The likhit paper is in Nepali, and so is every notice, name list and result your
transport office (yatayat karyalaya, यातायात कार्यालय) publishes. If you studied
in English, the words are the part that catches you out — not the road rules.
This is the vocabulary, grouped by where you will meet it. Learn the notice words
first: those decide whether you find your own exam date.
Practising in Nepali beats translating in your head. Yatayat Likhit has the whole DOTM bank in both languages — free and offline.
The words on a notice
These are the ones worth knowing today, because your exam date and your result
are published in them.
| Nepali | Romanised | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| सूचना | suchana | Notice |
| मिति | miti | Date |
| नतिजा | natija | Result |
| नामावली | namawali | Name list |
| उत्तीर्ण | uttirna | Passed |
| अनुत्तीर्ण | anuttirna | Failed |
| परीक्षार्थी | parikshyarthi | Candidate, examinee |
| वर्ग | varga | Class, category (वर्ग A, वर्ग B, वर्ग K) |
| समय | samaya | Time |
| स्थान | sthan | Place, venue |
A typical trial notice reads: मिति २०८३ श्रावण ७ गते बिहिबार संचालन हुने वर्ग B
को ट्रायल परीक्षाका परीक्षार्थीहरुको नामावली — the name list of candidates for
the class B trial being held on Thursday, Shrawan 7, 2083.
Where to find yours.
Nepali numerals
Dates are written in Devanagari digits. Ten characters, and they let you read every
notice.
| ० | १ | २ | ३ | ४ | ५ | ६ | ७ | ८ | ९ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
So २०८३ is 2083 and १५ is 15.
The licence process
| Nepali | Romanised | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| सवारी चालक अनुमतिपत्र | sawari chalak anumati patra | Driving licence, the full official term |
| यातायात व्यवस्था कार्यालय | yatayat byabastha karyalaya | Transport management office |
| लिखित परीक्षा | likhit pariksha | Written exam |
| ट्रायल | trial | The practical test |
| आवेदन | aawedan | Application |
| नवीकरण | navikaran | Renewal |
| प्रतिलिपि | pratilipi | Duplicate, a replacement for a lost licence |
| वर्ग थप | varga thap | Adding a category |
| शुल्क | shulka | Fee |
| सिफारिस | sipharis | Recommendation letter |
| राजस्व | rajaswa | Revenue, the government fee |
| सक्कल | sakkal | Original document |
| प्रतिलिपि (कागज) | pratilipi | Photocopy, in a document context |
Note that प्रतिलिपि does double duty: a duplicate licence, and a photocopy.
Context tells you which. On a portal service list it means the duplicate.
Vehicle words, including "trailer"
People search for what these mean because the categories use them.
| Nepali | Romanised | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| सवारी साधन | sawari sadhan | Vehicle |
| मोटरसाइकल | motorcycle | Motorcycle — Category A |
| स्कुटर | scooter | Scooter |
| कार | car | Car — Category B |
| जीप | jeep | Jeep |
| ट्रक | truck | Truck |
| बस | bus | Bus |
| टेम्पो | tempo | Three-wheeler |
| ट्रेलर | trailer | Trailer — a towed unit with no engine of its own |
| ट्याक्टर | tractor | Tractor |
| ढुवानी | dhuwani | Goods transport, haulage |
| यात्रुवाहक | yatruwahak | Passenger-carrying |
"Trailer" in the likhit means the towed unit behind a truck or tractor, not a
vehicle you drive. Questions about it are usually about length, load, braking or
which licence class may tow one — not about driving it as a category on its own.
Vehicle parts
The engine and maintenance section is where English-medium students lose marks,
and it is almost entirely vocabulary.
| Nepali | Romanised | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| इन्जिन | engine | Engine |
| क्लच | clutch | Clutch |
| ब्रेक | brake | Brake |
| गियर | gear | Gear |
| स्टेरिङ | steering | Steering |
| ब्याट्री | battery | Battery |
| टायर | tyre | Tyre |
| इन्जिन तेल | engine tel | Engine oil |
| रेडिएटर | radiator | Radiator |
| स्पार्क प्लग | spark plug | Spark plug |
| हर्न | horn | Horn |
| हेडलाइट | headlight | Headlight |
| ऐना | aina | Mirror |
| सिट बेल्ट | seat belt | Seat belt |
| हेल्मेट | helmet | Helmet |
Most are the English word written in Devanagari. Read them aloud and they
usually give themselves away — which is why practising in Nepali script is
worth an evening even if you think in English.
Road and rule words
| Nepali | Romanised | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| ट्राफिक चिन्ह | traffic chinha | Traffic sign |
| ट्राफिक बत्ती | traffic batti | Traffic light |
| सडक | sadak | Road |
| चौबाटो | chaubato | Crossroads |
| पुल | pul | Bridge |
| गति सीमा | gati sima | Speed limit |
| ओभरटेक | overtake | Overtaking |
| पार्किङ | parking | Parking |
| जरिवाना | jariwana | Fine, penalty |
| दुर्घटना | durghatana | Accident |
| प्राथमिक उपचार | prathamik upachar | First aid |
| बिमा | bima | Insurance |
| ब्लुबुक | bluebook | Vehicle registration certificate |
| सवारी कर | sawari kar | Vehicle tax |
Every traffic sign, by shape pairs with this
table — the signs are visual, the names are here.
Question wording to watch
The bank phrases things in ways that catch people skimming.
| Nepali | What it is asking |
|---|---|
| कुन सही हो? | Which is correct? |
| कुन गलत हो? | Which is wrong? — the trap |
| के गर्नुपर्छ? | What should you do? |
| कति? | How many, or how much? |
| कहाँ? | Where? |
| कहिले? | When? |
| किन? | Why? |
| सबै सही | All of the above |
| कुनै पनि होइन | None of the above |
कुन गलत हो is the one to slow down for. Negative wording appears often enough
that reading the whole question is worth the seconds it costs.
How to learn these without a class
You do not need to learn Nepali. You need to recognise about sixty words.
- Start with the notice table. Ten words, and they are the ones that tell you when your exam is.
- Then the numerals. Ten characters.
- Then read the question bank in Nepali rather than English, even if you check the English alongside. The words repeat constantly, so recognition comes quickly.
- Say the parts aloud. Most are English loanwords in Devanagari.
That is exactly why I built Yatayat Likhit with both
languages side by side: you can read a question in Nepali, check yourself against
the English, and get the reason for the answer in either. It also has the whole
500-question DOTM bank, timed mocks in the exam format, the Nepali road signs and
an Ishihara-style colour-vision test. Free and offline, for A, K and B.
Get it: Yatayat Likhit — free on iPhone and Android.
The link opens your own app store.
Words you will hear at the counter
Spoken, not written, but they save a confused conversation.
| Nepali | Meaning |
|---|---|
| पालो | palo — your turn |
| लाइन | line — the queue |
| पर्खनुहोस् | parkhanuhos — please wait |
| भोलि आउनुहोस् | bholi aaunuhos — come tomorrow |
| कागजात | kagajat — documents |
| फोटोकपी | photocopy |
| रसिद | rasid — receipt |
| तयार भयो | tayar bhayo — it is ready |
| भएको छैन | bhaeko chaina — it is not done yet |
"तयार भएको छैन" about your smart card means it has not been printed, which is
usually a matter of waiting rather than a problem.
Questions people ask
What does "likhit" mean?
लिखित (likhit) means "written". The likhit pariksha is the written exam, as
opposed to the trial, which is the practical one.
What does "yatayat" mean?
यातायात (yatayat) means transport. The yatayat karyalaya is the transport office,
which is where you apply, sit both exams and collect your licence.
What does "trailer" mean in the likhit exam?
ट्रेलर is the towed unit behind a truck or tractor, with no engine of its own.
Exam questions about it concern load, length, braking and which class may tow
one — not driving it as a category.
What is "pratilipi"?
प्रतिलिपि means duplicate. On a province portal it is the service for replacing a
lost or damaged licence; in an office it can also just mean a photocopy.
Is the likhit exam available in English?
The official paper is in Nepali. Practise in Nepali so the wording is familiar,
even if you study the reasoning in English.
What does "uttirna" mean on a result notice?
उत्तीर्ण means passed. अनुत्तीर्ण means failed. Both appear at the top of result
lists.
Keep reading
- Where results and dates are published — the notices these words appear in.
- What the question bank asks — the seven topics.
- Every traffic sign, by shape — the visual half.
- नेपालीमा: यातायात फारम कसरी भर्ने — the form guide in Nepali.
- A two-week study plan — where vocabulary fits in.
