Bills, quotations and cheques in Nepal show the total twice: in figures and in words. The words are the legal safety net — if someone changes "13,000" to "18,000", the words still say Thirteen Thousand. But writing them the Nepali way, with lakh and crore, trips people up. Here's the whole system with examples.
The Nepali Number System
Nepal uses the South Asian system. After thousand, the units are lakh and crore, not million and billion:
| Figure | Nepali system | International system |
|---|---|---|
| 1,000 | One Thousand | One Thousand |
| 10,000 | Ten Thousand | Ten Thousand |
| 1,00,000 | One Lakh | One Hundred Thousand |
| 10,00,000 | Ten Lakh | One Million |
| 1,00,00,000 | One Crore | Ten Million |
| 10,00,00,000 | Ten Crore | One Hundred Million |
| 1,00,00,00,000 | One Arab | One Billion |
Commas follow the same pattern: the first comma comes after three digits from the right, then after every two digits — 1,23,45,678.
The Rules
- Split the number into groups: crore, lakh, thousand, then hundreds.
- Write each group in words, followed by its unit.
- Add Rupees after the whole-rupee part.
- If there are paisa, add and … Paisa.
- End with Only.
- Hyphenate numbers from twenty-one to ninety-nine: Twenty-Five, Ninety-Nine.
12 Worked Examples
| Figure (रु) | In words |
|---|---|
| 500 | Five Hundred Rupees Only |
| 1,250 | One Thousand Two Hundred Fifty Rupees Only |
| 13,000 | Thirteen Thousand Rupees Only |
| 99,999 | Ninety-Nine Thousand Nine Hundred Ninety-Nine Rupees Only |
| 1,00,000 | One Lakh Rupees Only |
| 1,13,000 | One Lakh Thirteen Thousand Rupees Only |
| 2,50,500 | Two Lakh Fifty Thousand Five Hundred Rupees Only |
| 12,75,000 | Twelve Lakh Seventy-Five Thousand Rupees Only |
| 25,00,000 | Twenty-Five Lakh Rupees Only |
| 1,05,00,000 | One Crore Five Lakh Rupees Only |
| 3,42,18,600 | Three Crore Forty-Two Lakh Eighteen Thousand Six Hundred Rupees Only |
| 4,999.50 | Four Thousand Nine Hundred Ninety-Nine Rupees and Fifty Paisa Only |
Common Mistakes
- Mixing systems. "One Hundred Thirteen Thousand" is correct English but looks wrong on a Nepali bill. Use One Lakh Thirteen Thousand.
- "Lakhs" and "Crores". Keep the unit singular after a number: Twenty-Five Lakh, not Twenty-Five Lakhs.
- Forgetting "Only". Leaves room for someone to add to the amount.
- Wrong comma placement. 113,000 (international) and 1,13,000 (Nepali) are the same number — but mixing styles on one bill confuses readers.
- Rounding silently. If the bill total is रु 4,999.50, the words must include the fifty paisa — or round the bill total itself first.
Writing It in Nepali Script
On documents written in Nepali, the same structure applies: एक लाख तेह्र हजार रुपैयाँ मात्र for रु 1,13,000. "मात्र" plays the same role as "Only".
Let the Bill Write It for You
Typing amounts in words by hand is where mistakes creep in, especially on long bills. In ProQuote, choose NPR as the currency and every bill, invoice and quotation shows the total in words automatically, in lakh and crore, with paisa. See the free bill and quotation maker for Nepal or learn the quotation format Nepali suppliers use.
Create a Free Invoice
Invoices with VAT, PAN and bank details — PDF in seconds, no sign-up.
Create an Invoice →Key Takeaways
- After thousand comes lakh (1,00,000) and crore (1,00,00,000).
- Write group by group, add Rupees, then paisa, then Only.
- Keep units singular: Twenty-Five Lakh.
- Words protect the amount from being changed — never skip them.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you write 1,00,000 in words?
One Lakh Rupees Only. In the Nepali (South Asian) system, 1,00,000 is one lakh, not "one hundred thousand".
How do you write 1,00,00,000 in words?
One Crore Rupees Only. One crore equals one hundred lakh, or ten million.
How do you write paisa in words?
Add "and … Paisa" before "Only" — for example रु 4,999.50 is "Four Thousand Nine Hundred Ninety-Nine Rupees and Fifty Paisa Only".
Why write "Only" at the end?
"Only" marks the end of the amount so nobody can add words after it — the same reason cheques use it.