Hindi Alphabet (Varnamala)
The complete Devanagari chart — vowels, consonants, matras and numbers with transliteration and example words.
The Hindi alphabet — the Varnamala (वर्णमाला) — is the foundation of reading and writing in Hindi. Hindi is written in the Devanagari script, an abugida where every consonant carries an inherent अ (a) sound unless a vowel sign (matra) or a halant (्) changes it. The Varnamala is divided into swar (स्वर, vowels) and vyanjan (व्यंजन, consonants).
The modern standard alphabet has 11 vowels and 33 consonants. Traditional counts list 13 vowels and, together with conjunct letters (क्ष, त्र, ज्ञ, श्र) and nukta letters, the total is often given as 52. Use the charts below to learn each letter, its transliteration, and a common example word — then practise writing them with our Hindi transliterator or test your speed in the Typing Hub.
Hindi Vowels — स्वर (Swar)
Vowels are pronounced independently. There are 11 core vowels; ऋ, अं (anusvara) and अः (visarga) are included in the traditional set.
Vowel Signs — मात्रा (Matra)
When a vowel joins a consonant it is written as a matra. Below, each matra is shown attached to क (ka).
Hindi Consonants — व्यंजन (Vyanjan)
The 33 consonants are grouped by their place of articulation (varga).
Conjuncts & Nukta Letters
Conjunct consonants (संयुक्त व्यंजन) combine two sounds; nukta letters (with a dot below) represent sounds used in loanwords.
Hindi Numbers — अंक (Ank)
Devanagari numerals from 0 to 9 with their names.
Interesting Facts About the Hindi Alphabet
- Hindi is written in the Devanagari script, which is written from left to right.
- Devanagari is an abugida: each consonant carries an inherent "a" vowel unless a matra or halant (्) changes it.
- The modern standard Hindi Varnamala has 11 vowels and 33 consonants; traditional counts include 13 vowels.
- The same Devanagari script is used for Sanskrit, Marathi, Nepali and Konkani.
- Devanagari has its own set of numerals (० to ९), though Hindi commonly uses international digits too.
- The horizontal line across the top of letters is called the "shirorekha" (शिरोरेखा).
Frequently Asked Questions
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