Pronunciation and Phonetics

Devanagari is a highly phonetic script — what you see is (almost always) what you say. This lesson covers the key pronunciation rules, common pitfalls for English speakers, and the phonetic logic behind the script.

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The Schwa Deletion Rule

The most important pronunciation rule in Hindi is schwa deletion (also called schwa syncope). The inherent "a" vowel is not always pronounced, even though it is written.

The Rule

In Hindi (but not in Sanskrit), the inherent "a" at the end of a word and in certain internal positions is silent.

Written	Naive Reading	Actual Pronunciation	Meaning
नमक	namaka	namak	salt
समय	samaya	samay	time
कमल	kamala	kamal	lotus
सड़क	saṛaka	saṛak	road
अचानक	achaanaka	achaanak	suddenly

Important: Schwa deletion is the number one source of mispronunciation for learners. The written form of a Hindi word does not tell you which inherent vowels to drop — you must learn this through listening and practice.

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When the Schwa IS Pronounced