Devanāgarī

Question 1

Velar
as in ‘skit, with minimal release of breath

Answer 1

क

Question 2

Velar
a “k” sound produced further back than क (ka)

Answer 2

क़

Question 3

Velar
aspirated form of क (ka): as in ‘kit’, but more aspirated

Answer 3

ख

Question 4

Velar
as ‘ch’ in Scottish ‘loch’, or German ‘Bach’

Answer 4

ख़

Question 5

Velar
as in ‘gift’

Answer 5

ग

Question 6

Velar
a ‘g’ sound produced further back than ग

Answer 6

ग़

Question 7

Velar
aspirated form of ग: as in ‘dog-house’

Answer 7

घ

Question 8

Velar
used only with a velar consonant; as in ‘ink; it is rarely seen in Hindi but is included here for completeness

Answer 8

ङ

Question 9

Palatal
as in ‘cheese, but with less release of breath

Answer 9

च

Question 10

Palatal
aspirated form of a च like in ‘pitch-hook’

Answer 10

छ

Question 11

Palatal
as in ‘jeer’

Answer 11

ज

Question 12

Palatal
as in ‘zip’

Answer 12

ज़

Question 13

Palatal
aspirated form of ज in ‘large house’

Answer 13

झ

Question 14

Palatal
used only with a palatal consonant; as in ‘inch’ - rarely seen, but included here for completeness

Answer 14

ञ

Question 15

Retroflex
as in ‘train’, but harder

Answer 15

ट

Question 16

Retroflex
aspirated form of ट; as in ‘at home’

Answer 16

ठ

Question 17

Retroflex
as in ‘drum’, but harder

Answer 17

ड

Question 18

Retroflex
a flapped hard ‘r’- the tongue makes a ड sound as it moves past the palate

Answer 18

ड़

Question 19

Retroflex
aspirated form of ड

Answer 19

ढ

Question 20

Retroflex
flapped equivalent of ढ

Answer 20

ढ con pallino sotto

Question 21

the retroflex nasal; a hard ‘n’ sound

Answer 21

ण

Question 22

Dental
as in ‘at’ within the phrase ‘at the’

Answer 22

त

Question 23

Dental
aspirated form of त

Answer 23

थ

Question 24

Dental
as in ‘breadth’

Answer 24

द

Question 25

Dental aspirated form of द

Answer 25

ध

Question 26

the dental nasal: as in 'anthem'

Answer 26

न

Question 27

Labial as in 'spin', with minimal release of breath

Answer 27

प

Question 28

Labial like 'p' in 'pin', but more aspirated, as in 'top hat'

Answer 28

फ

Question 29

Labial as in 'bin'

Answer 29

ब

Question 30

Labial aspirated form of ब: as in 'club-house'

Answer 30

भ

Question 31

Labial as in 'mother'

Answer 31

म

Question 33

as in 'roll'

Answer 33

र

Question 34

a dental l'; softer than the first 'l' in 'label', and much softer than the second

Answer 34

ल

Question 35

between English 'v' and 'w; the teeth don't touch the lip as in 'vest', but neither are the lips rounded as in 'west'

Answer 35

व

Question 36

as 'sh' in 'ship'

Answer 36

श

Question 37

a retroflex 'sh'; usually not distinguished from श in pronunciation (and found in Sanskrit loanwords only)

Answer 37

ष

Question 38

as in 'sip'

Answer 38

स

Question 39

as in 'yet', but less tense

Answer 39

य

Question 40

ksha

Answer 40

क्ष

Question 41

gya

Answer 41

ज्ञ

Question 42

this 'h' sound is always fully voiced, as in 'ahead'. It often 'lightens' an adjacent a vowel: both vowels in Hest mahal ('palace) are similar to the 'e' in 'melt'

Answer 42

ह