Transliteration and pronunciation of Sanskrit and Hindi words
 

Consonants

 

k         like k in seek

kh       aspirated k, as in bulkhead (with the k and and h pronounced together)

g         as good

gh       aspirated g as in egghead (with the g and h pronounced together)

n         guttural nasal n, as in angle

 

c         like ch in beach.

ch       aspirated c as in beachhead (with the ch and and h pronounced together)

j           as in joke

jh        aspirated j, (no equivalent in English)

ñ         palatal nasal n as in anchovy

 

ṭ           as in cat 

ṭh        aspirated t, as in meathook (with the t and h pronounced together)

ḍ         as in dog 

ḍh       aspirated d, as in kindhearted (with the d and h pronounced together)

ṇ         hard palatal n (no equivalent in English)

 

t           as in French tout

th        aspirated t, somewhat like (but less dontal than) th in thing

d         as in French doux

dh       aspirated d, somewhat like (but less dontal than) in adhere

n         as in no

 

p         as in pot

ph       aspirated p, somewhat like ph in shepherd, but with h more clearly aspirated

b         as in boy

bh       aspirated b as in subhuman (with the b and h pronounced together)

m        as in man

 

 

y        as in yes

r         as in run

l         as in love

ḷ         palatal retroflex rolled l, no equivalent in English

v        as in the English v, but more labial (rather than labio-dontal)

ṣ        like sh in shine

ś        retroflex palatal sh, no equivalent in English

s       as in sun

h         as in hand

 

 

Vowels

 

a         like the first a in banana 

ā         as in father 

i           as in bin 

ī           like ee in been 

u         as in put 

ū         like oo in fool 

e         like a in lane 

ai        somewhat as in nail, but accented 

o         as in hole 

au       like ou in out