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Devanagari has 13 vowels (स्वर, svar). Each vowel has two forms: an independent form used at the start of a word or after another vowel, and a dependent form (matra) attached to a consonant. Mastering both forms is essential for reading and writing.
Short vowels are pronounced with a brief, clipped duration.
| Character | Romanisation | IPA | Example Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| अ | a | /ə/ | अब (ab) | now |
| इ | i | /ɪ/ | इधर (idhar) | here |
| उ | u | /ʊ/ | उपर (upar) | above |
| ऋ | ṛ | /ɻɪ/ | ऋषि (rishi) | sage |
Tip: The vowel अ (a) is the most common sound in Hindi. It is the inherent vowel in every consonant and sounds like the "u" in the English word "but", not like the "a" in "cat".
Long vowels are held for roughly twice the duration of their short counterparts.
| Character | Romanisation | IPA | Example Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| आ | aa / ā | /aː/ | आम (aam) | mango |
| ई | ee / ī | /iː/ | ईख (eekh) | sugarcane |
| ऊ | oo / ū | /uː/ | ऊन (oon) | wool |
Tip: Notice the pattern — short vowels (अ, इ, उ) have simpler shapes, while their long counterparts (आ, ई, ऊ) have an extra stroke or are more elaborate. This visual pattern helps you distinguish them.
These vowels combine two sounds into a single syllable.
| Character | Romanisation | IPA | Example Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ए | e | /eː/ | एक (ek) | one |
| ऐ | ai | /ɛː/ | ऐनक (ainak) | spectacles |
| ओ | o | /oː/ | ओस (os) | dew |
| औ | au | /ɔː/ | औरत (aurat) | woman |
| Character | Romanisation | IPA | Example Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| अं | aṁ (anusvara) | /əⁿ/ | अंगूर (angoor) | grape |
| अः | aḥ (visarga) | /əh/ | दुःख (dukh) | sorrow |
The anusvara (ं) nasalises the vowel it follows. The visarga (ः) adds a slight aspiration after the vowel.
When a vowel follows a consonant within the same syllable, it is written as a matra (vowel sign) attached to the consonant rather than as an independent character. Here are all the matras shown with the consonant क (ka):
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