Hindi/Rajasthani Alphabets:

Hindi and Rajasthani both use devanagari script and they are very similar languages when it comes to writing and pronunciation. Therefore, when referring to languages , I will be using Hindi interchangeably with Rajasthani in my writings.

Best thing about Hindi and Rajasthani language is that there is a letter for each sound. There are no silent letters.  You speak or pronounce what you write. There are no hidden sounds. Therefore, once you learn all the vowels and consonants of these languages, it becomes very easy to read it.

Hindi Writing:

Hindi is written in Devanagari script. It is written from left to right. It does not have upper- and lower-case letters. It has a distinctive horizontal line running along the tops of the letters that links them together.

In Hindi consonant and vowel are written together as a unit. Vowels are mostly used as notations or marks ( matraa)  on consonants to make different sounds. You can think of vowels as modifiers for consonants.

Learning the writing system for a native English speaker can take some time because it has almost double the vowels and consonants than English language. Hindi language uses “matraa” system to form different sounds. A Matraa is called “vowel diacritic” in English. A diacritic is a symbol (glyph) added to a letter to give it additional sound. All the vowels of Hindi language except the first one provides different forms of matraas to add to consonants to give various sounds. Hindi language also has many sounds that do not exist in English language. Hence it takes time for a native English speaker to learn those sounds. Once you have learned all the vowels and corresponding matraas, and consonants, it becomes very easy to read Hindi.

HINDI MATRAA:

In Hindi, matraa is the vowel that you attach with the consonants. When different vowel is attached with same consonant it creates a different sound.

Example: M + aa = Ma

M + o  = Mo

You can also think of it as a symbol attached to a consonant to make different sounds.

Example:

क ( consonant) + आ ( vowel represented by symbol : ा )  = का

K              + aa                                      = Ka

You will see more examples of this below in a Barahkhadi table.

Hindi Vowels:

There are 13 vowels in Hindi. Last two vowels are diacritic marks and sometimes placed with consonants. In that case Hindi has 11 vowels. If you look at ancient Devanagari script, you will find that there were 14 vowels. But mostly with modern Hindi you will either see 13 or 11 vowels based on how one is grouping अं and  अः .

Hindi vowels can be used alone or combined with consonant. When they are combined with a consonant, they change the appearance and the sound of the consonant. They also lose their appearance. Only a part of vowel is used to combine with consonant. When they are not combined with consonant, they do not change neither appearance nor sound of the consonant and they keep their form.

Example: आ is a vowel that makes sound of “aa” as in cart.

It can be used as it is. Example: आ aa(vowel) + म ma(consonant) = आम (aam) mango

Both vowel and consonant keep their form.

Or

It can be used combined with a consonant. It will then modify the consonant.

Example: ब ba(consonant) + आ aa(vowel) + ल la (consonant) =  बाल ( baal) Hair

In this you can see that when आ is combined with consonant, only part of आ is used to form a word. You do not see आ vowel as it is. We do not write बआल. We take the part of आ and combine it with consonant ब. That part is called matraa in Hindi.

You will see all the Hindi vowel below. Pay attention to the sound and matraa they form.

Hindi Vowels and sounds they make:

1. Hindi vowel # 1:  अ a

“अ” is a short vowel. It is pronounced like first “a” in America or “u” in urn. There is no matraa here. It  is used as it is. This “अ” sound is inherently present in all consonants.

2.Hindi vowel # 2:  आ aa

“आ” is a long vowel. It has the sound of “aa” in art or “aa” in cart. “आ” is made by drawing a straight line next to अ. This line is called “matraa” in Hindi. So in Hindi “ा “ is called “आ” ‘s matraa. You add the symbol or matraa ा to the end of the consonant.

Example: का [kaa] is a combination of क + आ (k + aa).

3. Hindi vowel # 3:  इ i

“इ” is a short vowel. It is pronounced like “e” in eat or “I” in ink. Matraa is ि. you add the matraa ि to the left-hand side of the consonant (before the consonant). Example: कि [ki] is a combination of क + इ (k + i).

4. Hindi vowel # 4:  ई ee

 “ई” is a long vowel. It has the same sound as that of “इ” but being a long vowel, it doesn’t end abruptly. It has the sound of “EE” in seek or “EA” in peak. Matraa is ी. You add the matraa ी to the right-hand side of the consonant (after the consonant). Example: की [kee] is a combination of क+  ई (k + ee).

5. Hindi vowel # 5:  उ u

“उ” is a short vowel. It has the sound of “u” in pull or full. Matraa is ु. You add the symbol ु beneath the consonant.  कु [ku] is a combination of क + उ (k + u)

6. Hindi vowel # 6:  ऊ o

 “ऊ” is a long vowel. It is pronounced like short उ except for a little longer time. It has the sound of  “oo” in pool or fool. Matraa is ू. You flip the previous symbol and add the symbol ू beneath the consonant. कू [koo] is a combination of क + ऊ (k + oo).

 7. Hindi vowel # 7:  ए e

 “ए” is a short vowel. It has the sound of “e” in shed or “ai” in said. Matraa is े. You add the symbol े above the consonant.  के [ke] is a combination of क + ए (k + e).

 8. Hindi vowel # 8:  ऐ ai

“ऐ” is a long vowel. It has the sound of “a” in shade or “ai” in mail. Matraa is ै. You add the symbol ै    above the consonant. कै [kaae] is a combination of क + ऐ (k + aae).

 9. Hindi vowel # 9:  ओ o

“ओ” has the sound of “O” in old or “OA” in coal. Matraa is ो. You add the symbol ो to the right- hand side of the consonant (after the consonant). को [ko] is a combination of क + ओ (k + o).

10. Hindi vowel # 10:  औ au

“औ” has the sound of “O” in shot or “AU” in caught. Matraa is ौ. You add the symbol ौ to the right-hand side of the consonant (after the consonant). कौ [kau] is a combination of क+ औ (k + au).

11. Hindi vowel # 11:  अं ng

“अं” has the sound of “un” in plunder or “ng” in sing.  Matraa is ं. You add the symbol ं above the consonant. Example:  कं is combination of  क्+अं (k+un/k+um)

12. Hindi vowel # 12:  अ: uh

“अ:” has the sound of “ah” in uh. Matraa is ः you add the matraa ः to the end of the consonant. Example:  क: is a combination of  क् + अ: (K+uh)

13.Hindi vowel # 13: ऋ   ri

ऋ has the sound of “ri” as in rip or rig. Matraa is ृ. You add the matraa ृ beneath the consonant. Example:  कृ [kri] is a combination of क +ऋ (k + ri).

Table of Hindi vowels and vowel diacritics (matraa).

अ    आ    इ    ई     उ     ऊ    ऋ     ए     ऐ    ओ    औ     अं     अः

a    aa   i    ii    u    oo   ri    e   ai    o    au   un  uh

a      ā     i     ī     u      ū     ṛ     e    ai     o     au   aṅ    aḥ

[ʌ]  [a]  [i]  [iː] [u]  [uː]  [ṛ] [e]  [æː] [o]  [ɔː]  [aŋ] [əh]

ा    ि  ी       ु       ू     ृ      े     ै       ो      ौ     ं   ः

Hindi Consonants:

Lot of Hindi consonants make same sounds as English consonants. But there are a few completely new sounds in Hindi that are not present in English language. To learn these new sounds it will require practice and patience. It may seem difficult in the beginning but it will be well worth in the end. One thing to notice that all consonants have “अ(a)” sound inherently in them at the end. Try this: make a sound of “C (क)” in car. You will notice that in the end there is a sound of “A (अ)” as in around.

CONSONANTS AND THEIR PRONUNCIATIONS IN ENGLISH:

I have tried my best to give examples in English as close as possible but there are certain sounds which are lacking in English language therefore no words are available for examples.

When practicing these sounds know the difference between an aspirated and unaspirated sound. Aspirated sounds are one that release a puff of air when pronouncing them. Unaspirated sound do not release air. You can put your palm in front of your mouth when practicing these sounds and notice the difference in sounds based on air movement.

Example:

• spin – no air felt on hand
• Pin – feel the puff of air on the hand

ASPIRATED SOUNDS:

• ख [kh] This is the coupled sound of [k] + [h] = [kh], as in  “ Khan” or “Khyber.” Something similar is first “K” in kick.
• घ [gh] This is the coupled sound of [g] + [h] = [gh], as “gh” in aghast.
• छ [chha] This is the coupled sound of [ch] + [h] = [chh], as “ch” in choo choo train.
• झ [jh] This is the coupled sound of [j] + [h] = [jh]. It’s not available in English. But it is kind of similar to  “dge” sound in hedgehog.
• ठ [th] This is the coupled sound of [t] + [h] = [th] as “t” in tight.
• ढ [dh] This is the coupled sound of [d] + [h] = [dh]. It’s not available in English, but can be remembered as the “dh” in Dhaka ( capital of Bangladesh) or adhere.
• थ [th] as “th” in thermos.
• ध [dh] as “dh” in dharma.
• फ [ph] This is the sound of [f] if pronounced with closed lips. It is not available in English.
• श [sh] as “sh” in shut.
• ष [sh]  It occurs only in borrowed Sanskrit words in Hindi. Pronounced as श [sh].
• भ [bh] This is the coupled sound of [b] + [h] = [bh]. It’s not available in English, but can be remembered as the “bh” in Bhutan ( country) or abhor.
• ह [h] as “h” in hurt
• क्ष [ksh] as “ictio” in friction.

UNASPIRATED SOUNDS:

• क [ka]  as “c” in cute or scant or “k” in skill or skirt.. ( There is no “H” sound in here. It is a very sharp and clear “k” sound).
• ग [ga] as “g” in gum.
• ङ [nga] as “ng” in tongue.
• च [cha] as  “ch” in church.
• ज [ja ] as “j” in jug.
• ञ [nya] as “na” pinata.
• ट [ta] as “t” in tub or stuck.
• ड [da] as “d” in duck.
• ण [na] as “un” in grunt, stunt and “on” in front.
• त [ta] as “t” in pasta or “t” in Istanbul.
• द [da] as  “th” in the or than.
• न [na] as “n” in nun.
• प [pa] as “p” in perk.
• ब [ba] as “b” in bus.
• म [ma] as “m” in mug.
• य [ya] as “y” in yuck.
• र [ra] as “r” in run
• ल [la] as “l” in luck.
• व [va] as “v” in vent.
• स [sa] as “s” in sun
• त्र [tra] This is the coupled sound of soft [T] + [r] = [Tr] as “tr” in tres ( Spanish)
• ज्ञ [gya] as “gy” gyana ( hindi) or Wagyu ( Japanese)

Hindi-English Barakhadi Full Chart

Barakhadi: It is a table or ordering of the combinations of all consonants and vowels in alphabetical order. The twelve vowels of the alphabet are combined with consonant sounds to form different sounds. “Barah” means twelve and thus , it is called barakhadi.

Hindi -English Barakhadi