Devanagari: Complete Guide to All Vowels and Consonants

HindiBy FluentFlash Research Team·Updated 2026-04-30

Devanagari is the script used to write Hindi, Sanskrit, Marathi, Nepali, and several other South Asian languages. It is an abugida, meaning each consonant carries an inherent vowel sound that modifies with diacritical marks.

The script contains 13 vowels and 33 consonants in standard form. It is written left to right with a distinctive horizontal headline called the shirorekha connecting the letters.

Unlike English, Devanagari is nearly perfectly phonetic. Every letter represents one consistent sound. Once you learn the script, you can pronounce virtually any Hindi word you encounter. The consonants organize scientifically by tongue position, from the back of the throat (velars) to the lips (labials).

This systematic arrangement has existed for thousands of years. It makes the script remarkably logical to learn. FluentFlash uses spaced repetition and AI-powered flashcards to help you memorize each letter efficiently. Below you will find complete charts of vowels and consonants with pronunciation guides and writing tips.

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Devanagari Vowels (स्वर), All 13 Vowel Letters

Devanagari vowels are called svar (स्वर). Each vowel has two forms: an independent form used when the vowel starts a word or follows another vowel, and a dependent form (matra) used when the vowel attaches to a consonant.

Vowel Organization

The vowels follow a traditional order that pairs short and long versions of each sound. This pairing makes them easier to memorize.

How Matras Work

When a vowel appears after a consonant, it becomes a matra (diacritical mark). For example, the consonant क (ka) combined with the matra for 'i' becomes कि (ki). Without a matra, consonants carry an inherent 'a' sound.

Vowel Chart

अ (a) = "uh" as in "about". The inherent vowel in every consonant
आ (aa) = "ah" as in "father". Matra: ा
इ (i) = "ih" as in "bit". Matra: ि
ई (ee) = "ee" as in "see". Matra: ी
उ (u) = "oo (short)" as in "put". Matra: ु
ऊ (oo) = "oo (long)" as in "food". Matra: ू
ऋ (ri) = "ri" as in "Krishna". Matra: ृ
ए (e) = "ay" as in "cake". Matra: े
ऐ (ai) = "ai" as in "air". Matra: ै
ओ (o) = "oh" as in "go". Matra: ो
औ (au) = "ow" as in "cow". Matra: ौ
अं (am / anusvara) = "un" or "um" as a nasal sound. Mark: ं
अः (ah / visarga) = "aha" as a breathy 'h'. Mark: ः

Term	Meaning	Pronunciation	Example
अ	a	uh	Short 'a' as in 'about', inherent in every consonant
आ	aa	aa	Long 'a' as in 'father', matra: ा
इ	i	ih	Short 'i' as in 'bit', matra: ि
ई	ee	ee	Long 'i' as in 'see', matra: ी
उ	u	oo (short)	Short 'u' as in 'put', matra: ु
ऊ	oo	oo (long)	Long 'u' as in 'food', matra: ू
ऋ	ri	ri	Vowel 'ri' as in 'Krishna', matra: ृ
ए	e	ay	Like 'a' in 'cake', matra: े
ऐ	ai	ai	Like 'ai' in 'air', matra: ै
ओ	o	oh	Like 'o' in 'go', matra: ो
औ	au	ow	Like 'ow' in 'cow', matra: ौ
अं	am (anusvara)	un/um	Nasal sound, mark: ं (dot above)
अः	ah (visarga)	aha	Breathy 'h' after a vowel, mark: ः

Devanagari Consonants (व्यंजन), All 33 Consonant Letters

Devanagari consonants are called vyanjan (व्यंजन). They organize into five groups called vargas based on where in the mouth the sound is produced. Each consonant carries an inherent 'a' sound.

The Halant and Consonant Suppression

To suppress the inherent vowel, a halant (virama) mark (्) is placed below the consonant. This allows two consonants to combine without a vowel between them.

The Five Varga Groups

Velar (back of throat)

क (ka) = "kuh" as in "kit". Unaspirated
ख (kha) = "khuh" as in "inkhorn". Aspirated
ग (ga) = "guh" as in "go". Voiced
घ (gha) = "ghuh" as in "log house". Voiced aspirated
ङ (nga) = "nguh" as in "sing". Nasal

Palatal (hard palate)

च (cha) = "chuh" as in "church". Unaspirated
छ (chha) = "chhuh". Aspirated
ज (ja) = "juh" as in "jump". Voiced
झ (jha) = "jhuh". Voiced aspirated
ञ (nya) = "nyuh" as in "canyon". Nasal

Retroflex (tongue curled back)

ट (ta) = "tuh" with tongue curled. Unaspirated
ठ (tha) = "thuh". Aspirated
ड (da) = "duh" with tongue curled. Voiced
ढ (dha) = "dhuh". Voiced aspirated
ण (na) = "nuh" with tongue curled. Nasal

Dental (tongue touches teeth)

त (ta) = "tuh" at teeth. Softer than English 't'
थ (tha) = "thuh" at teeth. NOT like English "th"
द (da) = "duh" at teeth
ध (dha) = "dhuh" at teeth
न (na) = "nuh" as in "no". Nasal

Labial (lips)

प (pa) = "puh" as in "spin". Unaspirated
फ (pha) = "phuh". Aspirated
ब (ba) = "buh" as in "bat". Voiced
भ (bha) = "bhuh". Voiced aspirated
म (ma) = "muh" as in "mat". Nasal

Semi-Vowels, Sibilants, and Aspirate

य (ya) = "yuh" as in "yes"
र (ra) = "ruh" with flapped 'r'
ल (la) = "luh" as in "light"
व (va) = "vuh" between 'v' and 'w'
श (sha / palatal) = "shuh" as in "ship"
ष (sha / retroflex) = "shuh" with tongue curled
स (sa) = "suh" as in "sun"
ह (ha) = "huh" as in "hat"

Term	Meaning	Pronunciation	Example
क	ka	kuh	Like 'k' in 'kit', velar unaspirated
ख	kha	khuh	Aspirated 'k' as in 'inkhorn', velar aspirated
ग	ga	guh	Like 'g' in 'go', velar voiced
घ	gha	ghuh	Aspirated 'g' as in 'log house', velar voiced aspirated
ङ	nga	nguh	Like 'ng' in 'sing', velar nasal
च	cha	chuh	Like 'ch' in 'church', palatal unaspirated
छ	chha	chhuh	Aspirated 'ch', palatal aspirated
ज	ja	juh	Like 'j' in 'jump', palatal voiced
झ	jha	jhuh	Aspirated 'j', palatal voiced aspirated
ञ	nya	nyuh	Like 'ny' in 'canyon', palatal nasal
ट	ta (retroflex)	tuh	Tongue curled back, hits hard palate, retroflex unaspirated
ठ	tha (retroflex)	thuh	Aspirated retroflex 't', retroflex aspirated
ड	da (retroflex)	duh	Retroflex 'd', tongue curled back
ढ	dha (retroflex)	dhuh	Aspirated retroflex 'd', retroflex voiced aspirated
ण	na (retroflex)	nuh	Retroflex nasal 'n', tongue curled back
त	ta (dental)	tuh	Dental 't', tongue touches teeth, softer than English 't'
थ	tha (dental)	thuh	Aspirated dental 't', NOT like English 'th'
द	da (dental)	duh	Dental 'd', tongue touches teeth
ध	dha (dental)	dhuh	Aspirated dental 'd', dental voiced aspirated
न	na (dental)	nuh	Like 'n' in 'no', dental nasal
प	pa	puh	Like 'p' in 'spin', labial unaspirated
फ	pha	phuh	Aspirated 'p', labial aspirated
ब	ba	buh	Like 'b' in 'bat', labial voiced
भ	bha	bhuh	Aspirated 'b', labial voiced aspirated
म	ma	muh	Like 'm' in 'mat', labial nasal
य	ya	yuh	Like 'y' in 'yes', palatal semi-vowel
र	ra	ruh	Flapped 'r', semi-vowel
ल	la	luh	Like 'l' in 'light', semi-vowel
व	va	vuh	Between 'v' and 'w', labio-dental semi-vowel
श	sha (palatal)	shuh	Like 'sh' in 'ship', palatal sibilant
ष	sha (retroflex)	shuh	Retroflex 'sh', tongue curled back
स	sa	suh	Like 's' in 'sun', dental sibilant
ह	ha	huh	Like 'h' in 'hat', glottal

Conjunct Consonants and the Halant

When two or more consonants appear together without a vowel between them, they form a conjunct (samyukt akshar). The halant mark (्) is placed below the first consonant to cancel its inherent vowel. The consonants then merge into a combined form.

How Conjuncts Form

For example, क + ् + र = क्र (kra). Some conjuncts have unique shapes that must be memorized. Others simply stack vertically or display the halant visibly. Learning the most frequent conjuncts greatly improves your reading speed.

Common Conjunct Examples

क्ष (ksha) = unique combined shape
त्र (tra) = three consonants merged
ज्ञ (gya/jnya) = special form for this combination
श्र (shra) = श with र merged

Steps to Master Conjuncts

The halant (्) cancels the inherent 'a' vowel of a consonant
Two consonants joined by halant form a conjunct (e.g., स + ् + त = स्त / sta)
Some conjuncts have special combined shapes (क्ष, त्र, ज्ञ)
The character र (ra) has special combining rules: it appears as a hook above (र्म = rma) or below (प्र = pra)
Practice the 20 most common conjuncts first to cover majority of Hindi text

1
The halant (virama) mark ् cancels the inherent 'a' vowel of a consonant
2
Two consonants joined by a halant form a conjunct, e.g., स + ् + त = स्त (sta)
3
Some conjuncts have special combined shapes, क्ष (ksha), त्र (tra), ज्ञ (gya)
4
The character र (ra) has special combining rules: it appears as a hook above (e.g., र्म = rma) or below (e.g., प्र = pra)
5
Practice the 20 most common conjuncts first, they cover the majority of Hindi text

Numbers in Devanagari

Devanagari has its own set of numerals, though Hindi speakers commonly use Western Arabic numerals (0-9) in everyday life. Knowing the Devanagari numerals is still useful for reading formal documents, government signage, and traditional texts.

Devanagari Numerals 0-9

० (0 / shunya) = Zero
१ (1 / ek) = One
२ (2 / do) = Two
३ (3 / teen) = Three
४ (4 / chaar) = Four
५ (5 / paanch) = Five
६ (6 / chhah) = Six
७ (7 / saat) = Seven
८ (8 / aath) = Eight
९ (9 / nau) = Nine

Term	Meaning	Pronunciation	Example
०	0 (shunya)	shoon-ya	Zero
१	1 (ek)	ek	One
२	2 (do)	doh	Two
३	3 (teen)	teen	Three
४	4 (chaar)	chaar	Four
५	5 (paanch)	paanch	Five
६	6 (chhah)	chheh	Six
७	7 (saat)	saat	Seven
८	8 (aath)	aath	Eight
९	9 (nau)	now	Nine

Tips for Learning Devanagari Quickly

Most learners can read basic Devanagari within two to three weeks of consistent daily practice. Here are proven strategies to accelerate your progress.

Start with Vowels

Learn vowels first. There are only 13, and they form the foundation for reading consonant-vowel combinations with matras. This gives you immediate wins and builds confidence.

Study Consonants by Group

Study consonants by varga (group). The five groups (ka, cha, ta-retroflex, ta-dental, pa) follow a logical pattern with unaspirated, aspirated, voiced, voiced aspirated, and nasal sounds.

Practice Writing by Hand

Practice writing by hand. The shirorekha (headline) connects letters in a word. Writing reinforces the visual pattern recognition needed for reading fluency.

Steps to Accelerate Learning

Learn vowels first: 13 characters form the foundation for all consonant-vowel combinations
Study consonants by varga group: Logical organization reveals patterns and reduces memorization effort
Practice writing by hand: The shirorekha connects letters in a word, reinforcing visual recognition
Use spaced repetition flashcards: FluentFlash's algorithm schedules reviews at optimal intervals for efficiency
Read Hindi signs and labels: Decode real-world Hindi text to accelerate recognition before mastering all letters

1
Learn vowels first: There are only 13, and they form the foundation for reading consonant-vowel combinations with matras.
2
Study consonants by varga group: The five groups (ka, cha, ta-retroflex, ta-dental, pa) have a logical pattern, unaspirated, aspirated, voiced, voiced aspirated, nasal.
3
Practice writing by hand: The shirorekha (headline) connects letters in a word. Writing reinforces the visual pattern recognition needed for reading.
4
Use spaced repetition flashcards: FluentFlash's algorithm schedules reviews at optimal intervals, making memorization far more efficient than brute-force repetition.
5
Read Hindi signs and labels: Even before you know all letters, try to decode Hindi text around you or in images online. Real-world practice accelerates recognition.

Master Devanagari with Smart Flashcards

Use AI-powered spaced repetition to memorize all Devanagari vowels, consonants, and matras. FluentFlash adapts to your learning speed so you never waste time on characters you already know.

Study with Free Flashcards

Frequently Asked Questions

How many letters are in Devanagari?

The standard Devanagari script used for Hindi has 13 vowels (svar) and 33 consonants (vyanjan), totaling 46 basic characters. If you include additional characters used in modern Hindi, the count rises higher.

Extended Characters

Modern Hindi uses nukta-modified consonants for borrowed sounds. These include क़, ख़, ग़, ज़, ड़, ढ़, and फ़, bringing the total to 53 characters.

Special Marks

There are two special marks that modify vowels and consonants. The anusvara (ं) adds nasalization, and the visarga (ः) adds a breathy 'h' sound after a vowel.

Conjunct Consonants

Devanagari has numerous conjunct consonant forms created by combining two or more consonants. These are combinations rather than distinct letters, so they are not counted in the basic character set.

Is Devanagari hard to learn for English speakers?

Devanagari is moderately challenging for English speakers, primarily because the script looks completely different from the Latin alphabet. However, it has a major advantage.

The Phonetic Advantage

Devanagari is almost perfectly phonetic. Each letter consistently represents the same sound. Unlike English with its chaotic spelling rules, you can pronounce any word you can read once you learn the script.

Key Challenges

The biggest hurdle involves distinctions that do not exist in English. These include aspirated versus unaspirated consonants (ka versus kha) and retroflex versus dental consonants (two different 't' and 'd' sounds).

Learning Timeline

Most dedicated learners can read basic Devanagari within two to three weeks of daily practice. The phonetic consistency makes progress faster than learning English spelling rules.

What is the difference between Devanagari and Hindi?

Devanagari is a writing script, while Hindi is a language. Devanagari is the script used to write Hindi, but it is also used for Sanskrit, Marathi, Nepali, and several other languages.

Script Versus Language

This relationship is similar to how the Latin alphabet is used for English, French, Spanish, and many other languages. When people say they want to learn 'Hindi letters,' they are referring to the Devanagari script.

Historical Context

The script predates modern Hindi by many centuries. It evolved from the ancient Brahmi script through intermediate forms like Gupta and Nagari.

Learning Benefits

Learning Devanagari for Hindi gives you a head start if you later study Sanskrit, Marathi, or Nepali. You already know the writing system and can focus on learning the new language.

How long does it take to learn Devanagari?

With consistent daily practice of 15 to 30 minutes, most learners can recognize all Devanagari vowels and consonants within two to three weeks.

Reading Fluency

Reading connected text fluently, including conjunct consonants and matras, typically takes an additional two to four weeks. Building speed and automaticity requires exposure to real text.

Writing Proficiency

Writing Devanagari by hand at a comfortable speed may take one to two months. Hand-writing reinforces visual patterns that support faster reading.

Accelerate with Spaced Repetition

Using spaced repetition flashcards like those from FluentFlash significantly accelerates the memorization phase. The system shows you characters right before you would forget them, maximizing retention.

The Consistency Factor

The key is daily consistency. Short daily sessions outperform infrequent long sessions for script memorization.

Which language is Devanagari?

Devanagari is not a language itself. It is a writing script used by multiple languages. The primary language associated with Devanagari is Hindi, but the script also writes Sanskrit, Marathi, Nepali, Konkani, and Kashmiri.

Common Languages Using Devanagari

Hindi: The most widely spoken language using this script
Sanskrit: The ancient classical language of India
Marathi: Spoken in Maharashtra state
Nepali: The official language of Nepal

Historical Significance

Devanagari evolved from the Brahmi script and has been used for sacred texts and classical literature for centuries. It remains the script for India's official language, Hindi.

Does Hindu read right to left?

No, Devanagari does not read right to left. It is written and read left to right, just like English and most European languages.

The Horizontal Headline

One distinctive feature is the shirorekha, a horizontal line that runs across the top of the text from left to right. This line connects the letters and is essential to how Devanagari appears visually.

Direction Confusion

Some people confuse Devanagari with right-to-left scripts like Arabic or Hebrew. Devanagari clearly follows left-to-right directionality. Learning to follow the shirorekha helps with reading flow and letter recognition.

What country speaks Devanagari?

Devanagari is not spoken. It is a writing script, not a language. However, it is primarily used in India and Nepal.

Primary Countries

India is the main country where Devanagari is used. Hindi, written in Devanagari, is India's official language. Other Indian languages using this script include Marathi, Konkani, and Sanskrit.

Nepal officially uses Devanagari for writing Nepali, the country's official language.

Global Usage

Devanagari is also used by diaspora communities worldwide and in academic settings where Sanskrit or Hindi is studied. However, it remains concentrated in South Asia.

Is Devanagari the same as Hindi?

No, Devanagari and Hindi are not the same. Devanagari is a writing script, while Hindi is a language. This is an important distinction for learners.

The Relationship

Devanagari is the script used to write Hindi, similar to how the Latin alphabet is used to write English. You cannot equate a script with a language.

Multiple Languages

Devanagari writes several languages besides Hindi, including Sanskrit, Marathi, and Nepali. Conversely, Hindi can theoretically be written in other scripts, though Devanagari is the standard.

Learning Path

Learning Devanagari is the first step toward reading and writing Hindi. After mastering the script, you then learn Hindi grammar, vocabulary, and sentence structure to actually understand and communicate in the language.