Basic Pronunciation
Hindi spelling is relatively regular, so learning each letter’s usual sound gives you a strong foundation. Pronunciation can still change with context: an unwritten final अ is often dropped, and nasal signs adapt to nearby sounds. Keep these key rules in mind:
Vowel length matters
Hindi distinguishes short and long vowels, and swapping them changes the meaning of a word:
| Short | Long | Example pair |
|---|---|---|
| इ (i) | ई (ī) | दिन (din, “day”) vs. दीन (dīn, “humble”) |
| उ (u) | ऊ (ū) | कुल (kul, “family/clan”) vs. कूल (kūl, “riverbank”) |
Aspirated vs. unaspirated consonants
Many Hindi consonants come in aspirated/unaspirated pairs — the aspirated version has a puff of air after it (like the “p” in “pot” vs. “spot” in English):
| Unaspirated | Aspirated |
|---|---|
| क (ka) | ख (kha) |
| ग (ga) | घ (gha) |
| ज (ja) | झ (jha) |
Nasal sounds and nasalization
The anusvara ं changes with the consonant that follows it. Before ग in अंग (ang, “limb”), it is a velar nasal sound: approximately /əŋg/. A chandrabindu ँ generally marks a nasalized vowel, as in माँ (mā̃, “mother”).
Practice
- Say each pair above out loud, focusing on the difference between them.
- Visit Alphabet Flashcards and listen to every letter at least once.
- Try the exercises in Hindi Practice.
Continue to Introduction to Hindi Grammar.