Vowels

अ a “a” as in “father”
आ ā “aah” as in “aah”
इ i “ee” as in “meek”
ई ī “eee” as in “eeek”
उ u “oo” as in “brood”
ऊ ū “ooo” as in “boo”
ऋ ṛ “ru” as in “rude”
ॠ ṝ no English equivalent
ऌ ḷ no English equivalent
ए e “ay” as in “day”
ऐ ai “ie” as in “”die”
ओ o “oe” as in “doe”
औ au “ow” as in “cow”
अं aṃ ANUSVĀRA is a nasalization that approximates “m,” as in “Saṃskṛta”
अः aḥ VISARGA 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

क k “k” as in “bike”
ख kh aspirated consonant
ग g similar to the English
घ gh aspirated consonant
ङ ṅ “ng” as in “ring”
च c similar to the English
छ ch aspirated consonant
ज j similar to the English
झ jh aspirated consonant
ञ ñ “ny” as in “canyon”
ट ṭ retroflex
ठ ṭh retroflex, aspirated consonant
ड ḍ retroflex
ढ ḍh retroflex, aspirated consonant
ण ṇ “ṇ” as in “guṇa” Retroflex; no English equivalent.
त t similar to the English
थ th aspirated consonant
द d similar to the English
ध dh aspirated consonant
न n “n” as in “no”
प p similar to the English
फ ph aspirated consonant
ब b similar to the English
भ bh aspirated consonant
म m “m” as in “mow”

 

Unclassified Consonants

य y similar to the English
र r similar to the English
ल l similar to the English
व v similar to the English
श ś ś “sh” as in “shave”
ष ṣ ṣ as in “doṣa” Retroflex; no English equivalent.
स s “s” as in “save”
ह h similar to the English