Introduction

Hindi is among the oldest languages to be discovered by mankind, which has its roots laid back in around the 10th Century AD. It is a descendant of Sanskrit, which was the earliest speech of the Aryans in India. Hindi – also known as Hindustani or Khari-Boli, is written in the Devanagri script, which is the most scientific writing system in the world and is widely spoken by over ten million people across the globe as their first or second language, which makes it the 3rd most widely spoken language in the world.
Hindi is spoken by almost the entire Indian population and has managed to influence many other languages spoken in this country. It has been adopted as an official language in most parts of India, but is yet to be declared as the National language. Recently, it has also been suggested that Hindi be one of the official languages in the United Nations because of the large number of Hindi speakers across the world, and the Indian government has been actively working on the same.
The Hindi literature can be majorly divided into four stages, namely:
  • Adikal (The early period) ranging from 10th to 14th Century
  • Bhaktikal (The devotional period) ranging from 14th to 18th Century
  • Ritikal (The scholastic period) ranging from 18th to 20th Century
  • Adhunikal (The modern period) 20th Century onwards
 

Alphabets in Hindi

The alphabets in Hindi are known as “Varnmaala” which are broadly characterized as Swar and Vyanjan. The Varnmaala can be listed as below:
Varnmaala
Hindi examples
Pronounced as
Phonetic Examples
अ
अनार
a
Up
आ
आम
aa
Arm
इ
इमली
i
Is
ई
ईख
ee
Eat
उ
उल्लू
u
Uber
ऊ
ऊन
oo
Oops
ॠ
ऋषि
ri
Risk
ए
एडी
e
Ate
ऐ
ऐनक
ai
Ant
ओ
ओखली
o
Open
औ
औरत
au
Audio
अं
अंगूर
am/an
Number
अः
aha
क
कबूतर
ka,ca
King
ख
खरगोश
kha
Khaki
ग
गमला
ga
Gun
घ
घड़ी
gha
Ghastly
ङ
Nga
च
चम्मच
cha
Chair
छ
छतरी
chha
Chhatisgarh
ज
जल
ja
Jam
झ
झंडा
jha
Jhalem
ञ
Nja
ट
टमाटर
Ta
Take
ठ
ठठेरा
Tha
Thane
ड
डमरू
Da
Danger
ढ
ढोलक
Dha
ण
Na
त
तरबूज़
ta
थ
थैली
tha
Thick
द
दवाई
da
The
ध
धनुष
dha
Buddha
न
नल
na
Name
प
पतलून
pa
Parent
फ
फल
pha,fa
Flower
ब
बकरी
ba
Bank
भ
भालू
bha
Bhavan
म
मछली
ma
Made
य
योगी
ya
Yacht
र
रस्सी
ra
Rain
ल
लड्‍डू
la
Lawyer
व
वाहन
va,wa
Vase
श
शरबत
sha
Shine
ष
षटकोण
Sha
Share
स
साबुन
sa
Sale
ह
हिन्दी
ha
Hat
क्ष
क्षत्रिय
kSha
Rickshaw
त्र
त्रिशूल
tra
ज्ञ
ज्ञानी
Gya
Gyan
श्र
श्रमिक
Shra
Shred
क
कबूतर
Ka
Colour
का
काग़ज़
kaa
Carton
कि
किताब
Ki
King
की
कील
Kee
Keep
कु
कुंवर
Ku
Kung Fu
कू
कूलर
Koo
Cool
कृ
कृपाण
Kri
Crypto
के
केला
Ke
Case
कै
कैलाश
Kai
Camera
को
कोयला
Ko
Cold
कौ
कौवा
Kau
Cow
कं
कंगन
Kang
Kangaroo
कः
Kaha

 

 

Varnmaala Hindi examples Pronounced as Phonetic Examples
अ अनार a Up
आ आम aa Arm
इ इमली i Is
ई ईख ee Eat
उ उल्लू u Uber
ऊ ऊन oo Oops
ॠ ऋषि ri Risk
ए एडी e Ate
ऐ ऐनक ai Ant
ओ ओखली o Open
औ औरत au Audio
अं अंगूर am/an Number
अः aha
क कबूतर ka,ca King
ख खरगोश kha Khaki
ग गमला ga Gun
घ घड़ी gha Ghastly
ङ Nga
च चम्मच cha Chair
छ छतरी chha Chhatisgarh
ज जल ja Jam
झ झंडा jha Jhalem
ञ Nja
ट टमाटर Ta Take
ठ ठठेरा Tha Thane
ड डमरू Da Danger
ढ ढोलक Dha
ण Na
त तरबूज़ ta
थ थैली tha Thick
द दवाई da The
ध धनुष dha Buddha
न नल na Name
प पतलून pa Parent
फ फल pha,fa Flower
ब बकरी ba Bank
भ भालू bha Bhavan
म मछली ma Made
य योगी ya Yacht
र रस्सी ra Rain
ल लड्‍डू la Lawyer
व वाहन va,wa Vase
श शरबत sha Shine
ष षटकोण Sha Share
स साबुन sa Sale
ह हिन्दी ha Hat
क्ष क्षत्रिय kSha Rickshaw
त्र त्रिशूल tra
ज्ञ ज्ञानी Gya Gyan
श्र श्रमिक Shra Shred
क कबूतर Ka Colour
का काग़ज़ kaa Carton
कि किताब Ki King
की कील Kee Keep
कु कुंवर Ku Kung Fu
कू कूलर Koo Cool
कृ कृपाण Kri Crypto
के केला Ke Case
कै कैलाश Kai Camera
को कोयला Ko Cold
कौ कौवा Kau Cow
कं कंगन Kang Kangaroo
कः Kaha

 

Vowels
Out of the total 48 letters in the Hindi Varnmaala, there are a total number of eleven Vowels (Swar) in Hindi.
 
Swar
Hindi examples
Pronounced as
Phonetic Examples
अ
अनार
a
Up
आ
आम
aa
Arm
इ
इमली
i
Is
ई
ईख
ee
Eat
उ
उल्लू
u
Uber
ऊ
ऊन
oo
Oops
ॠ
ऋषि
ri
Risk
ए
एडी
e
Ate
ऐ
ऐनक
ai
Ant
ओ
ओखली
o
Open
औ
औरत
au
Audio
अं
अंगूर
am/an
Number
अः
aha

 

 

Swar Hindi examples Pronounced as
Phonetic Examples
अ अनार a Up
आ आम aa Arm
इ इमली i Is
ई ईख ee Eat
उ उल्लू u Uber
ऊ ऊन oo Oops
ॠ ऋषि ri Risk
ए एडी e Ate
ऐ ऐनक ai Ant
ओ ओखली o Open
औ औरत au Audio
अं अंगूर am/an Number
अः aha
Swar are basically of three types:
  1. Hrisv swar– Those which are spoken easily and in no time. These are four in number:

 

Hrisv Swar
Hindi examples
Pronounced as
Phonetic Examples
अ
अनार
a
Up
इ
इमली
i
Is
उ
उल्लू
u
Uber
ॠ
ऋषि
ri
Risk
अं
अंगूर
am/an
Number
अः
aha

 

 

Hrisv Swar Hindi examples Pronounced as
Phonetic Examples
अ अनार a Up
इ इमली i Is
उ उल्लू u Uber
ॠ ऋषि ri Risk
अं अंगूर am/an Number
अः aha
 
  1. Deeghr swar– Those which are spoken in comparatively more time. These are seven in number:
Deeghr Swar
Hindi examples
Pronounced as
Phonetic Examples
आ
आम
aa
Arm
ई
ईख
ee
Eat
ऊ
ऊन
oo
Oops
ए
एडी
e
Ate
ऐ
ऐनक
ai
Ant
ओ
ओखली
o
Open
औ
औरत
au
Audio
 
  1. Plut swar– Those which take the most time, like ओ in ओ३म (Om)
 
Other than swar, there are also, Ayogvah, which are two in number: अं, अः
  • अं: is the anuswar
  • अः is the visarg
 
Consonants
 
Vyanjan, which are the consonants of Hindi are divided into:
  1. Sparsh Vyanjan: These are 25 in number, with 5 categories and 5 letters in each of the five categories, namely:
  • क category : क ख ग घ ङ
  • च category : च छ ज झ ञ
  • ट category : ट ठ ड ढ ण
  • त category : त थ द ध न
  • प category : प फ ब भ म
Below is a list of the Sparsh Vyanjan and their usage:
Sparsh Vyanjan
Hindi examples
Pronounced as
Phonetic Examples
क
कबूतर
ka,ca
King
ख
खरगोश
kha
Khaki
ग
गमला
ga
Gun
घ
घड़ी
gha
Ghastly
ङ
Nga
च
चम्मच
cha
Chair
छ
छतरी
chha
Chhatisgarh
ज
जल
ja
Jam
झ
झंडा
jha
Jhalem
ञ
Nja
ट
टमाटर
Ta
Take
ठ
ठठेरा
Tha
Thane
ड
डमरू
Da
Danger
ढ
ढोलक
Dha
ण
Na
त
तरबूज़
ta
थ
थैली
tha
Thick
द
दवाई
da
The
ध
धनुष
dha
Buddha
न
नल
na
Name
प
पतलून
pa
Parent
फ
फल
pha,fa
Flower
ब
बकरी
ba
Bank
भ
भालू
bha
Bhavan
म
मछली
ma
Made

 

 

Sparsh Vyanjan Hindi examples Pronounced as
Phonetic Examples
क कबूतर ka,ca King
ख खरगोश kha Khaki
ग गमला ga Gun
घ घड़ी gha Ghastly
ङ Nga
च चम्मच cha Chair
छ छतरी chha Chhatisgarh
ज जल ja Jam
झ झंडा jha Jhalem
ञ Nja
ट टमाटर Ta Take
ठ ठठेरा Tha Thane
ड डमरू Da Danger
ढ ढोलक Dha
ण Na
त तरबूज़ ta
थ थैली tha Thick
द दवाई da The
ध धनुष dha Buddha
न नल na Name
प पतलून pa Parent
फ फल pha,fa Flower
ब बकरी ba Bank
भ भालू bha Bhavan
म मछली ma Made
  1. Antash Vyanjan: These are four in number:
 
Antash Vyanjan
Hindi examples
Pronounced as
Phonetic Examples
य
योगी
ya
Yacht
र
रस्सी
ra
Rain
ल
लड्‍डू
la
Lawyer
व
वाहन
va,wa
Vase

 

 

Antash Vyanjan Hindi examples Pronounced as
Phonetic Examples
य योगी ya Yacht
र रस्सी ra Rain
ल लड्‍डू la Lawyer
व वाहन va,wa Vase
 
  1. Ushm Vyanjan: These are also four in number:
 
Varnmaala
Hindi examples
Pronounced as
Phonetic Examples
श
शरबत
sha
Shine
ष
षटकोण
Sha
Share
स
साबुन
sa
Sale
ह
हिन्दी
ha
Hat

 

 

Varnmaala Hindi examples Pronounced as
Phonetic Examples
श शरबत sha Shine
ष षटकोण Sha Share
स साबुन sa Sale
ह हिन्दी ha Hat
 
Merging Vowels and Consonants
When we merge the vowels and consonants in hindi, we get a new letter with a special character (called maatra) attached to it, which gives a unique sound to the consonant, the vowel is added to. The special character, called maatra will differ based on the vowel being used. Below is a simple representation of the same:
 
Swar+Vyanjan
Hindi examples
Pronounced as
Phonetic Examples
क= क + अ
कबूतर
Ka
Colour
का= क + आ
काग़ज़
kaa
Carton
कि= क + इ
किताब
Ki
King
की= क + ई
कील
Kee
Keep
कु= क + उ
कुंवर
Ku
Kung Fu
कू= क + ऊ
कूलर
Koo
Cool
कृ= क + ॠ
कृपाण
Kri
Crypto
के= क + ए
केला
Ke
Case
कै= क + ऐ
कैलाश
Kai
Camera
को= क + ओ
कोयला
Ko
Cold
कौ= क + औ
कौवा
Kau
Cow
कं= क + अं
कंगन
Kang
Kangaroo
कः= क + अः
Kaha

 

 

Swar+Vyanjan Hindi examples Pronounced as
Phonetic Examples
क= क + अ कबूतर Ka Colour
का= क + आ काग़ज़ kaa Carton
कि= क + इ किताब Ki King
की= क + ई कील Kee Keep
कु= क + उ कुंवर Ku Kung Fu
कू= क + ऊ कूलर Koo Cool
कृ= क + ॠ कृपाण Kri Crypto
के= क + ए केला Ke Case
कै= क + ऐ कैलाश Kai Camera
को= क + ओ कोयला Ko Cold
कौ= क + औ कौवा Kau Cow
कं= क + अं कंगन Kang Kangaroo
कः= क + अः Kaha
Sample Text
To understand how Hindi alphabets are used as building blocks to make complex sentences, please see the following 
 
 
“दया वो भाषा है जिसे बहरा भी सुन सकता है और अँधा भी देख सकता है “
 
“Kindness is the language that the deaf can hear and the blind can see”
                                                                                             –Mark Twain