Hindi Consonants

Question 1

क

Answer 1

transliteration: k
Sounds like “k” in “kind”.

Question 2

ख

Answer 2

transliteration: “kh”
The aspirated version of “क/k”.

Question 3

ग

Answer 3

transliteration: g
Sounds like “g” in “dog”.

Question 4

घ

Answer 4

transliteration: gh
The aspirated version of “ग/g”.

Question 5

ङ

Answer 5

transliteration: ṅ
It’s a very rare letter pronounced like the “n” in “ink” - try saying the “n” in “ink” as the start of a word. It’s actually a but tricky and gutteral.

Question 6

च

Answer 6

transliteration: c
Sounds like “ch” in “Church”.

Question 7

छ

Answer 7

transliteration: ch
The aspirated version of च.

Question 8

ज

Answer 8

transliteration: j
Sounds like “j” in “jade”.

Question 9

झ

Answer 9

transliteration: jh
The aspirated version of ज.

Question 10

ञ

Answer 10

transliteration: ñ
Pronounced like the “ñ” in “niño”. [like ny-]. This is a very rare letter.

Question 11

ट

Answer 11

transliteration: t
To pronounce this, start by saying an English “t” but roll your tongue back in your mouth a bit along the roof of your mouth. It sounds a little like an English “d” to me, but thicker.

Question 12

ठ

Answer 12

transliteration: th
The aspirated version of ट.

Question 13

ड

Answer 13

transliteration: d
To pronounce this, start by saying an English “d” but roll your tongue back in your mouth a bit along the roof of your mouth. Thick “d” sound.

Question 14

ढ

Answer 14

transliteration: dh
The aspirated version of ड.

Question 15

ण

Answer 15

transliteration: ṇ
Fat, thick “n” sound. Roll your tongue back a little while saying an English “n”, just like with the other consonants in this group. This is not a rare letter.

Question 16

त

Answer 16

transliteration: t [there are two t’s in Hindi]
A light “t” sound, said like in English with the tongue behind the upper front teeth.

Question 17

थ

Answer 17

transliteration: th [there are two “th’s” in Hindi]
The aspirated version of त.

Question 18

द

Answer 18

transliteration: d [there are two “d’s” in Hindi]
A light “d” sound, said like in English.

Question 19

ध

Answer 19

transliteration: dh [there are two “dh’s” in Hindi
The aspirated version of द.

Question 20

न

Answer 20

transliteration: n
Sounds just like an English “n”, as in “nap”.

Question 21

प

Answer 21

transliteration: p
Said like the “p” in “spit”. It is NOT aspirated, so don’t let air flow out of your mouth when you say it.

Question 22

फ

Answer 22

transliteration: ph
The aspirated version of प. Make sure air comes out of your mouth when you say it.

Question 23

ब

Answer 23

transliteration: b
Sounds just like the English “b”, as in “bat”.

Question 24

भ

Answer 24

transliteration: bh
The aspirated version of ब.

Question 25

म

Answer 25

transliteration: m
Sounds just like English “m”, as in “mum”.

Question 26

य

Answer 26

transliteration: y
Slightly lighter version of English “y”.

Question 27

र

Answer 27

transliteration: r
Slightly lighter version of Spanish trilled/rolled “r” sound.

Question 28

ल

Answer 28

transliteration: l
Slightly lighter version of English “l”.

Question 29

व

Answer 29

transliteration: v
Somewhere between an English “v” and “w”. Sometimes the pronunciation can float more towards “v” and sometimes more towards “w”. [I think of it as a lazy “vw”]

Question 30

श

Answer 30

transliteration: sh
Said just like the English “sh” in “sheep”.

Question 31

ष

Answer 31

transliteration: sh
[exactly the same as श]
Said just like the English “sh” in “sheep”.

Question 32

स

Answer 32

transliteration: s
Sounds just like the English “s” in “sing”.

Question 33

ह

Answer 33

transliteration: h
Sounds just like the English “h”, like the “h” in “hand”.

Question 34

फ़

Answer 34

f

Question 35

ज़

Answer 35

z