Unit 1 — Devanagari Script

What Is Devanagari?

Devanagari is the script used to write Nepali.

If you are new to Nepali, the script may look unfamiliar at first. This is normal. In this unit, you will begin slowly and learn the basic features of Nepali writing.

By the end of this unit, you will begin to understand:

1. how Nepali letters work
2. how consonants include a built-in vowel sound
3. how vowel signs change the sound of a consonant
4. how Nepali is read in small units called अक्षर (akṣara)
5. how common writing marks are used

You do not need to memorize everything right away. The goal is to become familiar with the script so that you can start reading simple Nepali words with confidence.

A simple way to remember this is:

Nepali is read in अक्षर (akṣara), or syllable blocks.

For example:

क
ka

कि
ki

को
ko

क्त
kta

Each of these is read as one written unit.

In this unit, you will learn about:

• consonants
• vowels
• vowel signs
• conjuncts
• common writing marks
• अक्षर (akṣara) as the basic reading unit

Consonants

Consonants are the main letters in Nepali.

In Nepali, most consonants include a built-in vowel sound.

For example:

क
ka

This means:

• क is not read as only k
• क is read as ka
• the vowel sound a is already included

Table 1.1.1 — Consonants with the Built-in Vowel Sound

Nepali	Transliteration	Sound
क	ka	ka
ख	kha	kha
ग	ga	ga
घ	gha	gha
ङ	ṅa	ṅa

Simple Rule

Remember:

1. A Nepali consonant usually includes the vowel sound a.
2. You do not need to add a separate letter for this sound.
3. The built-in vowel is already part of the consonant.

Examples:

क = ka
ख = kha
ग = ga

Try It Now

Read the letters aloud:

1. क — ka
2. ख — kha
3. ग — ga
4. घ — gha
5. ङ — ṅa

Now read them again slowly.

Listen for the final a sound in each one.

The Built-in Vowel

A key feature of Nepali writing is the built-in vowel.

Each consonant usually includes the sound a unless:

• another vowel sign changes it
• the vowel sound is removed

For example:

क
ka

The letter क includes two sounds:

1. the consonant sound k
2. the built-in vowel sound a

Together, क is read as ka.

Table 1.1.2 — Built-in Vowel in Consonants

Nepali	Transliteration	Explanation
क	ka	consonant with built-in a
ख	kha	consonant with built-in a
ग	ga	consonant with built-in a
म	ma	consonant with built-in a
न	na	consonant with built-in a

Learner Tip

Do not read क as only k.

Read it as:

क
ka

The a sound is already built into the consonant.

Removing the Built-in Vowel: हलन्त

The हलन्त (halanta) is a small mark.

It removes the built-in a sound from a consonant.

The हलन्त mark looks like this:

्

For example:

क
ka

क्
k

This means:

• क is read as ka
• क् is read as k
• the हलन्त removes the final a sound

Table 1.1.3 — Consonant With and Without हलन्त

Nepali	Transliteration	Meaning
क	ka	consonant with built-in a
क्	k	consonant without built-in a
म	ma	consonant with built-in a
म्	m	consonant without built-in a
न	na	consonant with built-in a
न्	n	consonant without built-in a

Simple Rule

Without हलन्त:

क = ka

With हलन्त:

क् = k

Try It Now

Read the pairs aloud:

1. क — ka
2. क् — k
3. म — ma
4. म् — m
5. न — na
6. न् — n

Now look carefully at the small mark under the consonant.

That mark is the हलन्त (halanta).

Vowels

स्वर (swara) means a vowel sound in Nepali.

In Nepali writing, vowels can appear in two main ways:

1. as independent vowel letters
2. as vowel signs attached to consonants

Independent vowels are used when a syllable begins with a vowel.

For example:

अ
a

आ
ā

इ
i

ई
ī

उ
u

ऊ
ū

Table 1.1.4 — Independent Vowels

Nepali	Transliteration	Sound
अ	a	a
आ	ā	ā
इ	i	i
ई	ī	ī
उ	u	u
ऊ	ū	ū
ए	e	e
ऐ	ai	ai
ओ	o	o
औ	au	au

Learner Tip

Independent vowels stand alone.

They do not need to attach to a consonant.

For example:

अ
a

This vowel can stand by itself.

Vowel Signs

Vowel signs are attached to consonants.

They change the built-in a sound into another vowel sound.

For example:

क
ka

का
kā

कि
ki

कु
ku

के
ke

को
ko

In each example:

• the consonant क stays the same
• the vowel sign changes the vowel sound
• the built-in a is replaced by another vowel

Table 1.1.5 — Vowel Signs with क

Nepali	Transliteration	Explanation
क	ka	built-in a
का	kā	क + ा
कि	ki	क + ि
की	kī	क + ी
कु	ku	क + ु
कू	kū	क + ू
के	ke	क + े
कै	kai	क + ै
को	ko	क + ो
कौ	kau	क + ौ

Simple Rule

Vowel signs replace the built-in a sound.

Examples:

क = ka
का = kā
कि = ki
कु = ku

Try It Now

Read these aloud:

1. क — ka
2. का — kā
3. कि — ki
4. की — kī
5. कु — ku
6. कू — kū
7. के — ke
8. को — ko

Say them slowly first.

Then say them more naturally.

You can use the audio recorder below to record yourself. Listen to your recording and check whether the vowel sound changes clearly.

Independent Vowels and Vowel Signs

Nepali uses independent vowels and vowel signs in different situations.

Use an independent vowel when the syllable begins with a vowel.

For example:

अ
a

Use a vowel sign when the vowel comes after a consonant.

For example:

क
ka

का
kā

कि
ki

These use a consonant with a built-in vowel or a vowel sign.

Table 1.1.6 — Independent Vowels and Vowel Signs

Vowel sound	Independent vowel	Vowel sign with क	Transliteration
a	अ	क	ka
ā	आ	का	kā
i	इ	कि	ki
ī	ई	की	kī
u	उ	कु	ku
ū	ऊ	कू	kū
e	ए	के	ke
ai	ऐ	कै	kai
o	ओ	को	ko
au	औ	कौ	kau

Learner Tip

Remember:

1. Use an independent vowel when the syllable starts with a vowel.
2. Use a vowel sign when the vowel is attached to a consonant.

Example:

अ = independent vowel
का = consonant + vowel sign

अक्षर: The Basic Reading Unit

Nepali is read in अक्षर (akṣara), or syllable blocks.

An अक्षर (akṣara) usually includes one vowel sound.

An अक्षर may be:

• a vowel letter
• a consonant with a built-in vowel
• a consonant with a vowel sign
• a consonant cluster with a vowel

For beginners, it is helpful to read Nepali one अक्षर (akṣara) at a time.

Table 1.1.7 — Examples of अक्षर

Nepali	Transliteration	Reading unit
क	ka	one अक्षर
कि	ki	one अक्षर
कु	ku	one अक्षर
को	ko	one अक्षर
क्त	kta	one अक्षर

Simple Rule

Read Nepali in syllable blocks.

Do not read only letter by letter.

For example:

नेपाली
nepālī

can be read as:

ने + पा + ली
ne + pā + lī

Try It Now

Read each अक्षर aloud:

1. क — ka
2. कि — ki
3. कु — ku
4. को — ko
5. क्त — kta

Now read them again.

Clap once for each अक्षर.

Conjuncts

Sometimes two consonants come together with no vowel sound between them.

This creates a conjunct, or consonant cluster.

For example:

क् + त = क्त
k + ta = kta

This means:

• क् gives the sound k
• त gives the sound ta
• together they form क्त, read as kta

Other examples:

स् + त = स्त
s + ta = sta

प् + र = प्र
p + ra = pra

ग् + य = ग्य
g + ya = gya

Table 1.1.8 — Common Conjuncts

Consonants	Conjunct	Transliteration
क् + त	क्त	kta
स् + त	स्त	sta
प् + र	प्र	pra
ग् + य	ग्य	gya

Learner Tip

A conjunct may look like several consonants joined together.

For now, remember:

• a conjunct is a joined consonant form
• it is usually read as part of one अक्षर (akṣara)
• you do not need to master all conjuncts at once

Common Conjunct Letters

Some conjuncts are very common in Nepali.

Three important ones are:

क्ष
kṣa

त्र
tra

ज्ञ
jña

In modern spoken Nepali, ज्ञ (jña) is often pronounced close to gya.

Table 1.1.9 — Common Conjunct Letters

Nepali	Transliteration	Beginner pronunciation note
क्ष	kṣa	often learned as kṣa
त्र	tra	pronounced tra
ज्ञ	jña	often pronounced close to gya in modern Nepali

Learner Tip

You do not need to master all conjuncts in this unit.

For now, focus on recognizing these forms:

1. क्ष — kṣa
2. त्र — tra
3. ज्ञ — jña

You will practise them more in later units.

शिरोरेखा: The Top Line

Most Devanagari letters have a horizontal line at the top.

This line is called शिरोरेखा (śirorekhā).

When letters form a word, the top line often connects across the word.

For example:

नेपाली
nepālī

In this word, the top line connects the letters together.

Table 1.1.10 — शिरोरेखा in Words

Nepali	Transliteration	Note
नेपाली	nepālī	the top line connects across the word
किताब	kitāb	the top line connects across the word
कमल	kamal	the top line connects across the word

Learner Tip

The शिरोरेखा (śirorekhā) helps you see how letters connect inside a word.

When you read Nepali, notice the top line first. It can help you recognize the shape of the word.

Common Writing Marks

Nepali uses several important writing marks.

You will see these marks often when reading and writing Nepali.

In this unit, you will begin by recognizing them.

Table 1.1.11 — Common Writing Marks

Mark	Nepali name	Transliteration	Use
्	हलन्त	halanta	removes the built-in a sound
ं	बिन्दु	bindu	marks a nasal sound
ँ	चन्द्रबिन्दु	candrabindu	marks nasalization
।	पूर्ण विराम	pūrṇa wirām	marks the end of a sentence
ः	विसर्ग	wisarga	adds a light breathy sound, mostly in formal or Sanskrit-based words

बिन्दु and चन्द्रबिन्दु

The बिन्दु (bindu) marks a nasal sound.

Example:

गंगा
gaṅgā

The चन्द्रबिन्दु (candrabindu) marks nasalization.

Example:

आँखा
ā̃khā

For beginners, the most important thing is to recognize that both marks are connected to nasal sounds.

Table 1.1.12 — बिन्दु and चन्द्रबिन्दु

Nepali	Transliteration	Meaning	Mark
गंगा	gaṅgā	a common Nepali female name	बिन्दु
आँखा	ā̃khā	eye; eyes	चन्द्रबिन्दु
कहाँ	kahā̃	where	चन्द्रबिन्दु
यहाँ	yahā̃	here	चन्द्रबिन्दु

Learner Tip

Both बिन्दु (bindu) and चन्द्रबिन्दु (candrabindu) are connected to nasal sounds.

For now:

1. notice the mark
2. read the example word
3. listen carefully to the pronunciation

You will learn more about these sounds later.

पूर्ण विराम

Nepali uses पूर्ण विराम (pūrṇa wirām) to mark the end of a sentence.

The mark looks like this:

।

English usually uses a period.

Nepali uses पूर्ण विराम:

।

For example:

यो किताब हो।
yo kitāb ho.
This is a book.

Table 1.1.13 — पूर्ण विराम in Sentences

Nepali	Transliteration	English
यो किताब हो।	yo kitāb ho.	This is a book.
उहाँ शिक्षक हुनुहुन्छ।	uhā̃ śikṣak hunuhuncha.	He/She is a teacher.
म विद्यार्थी हुँ।	ma widyārthī hũ.	I am a student.

Simple Rule

Remember:

1. English uses a period.
2. Nepali uses पूर्ण विराम।
3. The Nepali sentence-ending mark is: ।

Try It Now

Look at the sentence:

यो किताब हो।
yo kitāb ho.
This is a book.

Now do these steps:

1. Find the पूर्ण विराम।
2. Point to it or circle it.
3. Read the sentence aloud.

One अक्षर and More Than One अक्षर

Some written forms are one अक्षर.

Examples:

क
ka

कि
ki

को
ko

क्त
kta

Some words have more than one अक्षर.

For example:

रक्त
rakta

This word can be read as:

र + क्त
ra + kta

Table 1.1.14 — One अक्षर vs. More Than One अक्षर

Nepali	Transliteration	अक्षर breakdown
क	ka	क
कि	ki	कि
को	ko	को
रक्त	rakta	र + क्त
नेपाली	nepālī	ने + पा + ली

Learner Tip

When a word feels difficult, slow down.

Try this process:

1. Look at the whole word.
2. Break it into अक्षर (akṣara).
3. Read each अक्षर slowly.
4. Then read the full word.

Try It Now

Read the word:

नेपाली
nepālī

Now break it into अक्षर:

ने + पा + ली
ne + pā + lī

Read it slowly:

1. ने — ne
2. पा — pā
3. ली — lī

Now read the full word:

नेपाली
nepālī

You can use the audio recorder below to record yourself reading the word slowly and then naturally.