Hindi script reference
Look up a sign or check a rule while you read. Use the numbered units to learn step by step.
Character cards play a labelled whole syllable or word. Attached vowel signs and silent marks have no independent sound; listen to their complete examples. Hindi words retain their natural inherent-vowel loss.
Alphabet shelf · open whenever you need a reminder
i
ma. The consonant carries a short a unless another sign changes it.
i
na
i
ka
i
ra
i
la
i
ā. Independent vowel: use it when a syllable starts with ā.
i
ā sign. Attached long ā, displayed to the right.
i
da. Dental d: tongue near the upper teeth.
i
i. Independent short i.
i
i sign. Written to the left of its consonant but read after it.
i
ta. Dental t: no large puff of breath.
i
ī. Independent long ī.
i
ī sign. Long ī appears on the right.
i
pa. Plain p, little breath.
i
u
i
ū
i
u sign. Short u below.
i
ū sign. Long ū below.
i
sa
i
e
i
ai
i
e sign. Vowel e above.
i
ai sign. Often a long open vowel, not necessarily an English eye diphthong.
i
o
i
au
i
o sign
i
au sign. Often a long open back vowel in Standard Hindi.
i
kha. A puff after k; not English ch.
i
ga. Voiced g, as in go.
i
gha. Voiced with breath; listen to the complete syllable.
i
ca. Plain ch-like sound.
i
cha. Airy ch-like sound.
i
ja. Voiced j.
i
jha. Voiced j with breath.
i
tha. Dental t with a puff; not English th.
i
dha. Dental d with breath; not English th.
i
ṭa. Retroflex t, tongue curled back.
i
ṭha. Retroflex t with breath.
i
ḍa. Retroflex d.
i
ḍha. Retroflex d with breath.
i
ba
i
bha. Voiced b with breath.
i
pha / often fa. Traditional ph; many contemporary Hindi speakers use f in familiar words.
i
ya
i
va / wa. Hindi व lies between English v and w; pronunciation varies by word and speaker.
i
ha
i
śa / sha
i
ṣa / sha. Often pronounced like श in contemporary Hindi; keep the learned spelling.
i
ṇa. Retroflex nasal, common in Sanskrit-derived words.
i
a. Independent short a begins a vowel-initial syllable.
i
ṛ / ri. In modern Hindi usually read approximately ri.
i
ṛ / ri sign. Attached below the consonant; common in Sanskrit-derived words.
i
nasal dot. Anusvara: often a nasal matching the following consonant; it can mark vowel nasalisation too.
i
nasal vowel. Chandrabindu: nasalisation of the vowel.
i
halant: no inherent vowel. A consonant plus halant joins the next consonant; it may become a half form or ligature.
i
visarga. Mostly in Sanskrit-derived words; actual Hindi word pronunciation varies.
i
ṅa. Velar nasal as ng in sing; rare as an independent full sign in ordinary Hindi words.
i
ña. Palatal nasal; mainly in conjuncts and learned spellings.
i
nukta: changes a consonant. A dot below a consonant; learn the complete resulting consonant.
i
ṛa. Retroflex flap, distinct from ordinary ड.
i
ṛha. Breathy retroflex flap.
i
fa
i
za
i
qa / ka. Back-of-mouth q in some speakers; often k in Hindi speech.
i
kha / x. A friction sound, not aspirated ख, when distinguished.
i
gha / ɣ. Voiced back friction when distinguished.
i
ɔ. Independent rounded vowel in loanwords.
i
ɔ sign. Rounded loan vowel above/right; contrast the ordinary long आ sign.
र, ल, आ and ◌ा
Build a syllable
Follow each part into the complete reading unit, then hear it.
म + ा → मा
र + ा → रा
मा + ला → माला
द, इ and ◌ि
Build a syllable
Follow each part into the complete reading unit, then hear it.
द + ि → दि
दि + न → दिन
त, ई and ◌ी
Build a syllable
Follow each part into the complete reading unit, then hear it.
त + ि → ति
त + ी → ती
ती + न → तीन
प, उ, ऊ, ◌ु and ◌ू
Build a syllable
Follow each part into the complete reading unit, then hear it.
प + ु → पु
प + ू → पू
स, ए, ऐ, ◌े and ◌ै
Build a syllable
Follow each part into the complete reading unit, then hear it.
म + े → मे
म + ै → मै
ओ, औ, ◌ो and ◌ौ
Build a syllable
Follow each part into the complete reading unit, then hear it.
म + ो → मो
म + ौ → मौ
अ, ऋ and ◌ृ
Build a syllable
Follow each part into the complete reading unit, then hear it.
क + ृ → कृ
◌ं and ◌ँ
Build a syllable
Follow each part into the complete reading unit, then hear it.
म + ा + ँ → माँ
र + ं + ग → रंग
◌् and ◌ः
Build a syllable
Follow each part into the complete reading unit, then hear it.
स + ् + त → स्त
ब + ् + ब → ब्ब
Read joined consonants
Build a syllable
Follow each part into the complete reading unit, then hear it.
क + ् + ष → क्ष
त + ् + र → त्र
प + ् + र → प्र
र + ् + क → र्क
◌़, ड़ and ढ़
Build a syllable
Follow each part into the complete reading unit, then hear it.
ड + ़ → ड़
ढ + ़ → ढ़
More listening and background
Standard Hindi • left to right • no capitals • Devanagari • reading and optional typing