Devanagari Syllabary

Front 1

अ

Back 1

a, /a/ short schwa - vowel: as a in above or ago

Front 2

आ

Back 2

ā, /aa/ long open back unrounded vowel: as a in father

Front 3

इ

Back 3

i, / i / short close front unrounded vowel: as i in bit

Front 4

ई

Back 4

ī, / iː / long close front unrounded vowel: as i in machine

Front 5

उ

Back 5

u, / u / short close back rounded vowel: as u in put

Front 6

ऊ

Back 6

ū, / uː / long close back rounded vowel: as oo in school

Front 7

ऋ

Back 7

ṛ, /ri/ short syllabic vowel-like retroflex approximant: approximately as American English bird or meter

Front 8

ए

Back 8

e, e - as in bed

Front 9

ऐ

Back 9

ai, as a in dad

Front 10

ओ

Back 10

o. as o in hotel

Front 11

औ

Back 11

au, as o in office

Front 12

क

Back 12

ka, /k/ unaspirated velar voiceless, as k in skin

Front 13

ख

Back 13

kha, / kh / Aspirated voiceless velar, kh in Look here

Front 14

ग

Back 14

ga, /g/ unaspirated voiced velar, g in again

Front 15

घ

Back 15

gha /gh/ aspirated voiced velar, gh in dog house

Front 16

ङ

Back 16

ṅa, ng (as in sing or king kong. Sanskrit loan words only, does not occur independently)

Front 17

च

Back 17

ca /c/ unaspirated voiceless palatal, as in ch of church or c of Italian ciao

Front 18

छ

Back 18

cha /ch/ aspirated voiceless palatal, as in chh of pitch hook or ch of chew

Front 19

ज

Back 19

ja /j/ unaspirated voiced palatal, as in j of just or judge

Front 20

झ

Back 20

jha /jh/ aspirated voiced palatal, as in gh of large house

Front 21

ञ

Back 21

ña, /ñ/ (as in canyon. Sanskrit loan words only, does not occur independently)

Front 22

ट

Back 22

ṭa, /ṭ/ Unaspirated voiceless Retroflex, t sound similar to English table)

Front 23

ठ

Back 23

ṭha, /ṭh/ aspirated voiceless retroflex, as in lighthouse

Front 24

ड

Back 24

ḍa, /ḍ/ unaspirated voiced retroflex, as in d of daddy or dumb

Front 25

ढ

Back 25

ḍha, /ḍh/ aspirated voiced retroflex as in toldeo mud hens

Front 26

ण

Back 26

ṇa , retroflex, Used only in Sanskrit loan words

Front 27

त

Back 27

ta /t/ unaspirated voiceless dental, as in t of pasta

Front 28

थ

Back 28

tha /th/ aspirated voiceless dental, as in th of month or mouth

Front 29

द

Back 29

da /d/ unaspirated voiced dental, as in breadth or then

Front 30

ध

Back 30

dha /dha/ aspirated voiced dental, as in Riyadh

Front 31

न

Back 31

na /n/ nasal, as in anthem or nose or name

Front 32

प

Back 32

pa /p/ unaspirated voiceless labial, as in p of spin or spoon

Front 33

फ

Back 33

pha /ph/ aspirated voiceless labial, as in pin, top-hat

Front 34

ब

Back 34

ba /b/ as unaspirated voiced labial , as in ball, bed or bin

Front 35

भ

Back 35

bha /bh/ aspirated voiced labial, as in club-house, abhor

Front 36

म

Back 36

ma /m/ nasal, as in must, mother, mail

Front 37

य

Back 37

ya /y/ semi-vowel, as in yes, yell, yam

Front 38

र

Back 38

ra /r/ alveolar, as in rat, rake, thrill, three

Front 39

ल

Back 39

la /l/ alveolar, as in love, lost, leaf, lip

Front 40

व

Back 40

va /v/ semi-vowel, as in very, win , voice

Front 41

श

Back 41

śa /ś/ sibilant, as in sham, show, cash

Front 42

ष

Back 42

ṣa, /ṣ/ almost indistinguishable retroflex of s. slightly more aspirated. Sanskrit loan words only

Front 43

स

Back 43

sa, / s /, sibilant, as in sun, sad, six, sum

Front 44

ह

Back 44

ha, aspirate as in hat, head, house

Front 45

क़

Back 45

qa, / q /, pronounced alone it is / q /, similar to the English queen; (q)

Front 46

ख़

Back 46

kha (underlined), / x / the voiceless velar fricative as the ending of the German doch. Many incorrectly pronounce it as / kh / (ख) instead; (kh)

Front 47

ग़

Back 47

ga (underlined) as in g of afghanistan

Front 48

ज़

Back 48

za, / z /, pronounced alone it is / z /, similar to the English zip

Front 49

ड़

Back 49

ṛa, unaspirated, Retroflex , produced with the tip of the tongue on the ridge of the mouth

Front 50

ढ़

Back 50

ṛha, aspiration of ड़, as in mud-house

Front 51

फ़

Back 51

fa, as in fan, fee, fix