Devanagari

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Hindi Devanagari Combinations (Conjuncts) Grammar Gender Honorifics Plurals Parts of speech Conjugation Questions Word order Negation Vocabulary Everyday Phrases Numbers Colors Family relations Time

This page contains an Indic script. Without sufficient text support you may see irregular vowel placements and no conjuncts. More...

Sanskrit Devanagari Introduction Basic Sanskrit Nouns Plurals Verbs Pronouns Adjectives Sandhi Grammatical voices Glossary Nouns Verbs Adjectives Everyday Phrases Numbers

The devanagari, the alphabet (script) used in some Indian languages such as Hindi, Sanskrit, Marathi and Nepali, is a phonetic system. In principle, one letter always represents the same sound, which is relatively convenient. The sounds eu (like the French word "cheveu") and ü (like the French word "rue") don't exist.

The consonants are followed by the vowel अ (short a) by default, but this is not written out. The sign ् is used to indicate that a consonant is not followed by the default vowel. Consonants may be modified by each of the other vowels and in this case the dependent form of the vowel is written.

There are two main difficulties:

1. most consonants can be combined to form combinations.
2. the vowels are written differently depending on their position in a word - whether they are in the beginning or not and whether they follow a vowel or another consonant.

[edit] Overview

Devanagari is an Abugida system, having 12 vowels and 34 consonants.^[1]

Being Abugida basically means that when writing consonant followed by vowel, instead of writing them as two characters, vowel is "mixed" into character.

Thus, writing in Devanagari yields a much compressed way of expression, while at the same time it is hard to write due to complex formations ("mixtures"). Well, at first, at least.

Important difference:

Vowels and consonants in Devanagari can be pronounced in only 1 way. Thus, a word written in Devanagari cannot have two different ways of pronunciation. For example, in crude terms, "cut" and "put" will use different vowels in Devanagari.

For example:

ka = का (as in Kampf. Those who know German will read this correctly)

ki = कि (as in Kill)

kee = की (as in Key)

ke = के (as in Kate Winslate)

ko = को (as in Cone)

ku= कु (as in Could)

cut = कट

put = पुट

Don't worry about the symbols right now! Just note one important thing: that a similar symbol (क) is repeated everytime, just with different "attachments". It follows from it that this symbol represents the sound of k. Rest of the attachments represent vowel addition.

The last two symbols are given just for comparison:

1. "cut" and "put", in English, have three different characters, while in Devanagari, only two.
2. "cut" and "put" not only have different characters, but also different "attachments" (vowels) in them.

[edit] Ligatures

As an example to difficulty #2, the combinations of the consonant क (k) with the different vowels are:

• क् + अ = क (ka)
• क् + आ = का (kā)
• क् + इ = कि (ki)
• क् + ई = की (kī)
• क् + उ = कु (ku)
• क् + ऊ = कू (kū)
• क् + ऋ = कृ (kri)
• क् + ए = के (ke)
• क् + ऐ = कै (kai)
• क् + ओ = को (ko)
• क् + औ = कौ (kau)

Special cases:

• र् + उ = रु (ru)
• र् + ऊ = रू (rū)

Some consonants may combine with each other to form other consonants (termed as conjunct consonants or संयुक्त् वर्ण)

X	आ	इ	ई	उ	ऊ	ऋ	ऍ	ए	ऐ	ऑ	ओ	औ
	ा	ि	ी	ु	ू	ृ	ॅ	े	ै	ॉ	ो	ौ
क	का	कि	की	कु	कू	कृ	कॅ	के	कै	कॉ	को	कौ
क़	क़ा	क़ि	क़ी	क़ु	क़ू	क़ृ	क़ॅ	क़े	क़ै	क़ॉ	क़ो	क़ौ
ख	खा	खि	खी	खु	खू	खृ	खॅ	खे	खै	खॉ	खो	खौ
ख़	ख़ा	ख़ि	ख़ी	ख़ु	ख़ू	ख़ृ	ख़ॅ	ख़े	ख़ै	ख़ॉ	ख़ो	ख़ौ
ग	गा	गि	गी	गु	गू	गृ	गॅ	गे	गै	गॉ	गो	गौ
ग़	ग़ा	ग़ि	ग़ी	ग़ु	ग़ू	ग़ृ	ग़ॅ	ग़े	ग़ै	ग़ॉ	ग़ो	ग़ौ
घ	घा	घि	घी	घु	घू	घृ	घॅ	घे	घै	घॉ	घो	घौ
च	चा	चि	ची	चु	चू	चृ	चॅ	चे	चै	चॉ	चो	चौ
छ	छा	छि	छी	छु	छू	छृ	छॅ	छे	छै	छॉ	छो	छौ
ज	जा	जि	जी	जु	जू	जृ	जॅ	जे	जै	जॉ	जो	जौ
ज़	ज़ा	ज़ि	ज़ी	ज़ु	ज़ू	ज़ृ	ज़ॅ	ज़े	ज़ै	ज़ॉ	ज़ो	ज़ौ
झ	झा	झि	झी	झु	झू	झृ	झॅ	झे	झै	झॉ	झो	झौ
ञ	ञा	ञि	ञी	ञु	ञू	ञृ	ञॅ	ञे	ञै	ञॉ	ञो	ञौ
ट	टा	टि	टी	टु	टू	टृ	टॅ	टे	टै	टॉ	टो	टौ
ठ	ठा	ठि	ठी	ठु	ठू	ठृ	ठॅ	ठे	ठै	ठॉ	ठो	ठौ
ड	डा	डि	डी	डु	डू	डृ	डॅ	डे	डै	डॉ	डो	डौ
ड़	ड़ा	ड़ि	ड़ी	ड़ु	ड़ू	ड़ृ	ड़ॅ	ड़े	ड़ै	ड़ॉ	ड़ो	ड़ौ
ढ	ढा	ढि	ढी	ढु	ढू	ढृ	ढॅ	ढे	ढै	ढॉ	ढो	ढौ
ढ़	ढ़ा	ढ़ि	ढ़ी	ढ़ु	ढ़ू	ढ़ृ	ढ़ॅ	ढ़े	ढ़ै	ढ़ॉ	ढ़ो	ढ़ौ
ण	णा	णि	णी	णु	णू	णृ	णॅ	णे	णै	णॉ	णो	णौ
त	ता	ति	ती	तु	तू	तृ	तॅ	ते	तै	तॉ	तो	तौ
थ	था	थि	थी	थु	थू	थृ	थॅ	थे	थै	थॉ	थो	थौ
द	दा	दि	दी	दु	दू	दृ	दॅ	दे	दै	दॉ	दो	दौ
ध	धा	धि	धी	धु	धू	धृ	धॅ	धे	धै	धॉ	धो	धौ
न	ना	नि	नी	नु	नू	नृ	नॅ	ने	नै	नॉ	नो	नौ
प	पा	पि	पी	पु	पू	पृ	पॅ	पे	पै	पॉ	पो	पौ
फ	फा	फि	फी	फु	फू	फृ	फॅ	फे	फै	फॉ	फो	फौ
फ	फ़ा	फ़ि	फ़ी	फ़ु	फ़ू	फ़ृ	फ़ॅ	फ़े	फ़ै	फ़ॉ	फ़ो	फ़ौ
ब	बा	बि	बी	बु	बू	बृ	बॅ	बे	बै	बॉ	बो	बौ
भ	भा	भि	भी	भु	भू	भृ	भॅ	भे	भै	भॉ	भो	भौ
म	मा	मि	मी	मु	मू	मृ	मॅ	मे	मै	मॉ	मो	मौ
य	या	यि	यी	यु	यू	यृ	यॅ	ये	यै	यॉ	यो	यौ
र	रा	रि	री	रु	रू	रृ	रॅ	रे	रै	रॉ	रो	रौ
ल	ला	लि	ली	लु	लू	लृ	लॅ	ले	लै	लॉ	लो	लौ
व	वा	वि	वी	वु	वू	वृ	वॅ	वे	वै	वॉ	वो	वौ
श	शा	शि	शी	शु	शू	शृ	शॅ	शे	शै	शॉ	शो	शौ
ष	षा	षि	षी	षु	षू	षृ	षॅ	षे	षै	षॉ	षो	षौ
स	सा	सि	सी	सु	सू	सृ	सॅ	से	सै	सॉ	सो	सौ
ह	हा	हि	ही	हु	हू	हृ	हॅ	हे	है	हॉ	हो	हौ

[edit] The Devanagari alphabet

In Devanagari, there are 14 vowels and 33 consonants (conjunct consonants included).

[edit] The alphabet written with pronunciation

Here are the symbols in an "alphabetic" order. The vowels are on top, followed by the consonants.

phoneme	pronunciation, transcription	example (in English)	example (in Hindi)
Vowels
अ	a (short)	fun	अब (ab, now)
आ	â (long)	father	आठ (âth, eight)
इ	i (short)	sick	इमली (imlï, Tamarind)
ई	î (long)	sheer	मिठाई (mithâï, sweets)
उ	ou (short)	put	उर्दू (Urdu)
ऊ	oû (long)	shoot	ऊन (oûn, wool)
ऋ	ri	crystal	ऋषि (rishi, wise (person))
ऍ	e	spend	ऍडवर्द (Edward, English pronunciation)
ए	é	(French) née	एक (ék, one)
ऐ	éï	hi	ऐनक (éïnak, glasses)
ऑ	o (long, open)	robot	ऑक्सिजन (oxygen)
ओ	ô (closed)	loaf	ओड़िया (Oriya)
औ	aô (long)	scout	औरत (aôrat, woman)
ा	â (long, middle of a word)		सामान (sâmân, baggage)
ि	i (short, middle of a word)		पिता (pitâ, father)
ी	i (long, middle of a word)		घी (ghî, butter)
ु	ou (short, middle of a word)		दुकान (doukân, shop)
ू	oû (long, middle of a word)		जूता (joûtâ, shoe)
ृ	ri (middle of a word)		कृषि (krichi, agriculture)
ॅ	e (middle of a word)		क्रॅडिट (credit, credit)
े	é (middle of a word)		देना (dénâ, to give)
ै	éï (middle of a word)		है (héï, is (verb "to be"))
ॉ	o (long, open, middle of a word)		कॉलेज (koléj, college, university)
ो	ô (closed, middle of a word)		सोमवार (sômvâr, Monday)
ौ	aô (middle of a word)		नौ (naô, nine)
ं	(anusvâr, nasalises the preceding vowel)		रंग (rang, color)
ँ	(chandrabindu, nasalises the preceding vowel)	on, an	फ़्राँसीसी (fransîsî, French)
अः	ah (in the middle of a word, only the two points are used)		दुःख (duhkh, sadness)
Consonants
क	k	come	कमरा (kamrâ, room)
क़	k (words of arabic origin)	crisp	क़मीज़ (kamîz, shirt)
ख	kh	khaki	लिखना (likhnâ, write)
ख़	kh	khaki	अख़बार (akhbâr, journal)
ग	g	girl	गाना (gânâ, song, to sing)
ग़	g	gum	ग़रीब (garîb, poor)
घ	gh		घर (ghar, flat, dwelling)
ङ्	unu	finger
च	tch	Tchechen	चार (tchâr, four)
छ	tchh		छे (tchhé, six)
ज	dj	gene	जाना (djânâ, to go)
ज़	z (words of arabic origin)	zero	मेज़ (méz, table)
झ	djh		झूठ (djhoûth, lie)
ञ	gn (only in combination with च छ ज झ)
ट	t	Tommy	पेट (pét, stomach)
ठ	th		मराठी (Marathi)
ड	d		एडी (édî, ankle)
ड़	r (rolling)		भेड़ (bhér, sheep)
ढ	dh		ढेर (dhér, accumulation)
ढ़	rh		डेढ़ (dérh, one and a half)
ण	n		अणु (anou, atome, molecula)
त	t		तमिल (tamil, Tamil)
थ	th	thick	हाथ (hâth, hand)
द	d		दो (dô, two)
ध	dh		दूध (doûdh, milk)
न	n	name	नमक (namak, salt)
प	p	papa	पित (pati, husband)
फ	ph, f		सफेद (safed, white)
फ़	f (words of foreign origin)	failure	फ़ारसी (Farsi)
ब	b	balloon	बीस (bîs, twenty)
भ	bh		भारत (bhârat, India)
म	m	mom	माथा (mâthâ, forehead)
य	y	yac	चाय (tchây, tea/chai)
र	r	rate	रिववार (ravivâr, Sunday)
ल	l	lake	लाना (lânâ, bring)
व	v, w		हवा (hawâ, air)
श	sh (wet ch)	(German) mich	शनिवार (shanivâr, Saturday)
ष	ch	shell	भाषा (bhâchâ, language)
स	s	silk	सात (sât, seven)
ह	h	hill	होना (honâ, to be)
़
्	(to supress the implicit vowel)
ॐ	Ôm
।	. (end of phrase)
॥	(marks the end of the rhyme in poetry)

[edit] Vowels (स्वर)

In Devanagari, vowels can be classified into five types:

1. ह्रस्व or short vowels
   1. अ
   2. इ
   3. उ
   4. ऋ
   5. ऌ
2. दीर्घ or long vowels.
   1. आ
   2. ई
   3. ऊ)
   4. ॠ)
   5. ॡ)
3. संयुक्त or conjunct vowels.
   1. अ + इ = ए
   2. अ + ई = ऐ
   3. अ + उ = ओ
   4. अ + ऊ = औ
4. अनुनासिक or nasal vowels
   1. अं
5. विसर्ग
   1. अः

[edit] Vowels in alphabetical order

अ आ इ ई उ ऊ ऋ ॠ

ऌ ॡ ए ऐ ओ औ अं अः

[edit] Consonants

Independently, all consonants are written with a हलन्त or विराम (i.e. a '_\' underneath). When a vowel is attached to a consonant, the हलन्त is removed.

[edit] Consonants in alphabetical order

In Devanagari, the placement of consonants in alphabetical order are horizontally grouped in accordance with the body part where their sounds originate from.

velar	क् ख् ग् घ् ङ्
palatal	च् छ् ज् झ् ञ्
cerebral/retroflex	ट् ठ् ड् ढ् ण्
dental	त् थ् द् ध् न्
labial	प् फ् ब् भ् म्
half-vowels	य् र् ल् व्
sibilants	श् ष् स्
empty aspirant	ह्

The corresponding row for the letters (or any letter in a row) from क् to म् can be individually referenced by the first member of the row suffixed by "अवर्ग्".

Example:

The line त् थ् द् ध् न् can be referenced as त वर्ग.

[edit] Exercises

• Lesson 1
• Lesson 2