavily associated with the 'Global Dream'—the aspiration to study or work abroad (especially in the US, Australia, or Europe). Great poets like Laxmi Prasad Devkota used 'sapana' as a recurring motif for social equality and the beauty of the human spirit.
The 'See' Rule
Always remember you 'see' dreams in Nepali. If you say 'I had a dream', people will understand, but it sounds foreign.
Past Tense Marker
Don't forget the '-le' (ले) on the subject when talking about a dream you already saw. 'Maile sapana dekheñ' is correct.
Signification
Experiencing images or thoughts during sleep.
The 'See' Rule
Always remember you 'see' dreams in Nepali. If you say 'I had a dream', people will understand, but it sounds foreign.
Past Tense Marker
Don't forget the '-le' (ले) on the subject when talking about a dream you already saw. 'Maile sapana dekheñ' is correct.
Ambition vs. Sleep
If you want to sound more poetic about your goals, use 'Sapana bunnu' (weaving dreams) instead of 'dekhnu'.
Morning Etiquette
Asking about dreams is a great way to start a conversation with a Nepali host family. It shows you care about their inner state.
Teste-toi
Fill in the correct form of the verb 'dekhnu' in the past tense.
मैले हिजो राति एउटा राम्रो सपना _______।
For the subject 'Maile' (I), the past tense form of 'dekhnu' is 'dekheñ'.
Which sentence correctly expresses 'I dream of becoming a doctor'?
Choose the correct sentence:
'Sapana dekhnu' is the standard collocation for ambitions.
Match the Nepali phrase with its English meaning.
Match the following:
These are common variations of the phrase.
Complete the dialogue between two friends.
A: तिमीले हिजो के सपना देख्यौ? B: मैले त तिमी _______ सपना देखें।
'Maile timi aaeko sapana dekhen' means 'I saw a dream of you coming'.
🎉 Score : /4
Aides visuelles
Dreaming Verbs Across Languages
Banque d exercices
4 exercicesमैले हिजो राति एउटा राम्रो सपना _______।
For the subject 'Maile' (I), the past tense form of 'dekhnu' is 'dekheñ'.
Choose the correct sentence:
'Sapana dekhnu' is the standard collocation for ambitions.
Associez chaque element a gauche avec son pair a droite :
These are common variations of the phrase.
A: तिमीले हिजो के सपना देख्यौ? B: मैले त तिमी _______ सपना देखें।
'Maile timi aaeko sapana dekhen' means 'I saw a dream of you coming'.
🎉 Score : /4
Questions fréquentes
12 questionsYes, but you usually add the adjective 'naramro' (bad) or 'daraulagdo' (scary). 'Maile naramro sapana dekheñ.'
'Dekhnu' is the standard. 'Hernu' is used in some regional dialects but is less common in Kathmandu or formal writing.
You say 'मेरो सपना पूरा भयो' (Mero sapana pura bhayo).
No, it also means ambitions and goals for the future, just like in English.
Because 'dekhnu' (to see) is a transitive verb, and in Nepali, transitive verbs in the past tense require the agentive marker '-le' on the subject.
Technically yes, but since you are asleep, you wouldn't say it! You would say it about a daydream or a long-term goal you are currently pursuing.
The opposite is 'Vipana' (विपना), which means the waking reality.
Nepali nouns don't have grammatical gender in the same way as Spanish, but 'Sapana' is treated as a neutral/masculine noun for verb agreement.
There isn't a direct literal translation used as commonly as in English, but you can say 'राम्रो सपना देख्नुस्' (Ramro sapana dekhnus).
Yes, 'Sapana' is a very common female name in Nepal.
It means 'to weave a dream', which is a poetic way of saying you are building a big plan for your life.
Yes, dreams are often seen as omens or messages from the subconscious/divine.
Expressions liées
सपना पूरा गर्नु
builds onTo fulfill a dream
सपना बुन्नु
specialized formTo weave a dream
विपना
contrastReality / Waking state
दिवासपना
similarDaydream
सपनाको संसार
specialized formWorld of dreams