The Sanskrit Alphabet (in phonetic order, with pronunciation)
| स्वर Simple Vowals |
व्यञ्जन Consonants (An अ (a) is added to each consonant to faciltate the pronounciation). | |||||||||
| ह्रस्व Short |
दीर्घ Long |
Hard non-aspirate |
Hard aspirate |
Soft non-aspirate |
Soft aspirate |
Soft Nasals |
Semi-vowels | Sibilants | ||
| Guttural कण्ठ्य kaṇṭhya |
अ a but |
आ ā calm |
क ka s k ate |
ख kha blockhead |
ग ga gate |
घ gha logh ut |
ङ ṅa sing |
ह ha hum |
||
| Palatal तालव्य tālavya |
इ i it |
ई ī beat |
च ca chunk |
छ cha catch him |
ज ja john |
झ jha hedgehog |
ञ ña bunch |
य ya young |
श śa show |
|
| Crebral मूर्धन्य mūrdhanya |
ऋ ṛ rthytm |
ॠ ṝ arrhythmia |
ट ṭa true |
ठ ṭha markethhall |
ड ḍa drum |
ढ ḍha godhead |
ण ṇa under |
र ra drama |
ष ṣa bushel |
|
| Dental दन्त्य dantya |
लृ - revelry |
त ta top |
थ tha anthill |
द da dart |
ध dha sandhill |
न na numb |
ल la luck |
स sa so |
||
| Labial ओष्ठ्य oṣṭhya |
उ u put |
ऊ ū pool |
प pa spin |
फ pha loophole |
ब ba b in |
भ bha abhor |
म ma much |
व va while |
||
| Compound Vowels (Diphthongs) |
ए e play |
ऐ ai high |
ओ o toe |
औ au loud |
Special Characters | अं aṁ anusvära |
अः aḥ visarga |
Consonants followed by Vowels
When a vowel follows a consonant, the consonant loses its stroke and the vowel is written in an abbreviated form.
| क् + अ = क k + a = ka |
क् + आ = का k + ā = kā |
क् + इ = कि k + i = ki |
क् = ई = की k + ī = kī |
| क् + उ = कु k + u = ku |
क् + ऊ = कू k + ū = kū |
क् + ऋ = कृ k + ṛ = kṛ |
क् + ॠ = कॄ k + ṝ = kṝ |
| क् + लृ = क्लृ k + ṝ = kṝ |
क् + ए = के k + e = ke |
क् + ऐ = कै k + ai = kai |
क् + ओ = को k + o = ko |
| क् + औ = कौ k + au = kau |