Approximate Pronunciation of the Roman Letters as representing the Sanskrit Alphabet.
Vowels.
a
अ
as in sam
â
आ
as in„ psalm
i
इ
as in„ knit
î
ई
as in„ neat
ri
ऋ
as in„ fiery
rî
ॠ
as in„ —
li
ऌ
as in„ friendly
lî
ॡ
as in„ —
u
उ
as in„ full
û
ऊ
as in„ fool
e
ए
as in„ date
ai
ऐ
as in„ aisle
o
ओ
as in„ note
au
औ
as in„ proud
Consonants.
Gutturals.
k
क
as in kite
kh
ख
as in„ inkhorn
g
ग
as in„ gate
gh
घ
as in„ springhead
ṅ (ng)
ङ
as in„ sing
h
ह
as in„ hear
Palatals.
k
च
as in church
kh
छ
as in„ church-history
g
ज
as in„ jolly
gh
झ
as in„ bridge-house
ñ (ng)
ञ
as in new
y
य
as in„ yet
s
श
as in„ sharp
Dentals.
t
त
as in tin (tip of tongue striking the bone of the teeth)
th
थ
as in„ lanthorn
d
द
as in„ din
dh
ध
as in„ landholder
n
न
as in„ nay
l
ल
as in„ let
l
ळ
as in„ —
s
स
as in„ grass
Linguals.
t
ट
as in town (tip of tongue striking alveolar region)
th
ठ
as in„ outhouse
d
ड
as in„ done
dh
ढ
as in„ rodhook
n
ण
as in„ no
r
र
as in„ red
sh
ष
as in„ shun
Labials.
p
प
as in pan
ph
फ
as in„ topheavy
b
ब
as in„ bed
bh
भ
as in„ clubhouse
m
म
as in„ mill
v
व
as in„ live
m
अं
as in„ Anusvâra (slight nasal)
h
अः
as in„ Visarga (slight breathing)
Proper names have frequently been left in their ordinary spelling, e.g. Râjendra, instead of Râgendra. In words which have almost become English, the diacritical marks have often been omitted, e.g. Rig-veda, instead of Rig-veda; Brahman, instead of Brâhmana; Confucius, Zoroaster, Koran, &c.
