Quick Sanskrit Pronunciation Guide#
Vowels#
| Devanāgarī | IAST | English Approximation | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| अ | a | “uh” (about) | अथ (atha) | now |
| आ | ā | “aah” (father) | आत्मन् (ātman) | self |
| इ | i | “ih” (bit) | इति (iti) | thus |
| ई | ī | “ee” (see) | ईश्वर (īśvara) | Lord |
| उ | u | “oo” (put) | दुःख (duḥkha) | suffering |
| ऊ | ū | “oo” (food) | सूत्र (sūtra) | thread; aphorism |
| ऋ | ṛ | quick “ri” (tight syllable) | ऋतम्भरा (ṛtambharā) | truth-bearing |
| ए | e | “ay” (they) | एक (eka) | one |
| ऐ | ai | “eye” | कैवल्य (kaivalya) | liberation |
| ओ | o | “o” (go) | योग (yoga) | yoga |
| औ | au | “ow” (cow) | कौशल (kauśala) | skill, dexterity |
Consonants#
Gutturals (Back of throat)#
| Devanāgarī | IAST | English Approximation | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| क | ka | k (skill, unaspirated) | क्लेश (kleśa) | affliction |
| ख | kha | k + strong breath | दुःख (duḥkha) | suffering |
| ग | ga | g (go) | गुण (guṇa) | quality |
| घ | gha | g + breath | घट (ghaṭa) | pot |
| ङ | ṅa | ng (sing) | अङ्ग (aṅga) | limb |
Palatals#
| Devanāgarī | IAST | English Approximation | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| च | ca | ch (church, unaspirated) | चित्त (citta) | consciousness |
| छ | cha | ch + breath | छाया (chāyā) | shadow |
| ज | ja | j (judge) | जन्म (janma) | birth |
| झ | jha | j + breath | — | — |
| ञ | ña | ny (canyon) | ज्ञान (jñāna) | knowledge |
Retroflex (Tongue curled back)#
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Approximation | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ट | ṭa | hard t, tongue back | अष्टाङ्ग (aṣṭāṅga) | eight-limbed |
| ठ | ṭha | ṭ + breath | प्रतिष्ठा (pratiṣṭhā) | firmly established |
| ड | ḍa | hard d, tongue back | डमरु (damaru) | two-headed drum |
| ढ | ḍha | ḍ + breath | दृढ (dṛḍha) | firm |
| ण | ṇa | n, tongue back | प्रणव (praṇava) | Om |
Dentals (Tongue touching teeth)#
| Devanāgarī | IAST | English Approximation | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| त | ta | soft t (tongue at teeth) | तपस् (tapas) | discipline |
| थ | tha | t + breath (NOT “th”) | अथ (atha) | now begins |
| द | da | soft d (tongue at teeth) | पाद (pāda) | chapter |
| ध | dha | d + breath | धर्म (dharma) | law |
| न | na | n (tongue at teeth) | नियम (niyama) | observance |
Labials (Lips)#
| Devanāgarī | IAST | English Approximation | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| प | pa | p (spin, unaspirated) | परिणाम (pariṇāma) | transformation |
| फ | pha | p + breath (NOT “f”) | फल (phala) | fruit |
| ब | ba | b (bat) | बुद्धि (buddhi) | intellect |
| भ | bha | b + breath | भावना (bhāvanā) | cultivation |
| म | ma | m (mother) | मनस् (manas) | mind |
Semivowels#
| Devanāgarī | IAST | English Approximation | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| य | ya | y (yes) | यम (yama) | restraint |
| र | ra | light flap r (Spanish pero) | राग (rāga) | attachment |
| ल | la | l (love) | लय (laya) | dissolution |
| व | va | between v and w | विवेक (viveka) | discernment |
Sibilants & Breath#
| Devanāgarī | IAST | English Approximation | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| श | śa | soft sh | शब्द (śabda) | word |
| ष | ṣa | retroflex sh | पुरुष (puruṣa) | consciousness |
| स | sa | s (sun) | समाधि (samādhi) | meditative absorption |
| ह | ha | h (ahead) | अहिंसा (ahiṃsā) | non-harming |
| ं | ṃ | nasal hum | संयम (saṃyama) | integration |
| ः | ḥ | soft echo breath | दुःख (duḥkha) | suffering |