Vowels in the Hindi Alphabet
Here, we talk about the Hindi vowels, known as “????” (Swar). These sounds will help you form words, sentences, and stories in Hindi.
Meet the Hindi Vowels (????)
Vowels are like the colors in a painting—they add life and make things beautiful. In Hindi, we have 13 vowels, each with its unique sound.
1. ? (a)
Sound: It’s like the ‘a’ in “about.”
Example: ? ?? ???? (Anaar) – Pomegranate
2. ? (aa)
Sound: It’s like the ‘a’ in “father.”
Example: ? ?? ?? (Aam) – Mango
3. ? (i)
Sound: It’s like the ‘i’ in “sit.”
Example: ? ?? ???? (Imli) – Tamarind
4. ? (ee)
Sound: It’s like the ‘ee’ in “see.”
Example: ? ?? ?? (Eekh) – Sugarcane
5. ? (u)
Sound: It’s like the ‘u’ in “put.”
Example: ? ?? ????? (Ullu) – Owl
6. ? (oo)
Sound: It’s like the ‘oo’ in “food.”
Example: ? ?? ?? (Oon) – Wool
7. ? (ri)
Sound: It’s like the ‘ri’ in “ritual.”
Example: ? ?? ??? (Rishi) – Sage
8. ? (e)
Sound: It’s like the ‘a’ in “cake.”
Example: ? ?? ?? (Ek) – One
9. ? (ai)
Sound: It’s like the ‘a’ in “dad.”
Example: ? ?? ??? (Ainak) – Glasses
10. ? (o)
Sound: It’s like the ‘o’ in “over.”
Example: ? ?? ???? (Okhli) – Mortar
11. ? (au)
Sound: It’s like the ‘aw’ in “awful.”
Example: ? ?? ??? (Aurat) – Woman
12. ?? (an)
Sound: It’s like the ‘ang’ in “sang.”
Example: ?? ?? ????? (Angoor) – Grapes
13. ?: (ah)
Sound: It’s like the ‘ah’ in “aha!”
Example: ?: ?? ?????: (Devtaah) – Deities
Putting together Vowels and Consonants
Just like a puzzle, where every piece fits perfectly to create a picture, combining vowels and consonants in Hindi lets you create beautiful words and sentences.
How to Combine Vowels and Consonants
In Hindi, when a vowel and a consonant come together, they create new sounds! Let’s see how it works:
Consonant + ? (a): The consonant stays the same.
Example: ? (ka)
Consonant + ? (aa): Add a vertical line after the consonant.
Example: ?? (kaa)
Consonant + ? (i): Add a small line with a curve before the consonant.
Example: ?? (ki)
Consonant + ? (ee): Add a small line with a curve after the consonant.
Example: ?? (kee)
Consonant + ? (u): Add a small hook pointing upwards underneath the consonant.
Example: ?? (ku)
Consonant + ? (oo): Add a longer hook pointing downwards underneath the consonant.
Example: ?? (koo)
Consonant + ? (e): Add a small curve above the consonant.
Example: ?? (ke)
Consonant + ? (ai): Add two curves above the consonant.
Example: ?? (kai)
Consonant + ? (o): Add a vertical line and a small curve after the consonant.
Example: ?? (ko)
Consonant + ? (au): Add a vertical line and two curves after the consonant.
Example: ?? (kau)
By mixing and matching these sounds, you can create words like ??? (kamal), ????? (gaadi), ????? (pakshi), and many more.
It’s like magic—just with letters!
So, keep practicing, exploring, and most importantly, have fun! Remember, every word you learn is a new piece of your very own Hindi adventure.
Happy learning!
