Hindi Varnamala - Hindi Alphabets

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A letter is known as 'Varn' (वर्ण) and the alphabet chart is known as 'varnamala' (वर्णमाला). Vowels are called 'Swar' (स्वर) & Consonants are called 'Vyanjan' (व्यंजन). 

            

There are 36 consonants in Hindi.
There are 13 vowels/swar in Hindi. And they are:

अ आ इ ई उ ऊ ऋ ए ऐ ओ औ अं अः
ah aah e ee u uu ri a i o ou/au am aha

According to the time taken to pronounce, these vowels are classified into three types:
1)hrasva (ह्रस्व) – These are short vowels and take the shortest time to pronounce. अ, इ, उ, ऋ are the four short vowels in Hindi.
2)deergh (दीर्घ) – These vowels take a longer time during pronunciation. आ, ई, ऊ, ए, ऐ, ओ, औ are the seven long vowels.
3)plut (प्लुत) – these are longer vowels and take much longer time in pronouncing them.

Based on the source of the sound of the vowel, they are again classified into anunasik (अनुनासिक) and niranunasik (निरनुनसिक) swar.

Vyanjan (व्यंजन) - Consonants:

क ख ग घ ङ
ka kha ga gha na
च छ ज झ ञ
cha chcha ja jha nia
ट ठ ड ढ ण
ta tha da dha nna
त थ द ध न
ta tha da dha na
प फ ब भ म
pa pha ba bha ma
य र ल व
ya ra la va
श ष स ह
sha shha sa ha
क्ष त्र ज्ञ
ksha tra gya

The consonants are categorized as follows:
1) Velar - produced in the throat
eg: क ख ग घ ङ

2) Palatal - produced at the palate

eg:- च छ ज झ ञ

3) Retroflex - produced when tongue curls back to touch the palate

eg:- ट ठ ड ढ ण

4) Dental - produced when the tongue touches the upper teeth

eg:- त थ द ध न

5) Labial - produced with the lips

eg:- प फ ब भ म

Use this fun chart to learn and teach children Hindi alphabets/varnamala:

            

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Phir milte hain!