Guide to Pronunciation of Sanskrit Words

A Guide to Pronunciation of Sanskrit Words

(The guide is only a close representation of sounds in the Sanskrit language. For accurate pronunciation, if interested, one should listen to a well-pronounced recording or speech)

Vowel Sounds

a as in sun, bun, fun
ā as in last, cart, bard, father
i as in pin, sin
ī as in week, marine
u as in push
ū as in rude, crude
ṛ somewhat like in merrily
ḷ very similar to l
e somewhat like in prey – long vowel
ai as in aisle
o as in so, go – always a long vowel
au as in how, vow
ḥ in the words ending with visarga ( : )

Consonant Sounds

k as in kit
kh as in khakis
g as in give, gun
gh almost like ghastly, ghat
ṅ as in sing
ch as in chat
chh aspirated ch, as in witch-hunt
j as in jack
jh as in hedgehog
ñ as in inch, lunch
ṭ somewhat like in trust
ṭh somewhat like in anthill
ḍ somewhat like in under,
ḍh more like adhoc, aspirated form of ḍ
ṇ somewhat like in gun, fun
t like in thin, but with no aspiration
th as in thick, but begin with more stress and then aspiration
d as in then, they
dh as in adhere, but replaced with the 'th' sound as in then
n as in no, can
ph as in uphill; never as in phantom
b as in book
bh as in abhor
m as in man
y as in yacht
r more like in spirit
l as in law, language
v as in van
ś palatal sibilant, pronounced as an aspirated s (pronounce “shoe” with middle part of tongue very close to palate. “śooo”! Then say Śiva.)
sh as in wish
s as in see, sound
h as in heart

A Guide to Pronunciation of Sanskrit Words

(The guide is only a close representation of sounds in the Sanskrit language. For accurate pronunciation, if interested, one should listen to a well-pronounced recording or speech)

Vowel Sounds

a as in sun, bun, fun

ā as in last, cart, bard, father

i as in pin, sin

ī as in week, marine

u as in push

ū as in rude, crude

ṛ somewhat like in merrily

ḷ very similar to l

e somewhat like in prey – long vowel

ai as in aisle

o as in so, go – always a long vowel

au as in how, vow

ḥ in the words ending with visarga ( : )

Consonant Sounds

k as in kit

kh as in khakis

g as in give, gun

gh almost like ghastly, ghat

ṅ as in sing

ch as in chat

chh aspirated ch, as in witch-hunt

j as in jack

jh as in hedgehog

ñ as in inch, lunch

ṭ somewhat like in trust

ṭh somewhat like in anthill

ḍ somewhat like in under,

ḍh more like adhoc, aspirated form of ḍ

ṇ somewhat like in gun, fun

t like in thin, but with no aspiration

th as in thick, but begin with more stress and then aspiration

d as in then, they

dh as in adhere, but replaced with the 'th' sound as in then

n as in no, can

ph as in uphill; never as in phantom

b as in book

bh as in abhor

m as in man

y as in yacht

r more like in spirit

l as in law, language

v as in van

ś palatal sibilant, pronounced as an aspirated s (pronounce “shoe” with middle part of tongue very close to palate. “śooo”! Then say Śiva.)

sh as in wish

s as in see, sound

h as in heart

A Guide to Pronunciation of Sanskrit Words

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