Vowels

अa “a” as in “father”
आā“aah” as in “aah”
इi“ee” as in “meek”
ईī“eee” as in “eeek”
उu“oo” as in “brood”
ऊū“ooo” as in “boo”
ऋṛ“ru” as in “rude”
ॠṝno English equivalent
ऌḷno English equivalent
एe“ay” as in “day”
ऐai“ie” as in “”die”
ओo“oe” as in “doe”
औau“ow” as in “cow”
अंaṃANUSVĀRA is a nasalization that approximates “m,” as in “Saṃskṛta”
अःaḥVISARGA is an added aspiration, often at the end of the word, that incorporates the preceding vowel. Thus, “namaḥ” is pronounced, “namaha,” “hariḥ” is pronounced, “harihi.”

Classified Consonants

कk“k” as in “bike”
खkhaspirated consonant
गgsimilar to the English
घghaspirated consonant
ङṅ“ng” as in “ring”
चcsimilar to the English
छchaspirated consonant
जjsimilar to the English
झjhaspirated consonant
ञñ“ny” as in “canyon”
टṭretroflex
ठṭhretroflex, aspirated consonant
डḍretroflex
ढḍhretroflex, aspirated consonant
णṇ“ṇ” as in “guṇa” Retroflex; no English equivalent.
तtsimilar to the English
थthaspirated consonant
दdsimilar to the English
धdhaspirated consonant
नn“n” as in “no”
पpsimilar to the English
फphaspirated consonant
बbsimilar to the English
भbhaspirated consonant
मm“m” as in “mow”

 

Unclassified Consonants

यysimilar to the English
रrsimilar to the English
लlsimilar to the English
वvsimilar to the English
शśś “sh” as in “shave”
षṣṣ as in “doṣa” Retroflex; no English equivalent.
सs“s” as in “save”
हhsimilar to the English