The Nepali alphabet is one of the first things new learners encounter — and one of the most rewarding things to master. Unlike the intimidating appearance of Devanagari script from the outside, the alphabet follows a beautifully logical internal structure that has been refined over two thousand years of Sanskrit grammatical tradition.
This guide gives you every letter of the Nepali alphabet: the 12 vowels, the 36 consonants, the vowel signs used in combination with consonants, and special characters. It explains how the letters are organised, why that organisation makes sense, and how to move from knowing individual letters to reading real Nepali words.
Audio for every letter in this guide is available through BolNepali's Devanagari module.
What Kind of Alphabet Is Devanagari?
Before listing the letters, understanding the type of writing system helps you learn it correctly.
Devanagari is an abugida (also called an alphasyllabary). In an abugida:
- Consonants are the primary unit
- Each consonant carries an inherent vowel (in Devanagari, this is the short "a" sound)
- Other vowels are represented by adding signs (maatraa) to the consonant
- The inherent vowel is suppressed by a special mark called the halant (्)
This differs from a pure alphabet (like English) where vowels and consonants are equal, independent letters.
The practical effect: when you see a Nepali consonant with no vowel sign, you add the inherent short "a" sound. When you see a consonant with a vowel sign, you use that vowel instead.
The Vowels (Svaras) — स्वरहरू
Vowels in Nepali are called svaras (स्वर). When they appear at the beginning of a word or syllable, they are written as independent letters. When they follow a consonant, they are written as signs attached to the consonant.
There are 12 primary vowels in modern Nepali.
Independent Vowel Letters
| Letter | Name | Romanisation | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|---|
| अ | a | a | Short "a" — like "a" in "about" |
| आ | aa | aa | Long "a" — like "a" in "father" |
| इ | i | i | Short "i" — like "i" in "bit" |
| ई | ii | ii | Long "i" — like "ee" in "see" |
| उ | u | u | Short "u" — like "u" in "put" |
| ऊ | uu | uu | Long "u" — like "oo" in "moon" |
| ए | e | e | Like "e" in "café" |
| ऐ | ai | ai | Like "ai" in "aisle" |
| ओ | o | o | Like "o" in "go" |
| औ | au | au | Like "ow" in "cow" |
| अं | am | am/an | Nasal vowel — "a" with nasal resonance |
| अः | ah | ah | Visarga — aspirated "h" after vowel; rare in modern Nepali |
Vowel Signs (Maatraa) — मात्राहरू
When a vowel follows a consonant within a syllable, it is written as a sign attached to the consonant rather than as an independent letter. The inherent "a" of the consonant is replaced by the new vowel.
Using the consonant क (ka) as the base:
| Vowel | Sign | Combined form | Reads as |
|---|---|---|---|
| अ (a) | (inherent — no sign) | क | ka |
| आ (aa) | ा | का | kaa |
| इ (i) | ि | कि | ki |
| ई (ii) | ी | की | kii |
| उ (u) | ु | कु | ku |
| ऊ (uu) | ू | कू | kuu |
| ए (e) | े | के | ke |
| ऐ (ai) | ै | कै | kai |
| ओ (o) | ो | को | ko |
| औ (au) | ौ | कौ | kau |
| अं (nasal) | ं | कं | kam/kan |
Key observation: The sign for long "aa" (ा) is added to the right of the consonant. The sign for short "i" (ि) is placed to the left of the consonant — even though the "i" sound comes after the consonant. This is one of the features that surprises new learners of Devanagari: the visual placement of the "i" sign does not match the order in which sounds are spoken.
The Consonants (Vyanjanas) — व्यञ्जनहरू
Nepali has 36 consonants, organised into groups according to where in the mouth they are produced. This phonological classification — developed by ancient Sanskrit grammarians — is one of the most elegant features of the script.
Group 1: Velar Consonants — कण्ठ्य (Produced at the back of the throat)
| Letter | Name | Romanisation | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|---|
| क | ka | k | Like "k" in "skip" — unaspirated |
| ख | kha | kh | Aspirated "k" — "k" with puff of air |
| ग | ga | g | Like "g" in "go" — unaspirated |
| घ | gha | gh | Aspirated "g" — "g" with breath |
| ङ | nga | ng | "ng" sound as in "sing" — rare in Nepali |
Understanding aspiration: The difference between क (k) and ख (kh) is a small puff of air after the consonant. Hold your hand in front of your mouth: say "skill" — no puff. Say "kill" — puff of air. The "k" in "skill" is like Nepali क; the "k" in "kill" is closer to ख. This aspiration distinction applies to the same pairs throughout all five groups.
Group 2: Palatal Consonants — तालव्य (Produced at the middle palate)
| Letter | Name | Romanisation | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|---|
| च | cha | ch | Like "ch" in "chair" — unaspirated |
| छ | chha | chh | Aspirated "ch" — "ch" with breath |
| ज | ja | j | Like "j" in "jump" |
| झ | jha | jh | Aspirated "j" — "j" with breath |
| ञ | nya | ny | "ny" as in "canyon" — mostly in conjuncts |
Group 3: Retroflex Consonants — मूर्धन्य (Tongue curled back to hard palate)
These are the consonants most foreign to English speakers. The tongue tip curls back and touches the hard palate rather than the area behind the top teeth.
| Letter | Name | Romanisation | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ट | ṭa | ṭ | Retroflex "t" — tongue curled back |
| ठ | ṭha | ṭh | Aspirated retroflex "t" |
| ड | ḍa | ḍ | Retroflex "d" — tongue curled back |
| ढ | ḍha | ḍh | Aspirated retroflex "d" |
| ण | ṇa | ṇ | Retroflex "n" — tongue curled back |
Practical tip: When you see ट or ड in Nepali, try to touch the underside of your tongue tip to the roof of your mouth slightly further back than your normal "t" or "d" position. Even an approximate retroflex is better than a dental one.
Group 4: Dental Consonants — दन्त्य (Tongue tip at upper teeth)
These are sometimes called "true" t, d, n sounds in South Asian phonology. The tongue tip touches the upper front teeth or the ridge just behind them — slightly further forward than the English "t" and "d".
| Letter | Name | Romanisation | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|---|
| त | ta | t | Dental "t" — tongue at upper teeth |
| थ | tha | th | Aspirated dental "t" — NOT the English "th" |
| द | da | d | Dental "d" — tongue at upper teeth |
| ध | dha | dh | Aspirated dental "d" |
| न | na | n | Like "n" in English |
Critical warning: The Nepali थ (tha) is NOT the English "th" as in "the" or "thin." It is simply a dental "t" with a puff of air behind it. English learners must consciously suppress their habit of making a fricative "th" sound when they see this letter.
Group 5: Labial Consonants — ओष्ठ्य (Produced with the lips)
| Letter | Name | Romanisation | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|---|
| प | pa | p | Like "p" in "spin" — unaspirated |
| फ | pha | ph | Aspirated "p" — NOT "f" |
| ब | ba | b | Like "b" in "ball" |
| भ | bha | bh | Aspirated "b" |
| म | ma | m | Like "m" in "mother" |
Note on फ: The romanisation "ph" might make an English speaker say "f", but फ is simply an aspirated "p" — press your lips together, release with a puff of air. It is the "p" in "pot" rather than the "p" in "spot."
Group 6: Semivowels — अर्धस्वर
| Letter | Name | Romanisation | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|---|
| य | ya | y | Like "y" in "yes" |
| र | ra | r | Flapped "r" — tongue briefly taps hard palate |
| ल | la | l | Like "l" in "love" |
| व | va/ba | v/b | Between "v" and "b" — varies by speaker and region |
Group 7: Sibilants and Fricatives — ऊष्म
| Letter | Name | Romanisation | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|---|
| श | sha | sh | Like "sh" in "shoe" |
| ष | ṣha | ṣh | Retroflex "sh" — slightly different from श |
| स | sa | s | Like "s" in "sun" |
| ह | ha | h | Like "h" in "house" |
Note on श and ष: In modern spoken Nepali, these two letters are often pronounced identically (both as "sh"). The distinction is more important in Sanskrit and formal written Nepali. As a learner, pronouncing both as "sh" is acceptable.
Special Characters
The Halant (्) — हलन्त
The halant is placed below a consonant to suppress its inherent "a" vowel, indicating that the consonant has no following vowel. It appears in conjunct consonants and at the end of some words.
Example: कर्म (karma) — the र (ra) carries a halant because it is followed directly by म (ma) with no vowel between them.
Chandrabindu (ँ) — चन्द्रबिन्दु
A small moon-and-dot symbol placed above letters to indicate nasalisation of a vowel. Common in Nepali words like हाँस्नु (haansu — to laugh) and आँखा (aankha — eye).
Anusvara (ं) — अनुस्वार
A simple dot placed above a letter to indicate nasalisation. Often interchangeable with chandrabindu in modern usage, though technically distinct.
Visarga (ः) — विसर्ग
A double-dot symbol placed after a vowel to indicate a final "h" aspiration. Rare in everyday Nepali but appears in Sanskrit-derived words.
Conjunct Characters — संयुक्त अक्षर
When two consonants appear together without a vowel between them, they are often written as a single combined character called a conjunct. Conjuncts are formed by attaching the reduced form (called the "half-form" or "viraam form") of the first consonant to the full form of the second.
The most common conjuncts you will encounter as a beginner:
| Conjunct | Components | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| क्ष | क + ष | क्षमा | Forgiveness |
| त्र | त + र | त्रिकोण | Triangle |
| ज्ञ | ज + ञ | ज्ञान | Knowledge |
| द्व | द + व | द्वार | Door/gate |
| प्र | प + र | प्रेम | Love |
| स्व | स + व | स्वर | Sound/vowel |
| न्त | न + त | अन्त | End |
| स्त | स + त | नमस्ते | Namaste |
The conjunct in नमस्ते (Namaste) is स्त — the combination of स (sa) and त (ta). When you look at the word नमस्ते in Devanagari, you can identify: न (na) + म (ma) + स्ते (ste — conjunct with vowel sign).
The Traditional Order of the Alphabet
The Nepali alphabet is traditionally recited and taught in a specific order that reflects the phonological groupings above. This order is:
Vowels: अ आ इ ई उ ऊ ए ऐ ओ औ अं अः
Consonants: क ख ग घ ङ / च छ ज झ ञ / ट ठ ड ढ ण / त थ द ध न / प फ ब भ म / य र ल व / श ष स ह
Learning the alphabet in this traditional order has a practical benefit: it is the order used in Nepali dictionaries, indexes, and organised lists. Knowing the alphabetical order in Nepali allows you to navigate Nepali reference materials just as knowing the ABC order allows you to use English dictionaries.
A Six-Week Plan for Learning the Nepali Alphabet
Here is a structured six-week plan using fifteen minutes of daily practice.
Week 1: Learn vowels अ through उ. Write each ten times. Listen to audio. Practise reading simple vowel combinations.
Week 2: Learn vowels ऊ through औ. Review all twelve vowels. Learn vowel signs (maatraa) using consonant क as base.
Week 3: Learn consonant Groups 1 and 2 (क through ञ). Practise writing. Apply vowel signs to each new consonant.
Week 4: Learn consonant Groups 3 and 4 (ट through न). Extra time on retroflex sounds. Build CVC (consonant-vowel-consonant) syllables.
Week 5: Learn consonant Groups 5, 6, and 7 (प through ह). Complete the full consonant set. Practise reading simple words using all consonants.
Week 6: Introduction to common conjunct characters. Read complete words in Devanagari. Begin BolNepali reading exercises.
Reading Practice: Real Nepali Words Using Letters You Know
By the end of Week 6, you should be able to work through these words:
| Word | Devanagari | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Hello | नमस्ते | Namaste |
| Water | पानी | Paani |
| Food | खाना | Khana |
| House | घर | Ghar |
| Road | बाटो | Bato |
| Mother | आमा | Aama |
| Father | बुवा | Buwa |
| Nepal | नेपाल | Nepal |
| Nepali | नेपाली | Nepali |
| Mountain | पहाड | Pahad |
| Beautiful | राम्रो | Ramro |
| Thank you | धन्यवाद | Dhanyabad |
Continue with BolNepali
BolNepali's Devanagari module provides stroke-order animations, native-speaker audio for every letter and word, progressive reading exercises, and a four-week structured curriculum that takes you from individual letters to reading complete sentences.
Start your Devanagari journey free at bolnepali.com.
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