ग
+
ज + ◌ः
जः
Alphabets
The Sanskrit alphabet वर्णमाला
Meet every letter of Sanskrit, hear how it sounds, and learn how letters join to make words.
About Sanskrit
Sanskrit was not tied to one script, but today it is almost always written in Devanagari (देवनागरी). Its alphabet, the varṇamālā, is arranged scientifically: first the vowels, then the consonants grouped by the place in the mouth where they are made, from the throat to the lips. Every consonant carries a built-in "a", vowel signs (mātrā) change it, and the virāma (्) removes it. The sign avagraha (ऽ) marks a dropped "a", as in सोऽहम् (so'ham).
- 13
- vowels and vowel signs
- 33
- consonants व्यञ्जन
- 3
- conjunct letters
- L → R
- writing direction
Vowels स्वर
A vowel can stand on its own at the start of a word. After a consonant it is written as a vowel sign (matra) instead – shown here on क. Tap a letter to hear it.
Extra signs
Anusvāra – a nasal sound (n / m) after the vowel.
Visarga – a short breathy "h" after the vowel.
Consonants व्यंजन
The consonants are arranged by where in the mouth the sound is made. In each of the first five groups the letters go: plain, breathy, voiced, voiced + breathy, nasal.
Velar क-वर्ग
from the back of the throat
Palatal च-वर्ग
tongue against the hard palate
Retroflex ट-वर्ग
tongue curled back to the roof of the mouth
Dental त-वर्ग
tongue touching the upper teeth
Labial प-वर्ग
with the lips
Semivowels अन्तःस्थ
between a vowel and a consonant
Sibilants & h ऊष्म
hissing sounds made with breath
Conjunct letters संयुक्त व्यंजन
two consonants joined – taught as letters of their own
How letters join to make words
Sanskrit words are built syllable by syllable. Three simple rules cover almost everything.
-
1
Every consonant has a built-in "a"
On its own, क is read ka, not just k.
क् +अ =क -
2
A matra replaces the "a"
Add a vowel sign to change the vowel: ka becomes kā, ki, ku…
क +◌ा =का -
3
A halant removes the "a"
The small stroke ् (halant) makes a half letter that joins the next one.
स् +त =स्त
Where does the matra go?
After
का की को कौ
Written to the right, after the consonant.
Before
कि
Written first, but said after the consonant.
Below
कु कू कृ
Hangs under the consonant.
Above
के कै कं कँ
Sits on top of the headline.
Build real words
क
+
म
+
ल
+
म्
ज
+
ल
+
म्
प + ◌ु
पु
+
स् + त
स्त
+
क
+
म्
प + ◌ु
पु
+
ष् + प
ष्प
+
म्
स + ◌ू
सू
+
र् + य + ◌ः
र्यः
ध
+
र् + म + ◌ः
र्मः
ज् + ञ + ◌ा
ज्ञा
+
न
+
म्
Good to know
Every "a" is said
Unlike Hindi, Sanskrit pronounces the final "a": राम is rāma.
The visarga
The visarga ः at the end of many nouns is a soft echo "h": रामः (rāmaḥ).
Sandhi
Sounds join across words: सः + अहम् becomes सोऽहम् (so'ham, "I am he").
Ready to type in Sanskrit?
Use the on-screen keyboard to write these letters, or translate your first sentence.