A little Devanagari history
Discover its origins and where the script is used.
Brahmi inscriptions on stone, from the 3rd century BCEA long development
Devanagari belongs to the Brahmi family of South Asian scripts. It developed through earlier northern Indian writing styles and Nagari forms over many centuries. It was not designed in a single year by a single known inventor.
More than one language
Devanagari is used for Hindi, Marathi, Nepali, Sanskrit and other languages. A script is a writing system, not a language: the same shapes do not guarantee the same word or pronunciation in each language.
The variety in this course
This course teaches contemporary Standard Hindi reading. It includes common Urdu-derived vocabulary and dotted consonants found in Hindi print. Sanskrit-style spelling is introduced for recognition where everyday Hindi words need it; you are not expected to pronounce every Sanskrit text.